...few words on the Rye (and from some other god-forsaken weeds)

Weed ([Pron;] wéd) ; "n. a useless or troublesome plant in cultivated land, a plant springing up where not wanted in a garden etc. ; any useless or troublesome intrusive thing, [...]” 

- Cassell's Concise English Dictionary (ed. 1894-1995)

Merlin (...here showing what the miracles the weeds have potential to...)

[Mulskinner Eco-product Recom. XIX  ; II / 2014)] ; Rye (-bread)

; Some of my best friends these days are commonly known for weeds. In case of having followed this blog (even a little), the reader might've had noticed many so called weeds, that I've earlier given some attention for (as the natural herbs, or otherwise luxuberant, often also undervalued, delicacy). Acc. my recall we've so far presented alongside here at least the Plantain, also White-dead Nettles (that lamium album), and likewise there was fx an exemplary of the typical cultivated traditional plant, the Cornflower (C. cyanus) - It  unproblematically also has all the qualities fit for that criteria (...of the weed). ...Possibly there were several others too and fewsome others now prensented at this post.

However, it's very questionable about any plant what makes the weed (/smtgh for a). It varies a lot what makes weed (for) a weed, also depending, a lot, about on which part of the world we happen find ourselves inhabiting. Also, the above reference from an 'intrusive thing', at that above quote, is very much dependant from criteria related for our human efforts, especially concerning the cultivation of soils, the preferred uses of plants, etc. Yet, personally I think that (above quoted definition from dictionary) quite satisfactory, what comes for the home-gardening...only that I also find there's a multitude weeds whose good qualities fx are often praised in the many herbals, modern and old. Additionally, it's completely dependant of their ecological importance and characteristics, whether various trees and shrubs also happen/can be described for to fit on that criteria about 'weed'.


Certain plants are often considered for weed due because they have strong roots, and, for that reason them tend turn for harms of farmers at the cultivation fields (Resultatively are often tried desperately keep away, fx via uses of the herbicides. ; ...fx, the Creeping thistle, Cirsium arvense makes a typical example. It's quite difficult to try eradicate, and  personally I've fx discovered the plant having a habit from growing everafter at my home-garden despite efforts to dig it's roots off. However, doesn't spread via seeds that effectively, making it probaly a bit less a 'troublemaker' than the flower most of us would automatically recognize to a typical 'weed', ie the Dandelion. It has the strong rooting, also grows on almost any places and only rare plants also spread so effectively via from seeds than it. However, from our traditional medicinalist  perspective we then find every-other herbal book, old and new, unanimously praising it's good qualities, contains lot C-vitamin, ao. Besides, the many hymenopteran species and other insects pay frequent visits on the Dandelions.) 

; And, basically, also fx Pennygrass (Thlaspi arvense) makes an example of similar kind, typical weed, often growing as the most usual 'road-side weed'. But, it's not nearly similarly disfavored plant as the preceding examples, probably for it also provides us with a nice, lovely flowerings without having too many from those "intrusive" characteristics, for it fx blooms here already around the end of the April, soon disappearing fom view, closely prior the turn of June. Yet, like many from the (so called) weeds, it has spread on these Northern regions of Europe only after the 1700s. 

; ...The firmest ecological prediction is that the warming climates shall bring alongside many resembling examples of similar 'weeds', some practically harmless of our human-point-of-view, but also some/many that most likely would turn out for the troublesome species.  ...The additional firmest ecological 'foresight' then makes us also mention that the most typically the invasive plant(/weeds) also love the human disturbed soils for their favored environments of spreading - so typical examples are, fx the wasteland(s), roadsides, field-sides, disturbed forest-floor - the latter most often resultively from the forest-cuts and leaving the land open and available on adaptive newly arrived plants for to colonize.  (The obvious positive-side of this 'coin', or noticeable from this often quite little considered 'ecological monster', appears that native uncultivated forests are environments where it is usually more difficult for those newly arrived 'weeds' to spread on and for. Albeit, it being not always so simple,  as there's also various foreign plants making the general exeption(s), some that are usually known as the actual invasive species. And this aspect, of course, not nearly happens similarly at the various places of the world, but the general rule is quite apparent; The more of a human disturbance any area has seen, the more of the accompanying non-endemic species tend have made their way for the region(s), alongside that.)

