Page 29 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods
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Alfalfa, Medicago sativa (FABACEAE)
ALFALFA or Lucerne is a highly nutritious perennial eaten part. Gather young leaves and shoots any time
found throughout the world. It is an important feed during the growing season early in the morning. Leaves
crop for livestock in North America. It grows 12 to can be used for tea. Young leaves can be dried and
30 inches (30-70 cm) tall, on slender winding stems used as a nutritional additive. Once flowers have gone
with a deep tap root. to seed, gather the dry seed directly off the plants into
paper bags and sift off any debris. Seeds can be ground
FLOWER: Usually purple or pink in color, though may
into flour to add nutritional value to baked goods.
be blue or even yellow or white. They flower June-July.
Dense ½-2 inch (1-4 cm) long flower clusters appear ALFALFA SPROUTS: You’ll need: 2 tbsp. alfalfa seeds,
at the ends of stems or at the leaf axils. Each flower a quart jar with sprouting screen, water. Rinse seeds
is pea-like with fused petals and sepals about ¼ to ½ well, removing any debris and soak them for 8 hrs.
inch (0.5-1.3 cm) in size. Pods are similar in size and or overnight. Drain well. Invert jar over sprouting
spirally coiled. screen so seeds have air flow and don’t sit in water.
Rinse seeds every 8 hrs. or 2-3 times daily. After about
LEAF: Leaves are alternate, oblong, finely saw toothed,
3 days, small tail-like sprouts begin to form. Avoid
and have pointed tips. Each leaf has 3 leaflets that are
direct sunlight so sprouts will form leaves. Continue
egg shaped, broader towards the tips, and are some-
rinsing 2-3 times a day until sprouts are about 3 inch-
times a little hairy. Leaflets and are 1 to 1½ inches
es (7 cm), usually another 2-3 days. Rinse and drain
(2-4 cm) long.
well. Will last in the fridge for a few days.
EDIBLE PARTS: leaves, shoots, sprouts
WARNING: Leaves contain saponin-like compounds
KEY MEDICINAL USES: It has a high nutritional con- and eating large quantities can breakdown red blood
tent, being used as a dietary supplement and to help cells. Cooking may help reduce saponins. Caution
lower cholesterol. should be taken when consuming alfalfa sprouts due
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Tender young leaves to potential bacterial contamination. The seeds may
and shoots, in addition to sprouts, are the most widely contain substances harmful to some individuals.
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