Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)

Red Clover (Trifolium pratense):
    Red Clover is another wonderfully healing plant that grows commonly as a “weed.” Its vibrant soft fluffy flowers are a delight to harvest, each one delicately popping off the stem. I like to harvest the flowers when they are at their peak, which is usually June in my region. I infuse them in alcohol and vinegar while they are fresh. I let them wilt for 24 hours before infusing them in oil, and I dry them for later use in infusions.
   Drying red clover can be a little tricky. The first time I harvested them was on an organic farm. They were popping up as volunteers

and the farmer said I could have as many as I wanted. I harvested them straight into plastic bags, sealed them up, drove home for several hours and then laid them out on my kitchen table. After two days they were brown and slimy. This is how I learned about the mold that frequently inhabits these plants. To avoid this learning experience, pick your red clover when they’re vibrant, and immediately lay them out to dry on screens or drying racks. Spread them out thinly so they do not touch. When buying dried clover look for clover that is vibrantly colored reddish or purplish, never brown. Red clover is safe for children to use and has been employed frequently for dry spasmodic coughs like whooping cough. It can also be used for childhood or adult eczema. I like to drink red clover as an infusion and use externally as a poultice in the case of skin disorders.
     Red clover has a long tradition of being used for tumors, swollen glands (especially saliva glands), and other growths. When using it for this purpose, Dr. Sharol Tilgner recommends using it externally and internally in large frequent doses.
     Red clover is generally thought of as an alterative, restoring health and vibrancy by cleaning up metabolic wastes. Susun Weed recommends strong infusions of red clover as a preventive measure for cancer. Some
women also use red clover tincture or infusion to help cool hot flashes associated with menopause.
      Although safe to use for many people, red clover’s ability to thin the blood makes it a bad choice for pregnancy and for those already on blood thinners. Regular use of this plant should also be stopped before surgery.
Besides being a medicinal plant, red clover can be an addition to your supper table. We like to eat the whole flowers on salads or fry them up as fritters. To make the following recipe gather a basket of red clover blossoms and separate out any leaves.

Red Clover Fritters:
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/3 cup milk
• One teaspoon baking powder
• 1/3 cup corn meal
• 1 egg
• Dash of sea salt
• Sweet variation add: One tablespoon honey, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg to taste
• Savory variation add: Thyme, rosemary, oregano, or other savory herbs to taste
• Mix the dry ingredients together and then add the milk and egg mixture. Add either the sweet or savory ingredients. Dip the blossoms in the mix and fry in hot coconut oil until golden