Thursday, July 9, 2009

Wild red clover harvest

Yesterday I was talking with Sarah Richards - Portland's go-to herbalist who runs Homegrown Herb & Tea - and learned that we're in the midst of a worldwide shortage of dried red clover. Sarah says it will be months before she can get another shipment.

Good thing Maine is blessed with an abundance of this useful plant growing wild in fields and ditches.

I snapped these photos while I was up at Sunshine Farm for the Fourth of July weekend. After most of the guests left, I helped my mother gather a basket of red clover blossoms from where they grow wild on the front lawn. The pretty blooms can be used to top salads, but we were interested in drying them for storage.

Long grown as an agricultural crop, this nonnative legume has naturalized itself in North America. Farmers prize the crop for its ability to add nitrogen to the soil without using chemical fertilizers. It's harvested for both hay and silage.

My mother placed the freshly picked blooms on a cloth-lined basket to dry. She harvests and dries them throughout the summer and gathers enough to last her until the following spring.

Mixed as a tea, most often with other herbs, the dried blooms are used to treat a variety of problems, including respiratory issues, prostate problems, menopausal symptoms, PMS, high cholesterol, cancer and inflammation. Used topically, red clover soothes skin conditions including psoriasis and eczema. The blooms contain high levels of isoflavones (plant estrogens), and as a result are best avoided by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Dried red clover also contains significant amounts of calcium, chromium, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, thiamine and vitamin C and is often used as a dietary supplement and a tasty way to ward off osteoporosis.

Not bad for a plant often mowed down as a weed.

8 comments:

Mary said...

I remember learning to suck on those at summer camp... who knew they were so good for me?

Bianca said...

Red clover are so pretty! We only have the white kind growing wild around here.

Sophia from Kitchen Caravan said...

Thanks for this helpful info. I will keep an eye out for red clover next time I'm out in the country. Sounds like a great ingredient for tea!

Kelly said...

Well - you learn something new every day! Thanks for the tips. :)

charles said...

I have just found some Red Clover on the side of the road that I want to harvest. How long does it take to dry and what are the drying conditions. I'd like to take them on a road trip that begins tomorrow!

Avery Yale Kamila said...

Drying time will vary depending on the amount of humidity. I'd budget anywhere from 3 to 5 days.

charles said...

Thank you! Any suggestions on how to dry the red clover while on the road? I've never done it before...

Avery Yale Kamila said...

I've never dried anything while traveling, but in general you want to keep the clover in an area with good air circulation and out of direct sunlight. Best of luck!