Edible Weeds with Dr. Roland Ebel and Dr. Fabian Menalled

What if some of the plants farmers spend hours pulling out of their fields belong on our plates? In this episode, Dr. Cassandra Quave talks with agroecologists Dr. Roland Ebel (College of Agricultural and Environmental Education, Vienna) and Dr. Fabian Menalled (Montana State University) about edible weeds: the spontaneous plants that are wiped out in conventional farming but have long been valued as food in traditional farming systems, from Mexico’s quelites to the wild greens of southern Italy. They start by asking what a weed actually is. From there they explain why traditional farmers often don’t separate crop from weed, and how ideas like “neutral weed communities,” selective weeding, and selective harvesting could fit these plants into modern organic farms. Along the way, they cover some promising species: purslane, which has more omega-3s than any other leafy green; lambsquarters, a close relative of quinoa; amaranth; thistles; mallows; and dandelions, which are prized as a delicacy in parts of Germany and France. The conversation also covers what edible weeds offer for food security, pollinators, and climate resilience. Roland and Fabian talk about the limits of bringing them into large mechanized farms, and they give a preview of their upcoming book, which pairs the science with recipes from chefs. #FoodiePharmacology #EdibleWeeds #Agroecology #SustainableAgriculture #FoodSystems #WildEdibles #Ethnobotany #OrganicFarming #FoodSecurity #Purslane