Garlic Mustard Galore!

Uffda! That's what some in my home state of Minnesota would say upon seeing the amount of garlic mustard I received this past weekend. :) Not to mention the smell that is permeating my garage, skin, hair, and clothes. It was collected at Magoon Creek in Filer Township. Thank you Katie Grzesiak at the Northwest Michigan Invasive Species Network for getting it to me!

On Sunday, I was able to put it out in the sun to start the drying process. I would never have done this if it were at all windy for fear that some pieces would blow away, but it was a very still day. Since then, it's been drying in my garage. I've been making my way through each pile, cutting it into 1 inch pieces. Normally, I don't cut the plants until after they've dried, but there is so much and nowhere else to store it, so I'm trying to speed up the process. I think I'll have enough to make paper for the next five years. :)