Lamb's Quarters: Wild Summer Spinach

Now that the local nettles have seeded out and the miner's lettuce is past its prime, early summer is a difficult time for foragers. Wild berries are still a month away and mushrooms are becoming very difficult to find, available only in the higher elevations. 

Enter, Lamb's Quarters: an abundant wild green that grows throughout the summer months. Lambs quarter can frequently be found growing in vegetable gardens, on disturbed soil, and along the fringes of fields and banks. Lamb's Quarters can be used raw in salads, alone, or mixed with other greens. It's one of the best sources of beta-carotene, calcium, potassium, and iron in the world.

Lamb's Quarters young sprout.

Healthy Lamb's Quarters growth.

Mature Lamb's Quarters in flowering stage.