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; But, as the discussion at this was from the 'weeds' for positive value, a few words on the Rye, (Secale cereale) - our recommended eco-plant this time. In the past it was most commonly cultivated plant, and still is, nowadays even said for some time made a return to favored crop. Of course not generally it is known as any weed. Yet, I find it also stated that the cultivation of the rye likely (or so it seems at least believed), by earliest did originate of the plants been found growing at the cultivated wheat-fields. After some time - during hundreds or thousands years (who knows, but probably during a briefer period) - the early farmers took it's seeds also for cultivation...and so we've now for long since had (for a few millenia or smtgh like?) this most beneficial crop in uses of agricultures. 

At the North Europe, rye was in the past more important, due because it tolerates little colder conditions than the most other grain crops. Still during the 19th century, rye was most favored crop on cultivation especially at the Northest parts/regions of fennoscandia, as it's cultivation offered better chances for to avoid occasional/regular threats of the starvation (...in case of the cold weathers spoiling the expected harvests. Yet, from the 25 percent probability, or perhaps slightly more often, so happened. Also made the production and sale of tar to a favored alternative manner of livinghood.) 

; ...About it's good qualities I need not much of an ascertaining. Even that I consider myself not for any great favorer of the (so called) 'North-baltic diet', I've eaten rye ever for as long as I remember, since from the earliest childhood. A most traditional bread, and a most healthysome. (From it's good qualities, the modern study fx tends emphasize it's grains contain significantly large amount protein, and also many vitamins. As well, is sometimes adverted from acting as some pre-remedy in the digestative organs (stomach), possibly even can have effect as good preventive from the cancers development). ; So here's a well-baked piece of rye. The recipe is not the most traditional, or even precisely the one of a 'pure' rye-bread...This even contains some wheat-flour used (I found the recipe from an old kitchen book). Anyway, most delicious bread, acc. my own judgement. Also worth mentioning maybe is that the rye-bread remains fresh only rather short-while after baking(before it tends turn to a bit hard to chew), so, it's best eaten on the day baked and day after, about.

 (Above; Self-baked piece of the rye-bread. Was very tasty, I dare to tell you...)

Ingredient(s): (ca) 9 dl rye-flour (regular goes fine), 6 dl wheat flour, 2 tsp salt, 2 dl syrup (dark), 20 g margarin/vegetable oil, yeast (about 50 g, regular), 5 dl milk. ; Preparement: First pour wheat and rye-flours, salt (+ poss. addit. spices) and margarin/oil for a bowl. Grind the yeast for that. Next warm up the milk for a bit (about lukewarm, 37 C) and that along too. If using blender machine (or sim), the advice says to 'mixturize' the ingredients about 15 min, alternatively by hand for about 20 min (; ...But I actually think ca 10 to 15 minutes is quite enough, you'll soon notice that it's physically quite an effort, actually can make you even sweat...However, it's important that the dough is well-prepared.) Then, aside (under cloth) for about an hour. After that, divide for two parts, bake for suitable pieces and let them be (under cloth again) for yet another hour or so. Oven for 250 C (But when baking them reduce the heat to 175). Finally, with little wooden stick (or w. fx fork) pick small holes to the cover of breads. In the oven for an hour and eaten soon after. (One can also use oven-plates for breads, but I've not noticed it too necessary.)

