| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| Rob R |
Smallest vetchDoes anyone know the name of the smallest vetch found in the British Isles? Much smaller than common vetch, purple flowers & pods 8mm max. |
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| Jamanda |
could be Hairy tare | ||||
| Rob R |
I reckon you're probably right, thanks, trying to do it from memory is no good (with my memory)  What a name though Vicia hirsuta.
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| Barefoot Andrew |
Why do you want to know that? Come on, vetch up.
Sorry, that was rubbish.
A. |
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| Rob R |
That was rubbish 
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| cab |
Anyone aware of any good uses for vetches? Common enough as weeds in some spots, never encountered info on edibility or otherwise though, at least not that I can recall. | ||||
| Rob R |
Well I'm not dead yet 
As per mange tout, takes longer to gather though 
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| TAVASCAROW |
Be careful, quite a few legume seeds are poisonous.
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| cab |
PFAF reckons you can eat it, at least this particular vetch. I can't imagine gathering it would be any fun though!
While some legume seeds are really poisonous, some are more just kind of theoretically poisonous. By rights, you wouldn't dream of eating sea peas; not just 'cos they're rarer than a very rare thing, but also because they're clearly full of poison. But people do, and eaten in small quantities seems harmless. |
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| Helen M |
vetch was introduced in the 16th century to be used as cattle fodder. so good for hay making! |
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| gil |
nitrogen-fixing, like tares / peas | ||||
| Helen M |
oh and kidney vetch was used for the obvious | ||||
| Jamanda |
Was it? I always assumed it was called that because the inflorescences are sort of kidney shaped. |
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| Helen M |
certainly was. emphasis on the was. a lot of things used in the past are now known to be nasty | ||||
| cab |
Which probably guarantees it was used to treat conditions associated with the kidney. Doesn't mean it worked, of course. |
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| Helen M |
well just checked and bach flower remedies have kidney vetch for cleansing kidneys. so not poisonous! also it would fall under the doctrine of signitures. plants showing us their uses..how clever | ||||
| TAVASCAROW |
Considering Bach flower remedies are so dilute they no longer contain any of the active ingredient just an 'imprint' not sure that's a recommendation for toxicity levels.
Going back to Robs original question could it be purple milk vetch? 
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| cab |
It is a quaint, and slightly sweet old belief though; if something in nature resembles part of the body then God must have made it that shape because its good to treat that part. Hence the old uses of, say, liverwort. Seems rather less appealing when you consider the assumed benefits of Phallus impudicus... I'd like to see a pic of the vetch before saying for sure what it is, but even then I'd be sketchy (not good with vetches). But I assume Rob went to have a look at pics after Jamandas suggestion; how similar is the purple milk vetch to that? |
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| Rob R |
No, purple milk vetch flowers are massive in comparison. It just seems that there is loads of the stuff about this year where I've only noticed Vicia sativa before. The wildflowers that are flourishing as the chemical N residues diminish are wonderful, certainly adds to the variety of salad. | ||||
| sarahloo |
I'm pretty sure there's a page or two in Ray Mears' Wild Food book... |
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| cab |
Is there? I'll take a look later (was given a signed copy for my birthday )
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