They don't tell you exactly what to do when they say "harvest some dandelion"

I used one of my favorite baskets to gather some dandelion today, mainly from the garden, but partly from the unused whiterock driveway.

Here are the small, scroddy leaves and dirty or soft leaves and dirt, etc.

I "snapped" off the root ... broke off the root, they really didn't snap off, then rinsed the leafy group. Sometimes there were four groups to the plant. Sometimes there are forked roots.

These, although they had not bloomed had tiny blossoms wedged down in the center of the plants.

 Then I filled the bowl of leaves up with cool water and stuffed it in the fridge. This is, in my mind, an opportunity to get bugs and more dirt out of the leaves.

Here is a pile of dandelion roots on the edge of my sink. Then I put them to drain on a towel.

I don't happen to know any place where they tell you precisely how to handle these guys, so I'm just playing it by ear.

The roots are to make medicine with. The leaves are for a salad or for wilted greens, which I have not tried.

High time, huh?