IN SONOMA COUNTY THERE WERE MANY TYPES OF TARWEED SEEDS. THE PLANT STANDS ABOUT 8 TO 20 INCHES HIGH. I NOTICED THIS PLANT THROUGHOUT THE MENDICINO NATIONAL FOREST AS THE STICKY LEAVES STUCK TO MY BOOTS AND I DID NOT KNOW THAT IT WAS AN EDIBLE SEED AT THAT TIME. IT BLOOMS FROM LATE APRIL TO NOVE4MBER. THE NATIVES TYPICALLY GATHERED THE SEEDS LATE SUMMER TO FALL FOR VARIOUS KINDS OF PINOLE. THE PLANT SMELLS A LOT LIKE A BITTER ROOT. ACTUALLY THE SMALL SEEDS ARE BEATEN OUT OF THE HEAD OF THE FLOWERS AND COLLECTED IN A BASKET. THE POMO USED A BATON LIKE SEED BEATER TO COLLECT THESE SEEDS BY THE HUNDREDS. THE SWISHING NOISE OF THE TARWEED SEED COLLECTING WAS A FAMILIAR SOUND IN THE GRASSLANDS. IT WAS A FAMILIAR CHORE DONE BY THE WOMEN. THERE ARE VARIOUS TASTES OF EACH TYPE OF TARWEED.
THEY TYPICALLY PARCHED THE RICH OILY SEEDS IN ANOTHER FLAT BASKETS WITH HEATED ROCKS IN ORDER TO CHANGE THE TASTE TO BEING DELIGHTFULLY SPICY. THE SEED MEAL WAS SO OILY THAT IT WAS PRESSED TOGETER TO EAT LIKE A GRANOLA BAR.
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