Henbit...and a bit of knowledge.

  While out tending the vegetable garden, I came across a small plant in the spinach row.  My first instinct was to pull the "weed" from the row and keep the spinach neat and clean.  As my hand closed around the plant, I had second thoughts.  Even though it is deemed as a "weed", I felt that I should leave it grow.  There was nothing "special" about the plant but, when I started remembering what Granddaddy taught me, the "specialness" was there.  He had taught me many things of survival and the plant was one of the best lessons.

  The small plant is called Henbit simply because chickens seem to love eating it.  That, in itself, should tell you something.  (Chickens are not stupid, even though, we take advantage of them everyday.  Keep in mind, it is easy to control and keep captive a gentle animal.)  Anyway, back to Henbit.  This mundane, overlooked, often maligned little plant could actually save a life.  The plant is edible and highly nutritious.  Why in the world do we label it as a weed and discard it while keeping the spinach?  Granted spinach is nutritional so, perhaps, a better comparison would be lettuce.  Why is lettuce such a large part of our diet?  Lettuce does nothing to support our nutritional needs.  Henbit, however, is high in iron, vitamin C, fiber and contains a fair amount of vitamin K.  Henbit shall stay in my garden!  In fact, I am beginning to ponder how I can incorporate it into more meals.

  Now comes the true fact about Henbit and other overlooked edible plants.  With all of the people up in arms about the fix this fine nation is in, would it not be a grand idea for more of us to delve into learning what will help us survive?  Sitting in an ivory tower and spreading fear with false information, hate with condemnation and widespread angst with conspiracy theories does not help one iota.  If our economy is truly about to crash, those who depend on what is stocked on the shelves or served in fast food places will be in for a rude awakening.   Having all the money in the world will not help you, if there is nothing available.  We shall only survive as a "people" by learning and helping each other.   History does, indeed, repeat itself.  Those who lived through the Great Depression are no longer here to help if we need them.  It will entirely be up to us to use our own abilities to survive and rebuild.  

  Not that the lowly Henbit plant will be our saving grace but, rather, knowledge of survival on a whole will.  (Henbit and its redeeming values just stirred the pot of thoughts in my brain.)  Survival meaning...knowing how to grow and preserve food, how to sew or mend clothes, how to entertain ourselves without electronics, how to mentally stay alert and healthy, how to help others, how to help ourselves, how to not be dependent on others for the comforts of life.  If the economy is going to come crashing down as our naysayers are touting, then whining and complaining is all going to be for naught.  Do something productive.  Hiding behind a computer screen is not an effective method of fixing things.  Ingenuity, resourcefulness, perseverance, kindness and KNOWLEDGE...those will pull us through the tough times...always have...always will.  (Thanks, Granddaddy, for teaching me.  As an old lady, myself, I still draw upon the lessons taught so many years ago.)