Today, March 28, is not only Brewers Opening Day. It's also National Weed Appreciation Day!
No, not that weed.
We're talking about weeds that grow in the wild, or sometimes in your yard. Many consider weeds to be a nuisance, but some weeds are really beneficial to us and our ecosystem. For most of our recorded history, humans have used weeds for food and as herbs; some are edible and flavorful, while some deliver solid nutrients or offer significant medicinal value.
Dandelions are a good example. They're not just a food source for insects and some birds, but people use young dandelion leaves and flower in the form of a tea, or even wine. Native Americans and "frontier doctors" used dandelions to treat certain ailments. From a nutritional standpoint, dandelions contain a source of vitamin A and C, calcium, iron and fiber.
Another example is a weed called "Lamb’s Quarter", which some also call goosefoot. The leaves of lamb’s quarter can be added to lettuce salads or cooked and used as a replacement for spinach. Their seeds are a good source of protein and vitamin A.
And yes, hemp seeds have nutritional value too.
There are many more examples, and you can find some more of them from this page on National Weed Appreciation Day. Might cause you to have second thoughts before reaching for the Roundup.