"jmcquown" > wrote in message
...
> The U.S. is an "Industrialized country", as you put it, yet many, many
> people were starving in what was known as the 'great American Depression'
of
> the 1930's. My father recalls picking dandelion greens for supper. His
> mother obviously knew they were edible, otherwise she wouldn't have
directed
> him to pick them. But, had I not been told this, it would never occur to
me
> to pick dandelions for food. Now, I suppose her mother taught her and so
on
> and so forth. But at *some* point someone brand new had to just pick
those
> dandelions and eat them. That's what is so fascinating to me.
>
> Jill
>
Dandelions were a favorite food/medicine that was brought deliberately to
North America in the middle 1800's by Europeans. Using dandelions for
greens and wine making is very common even today. As a food, dandelions
rank right up there with broccoli.
Janet