01 July 2011

Collecting Dye Plants

Living on a large farm gives me access to wild dye plants. The most prolific of those would be pokeweed and goldenrod.  So one day last fall I set out to do some collecting. My idea was to gather, bag and then freeze the plants for later use. I don't know for sure if either of them will thaw and still be useable.

Goldenrod




Not only is Goldenrod a wonderful dye plant, it is very attractive out in the fields. Note:14 July, just out bushogging the paths in the back fields and have noticed that goldenrod is just starting to get ready to bloom!


It grows in great waves out in the fields.

Pokeweed to my eye isn't the most attractive plant, but it does produce an abundance of berries to use for dyeing.  I haven't tried it yet, but am planning to do so this year.



I will hopefully get to thawing the plants out and determine if freezing worked or not. I will update this when I do!