Foraging and eating wild field mustard.

Wild field mustard is flavorful, versatile and extremely nutritious ‘weed’ that grows within cultivated fields, yards, along roadsides, ditches and gardens throughout the world.

In Eastern Michigan, wild field mustard begins to grow around the beginning of April and remains until snow arrives or the ground freezes, usually in November. Small shiny green leaves begin to appear in spring. The plant continues to grow and yellow flowers appear by June. All parts of wild field mustard, the leaves, stems, buds, roots and flowers are edible and can be eaten throughout its growing season.

Wild field mustard is part of the brassica family (brassicaceae), which includes broccoli, cabbage, kale and turnip.

I have been foraging and eating wild edibles for many years, some since childhood.  I am eager to help others that would like to learn how to identify edible greens and how to prepare them to eat.

Each spring, I eagerly check for the shiny dark field mustard leaves to poke from the soggy backyard woods ground.   Despite harvesting and cooking field mustard for over a decade, my excitement of finding the first plant of spring doesn’t waver. It is very fulfilling to the hunter/gather instinct within us to forage.

Loaded with disease-fighting nutrition, mustard greens are very low in calories, packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals and protective phytonutrients.  Their nutrition-to-calorie ratio makes them a nutrient-dense superfood.

Wild plants growing where nature designed them to be, have ideal sun, soil and weather conditions, making them resilient, and full of nutrition.

Field mustard greens contain antioxidants that can help to protect the body from free radical damage. A great source of fiber, field mustard greens can aid cholesterol and the digestive tract. Wild field mustard is packed with minerals, vitamins, folate, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and iron.

I saute the wild mustard greens alone or include it in scrambled eggs, add it to soups and salads, eat it raw or put it into a smoothie. I would like to try a pickled stem recipe when the plants grow large enough, perhaps, this summer or fall. One of the best qualities of wild field mustard is there so much in abundance waiting to be picked.

I enjoy teaching about wild food foraging for wild field mustard. If you would like to learn more about identifying, harvesting, preparing field mustard and dandelion greens to eat, and to learning new recipes, come to the Earth Edibles class on April 26th from 2-4 p.m.  

For more information, follow this link, click on ‘events’ and “like” NightinGayle Gardens on facebook!

Sonya is a lifelong Bluewater area resident and lives in Croswell with her husband of over 20 years, two teen-aged children and many pets. She graduated from Yale High School, SC4, Wayne and Trinity Natural Health School. She worked as a Licensed Veterinary Technician and Surgical Scrub Tech prior to receiving her traditional naturopathy degree.  She specializes in nutrition, herbs, digestive health, reiki, emotional and energy healing, medical astrology, numberology, pass life regression and more. Sonya is an organic gardener, wild food forager, free lance writer, speaker and teacher. She opened her naturopathy office, NightinGayle Gardens, in honor of her late mother, Gayle. It was during her Mother’s illness Sonya was enlightened with the power of natural healing and became determined to help others on their path to healing mind, body and spirit.