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...From the fewsome important other plant(s) on this post, we have few words here on the Willows and the (Stinging-)Nettles. Both actually are very commonly termed or treated like typical weeds.  Willows are usually considered for trees or bushes that prefer the moisturic ground, (very) gregariously growing alongside the ditches and riversides, ao. ...But it's actually little misleading view, I think. At least as the most commonly known willow species here (apparently Goat willow, Salix caprea), often grows on a bit dryer grounds too. Actually, the most magnicifiently flowering older willow-trees one often can see at the other kind of environment(s), fx on old hillside-meadows, edges of boreal forests, ao. In short, places where the it usually grows a bit more slowly, and scarcely. Of course, it's mostly or largely due from  the human practices, as from many places growing smaller coppices the shrubs are regularly cut down, so the fast-growing willows grow there even on more fast pace...just like the (typical) weeds often - but not always - do.

; But for me, like most people, actually the willow flowering always marks the first sign of the Spring. And, the flowering of Maples tells of the begins of Summer. ...However, at this particular year it was rather confusing: After the record-breaking warm winter season, felt on March like the Willows would - kind of - been confused too and their flowering began relatively late. Comparably, due from warm weeks on the late April, the blooming of Maples began surprisingly early (at the moment when writing this), leaving only few weeks, maybe 1-2 weeks, in btw. Not the most usual 'spring cycles' of their flowerings, I think (...although I've not followed that anyhow longterm). 
 

(; Above and below, some willow-flowers, at the bloom around midst of April, this year.) 

; Willow's blooming, like from almost any plants,  are most lovely just during the few days from the flowers having opened. Often also are more easily observable compared to many other trees (for the latter mentioned usually grow more tall.) 

; Willows (salix) twigs and stem have the greatest flexibility and so it belongs to the plants that've had most countless human uses, making of various tools, bows and arrows, criss-crossing weawings made for baskets (et sim.), etc. If we then also mention that willow(s) seem traditionally been a trees consecrated for the Moon-goddess (in the pre-christian beliefs), that'd probably more than I at first planned to say on this.   


; ...But whether or not you'd expect more words devoted for it's lovely flowerescence and otherways great ecological importance (here North at least), can't possibly leave unmentioned from it also had (some) important role in the early developments of modern medicinery. Namely at the findings about usability of the contained salicin. While the uses of willow's bark been long past known at many herbalist traditions, the first pioneering efforts at the 1700s were made by some English vicar, Edward Stone. A little later, around early 1800-20s, the German and French chemists created the synthetic substance we now know as the salicine acid. ...Ie, the drug nowadays esp. known from it's great usability as the pain killer. It's story is quite comparable to some resembling (if not strickly similar) remarkably beneficial drugs (for human kind), whose discovery by origin was based at the plants qualities. (Robbins's book - of which the above remarks on willow and the acetylic salicine viewed - also seems mention some 'eighty million aspirin tablets are taken each day worldwide'. The book also discusses willow's (and it's good relates, aspen/poplars) uses at the nowadays popular eco-system services, namely it's good qualities of filtering toxic substances/wastes from ground, ie on treating water pollution. ; The Man Who Plants Trees, p. 59-62  and 129-136).

; At first, considered this featuring only willow for the natural plant accompanying the post, but since there's been several at most previous posts, we'll have some additional plant here too. (I don't have overwhelmingly much to say about it actually). 

The Nettles (U.dioica) are renownly plants w. many practical uses and were held in high esteem in the past actually. ; Prepared for the foods, as their nutrient-value seems noted comparable for spinach. The fiber manufactured from the nettles was in (prehistoric) pasts the most widely used plant material for making of clothes (..and later on, at least in the far North, or parts of it). As well the nettles-fiber was widely used for (making of) fish-nets. As well, the nettles have had most various uses in the old herbal medicinery. I've not familiarized w. those espesific, but E.Hoppe's renown herbal-classic, or 'gardening seasonal calender' (Året om i Örtagården, 1982) seems fx mention that from the nettles-root some liquids also were made on preparation of stuff 'cooked' to improve the hairs growth. (...Not meant enjoying that internally though, but via scrubbing on the head-scalp.) ; So I couldn't resist the idea from having the above comics-loan accomp. this post...just for the fun of it. [; W-G.]

 

The (stinging-) Nettles, springtime growth, near on ground.

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