Those little yellow flowers you love to hate on your lawn - actually love you!

Dandelions are your friend, they love you; your lawn, the bees, the animals, all love them.

• So why in the heck wouldn’t you keep them?

  “The first known written record of dandelions being used medicinally dates back to the 10th and 11th Centuries. But, it’s recorded use is believed to date back to Ancient Rome and the Anglo Saxons. It first appeared in European history in the 13th Century when it was used by the Welsh.”

  Dandelions have a whole host of benefits to explore:

• They help the soil: Through their deep tap roots dandelions are able to loosen compacted soils, and bring minerals from deep up to the surface into the soil cycle, (Minerals like manganese, iron, and potassium which are essential for healthy plant growth.)

• Minerals!!!: 1 cup of dandelion greens contains: Vitamin A6%, Calcium10%,Vitamin C32%, Iron9%, Vitamin B-6 5%, Magnesium 5%, Potassium 6%

• Bee Food (everyone loves bees - don’t you?): They are the first food for bees coming out of hibernation.Animal food: rabbits, mice, deer, elk, bears, and all sorts of other animals love to eat dandelion!

• Food for you:

• The leaves can be eaten as a nutrient dense cooked green. (dandelion pesto is one of my faves!)

• The roots can be made into a coffee like beverage that increases energy, helps protect the gallbladder, liver, and can be useful in preventing certain types of cancer.

• The flower petals make a delicious tea that many people brew into wine!

When you look out at your beautiful lawn space, and see those golden flowers shining up at you -- give gratitude, for they bring untold blessings unto you.