Our neighbors have a beautiful lawn. The grass is thick and lush, soft and uniformly flat as a putting green. Nowhere is the verdant perfection blemished by yellow dandelions. No offending Creeping Charlie here. Their lawn is a testament to hard work and to the most uncompromising regimen of green supremacist, grass segregationist chemicals that the gardening department of Menards has to offer.

But just across the white picket fence lies our lawn, lumpy, patchy, riddled with clover, compass plant, Virginia creeper and wild vio- lets. It is a thing to be pitied, even despised. Anybody attempting to play golf on this lawn would spend most of their time searching for their ball amid a thicket of poisonous poke weeds, picking off cockle burs and getting stung by nettles. And yet the rabbits prefer our yard to play in and raise their families.

What do rabbits, in their ground-level wisdom know that humans do not?

First of all, any rabbit looking for an easy meal in the neighbor’s lawn would be sadly disappointed. There is virtually nothing for it to eat. No juicy weeds, no wildflowers—just chemically treated, genetically modified grass, native only to a Monsanto laboratory. Rabbits, I’ve noticed, are picky eaters.

Of the several bunnies that have taken up residence in our yard, one has become my particular friend over the winter. I call him “Rabbit”. I don’t know his real name. In fact, I’m not even sure Rabbit is a “he”.

But we have developed a routine. I stand on the back porch and gently call out “Rabbit?” (Rabbits don’t like loud noises—on account of their big ears.) Whereupon Rabbit hesitantly hops up to get his small treat of whole wheat bread (sometimes a carrot). He sniffs the morsel, no doubt checking or freshness and purity. He then nibbles very slowly, savoring every tiny bite. Once, I ran out of his customary organic wheat bread and substituted a bit of white bread. Rabbit sniffed it and looked up at me with what I imagine is the rabbit equivalent of malice. He hopped off and I didn’t see him again for a week.

Perhaps rabbits intuitively understand that weeds are nutritious and medicinal. Lamb’s Quarters, for example are rich in vitamins A,
C and K. They are full of protein and calcium and iron. Dandelions are loaded with vitamins and are a good source of potassium and antioxidants. They are good for digestion and detoxifying the liver.

When they’re young and tender, dandelions are tasty in salads. Rabbits love dandelions. Red clover has vitamins C, B-complex, magnesium and calcium. It’s good in salads and makes very nice tea. Chickweed can be eaten raw and is known to be an effective anti-inflammatory.

Nettles are practically magic. The leaf has antihistamine and anti-inflammatory qualities. It can provide allergy relief and is used to regulate blood sugar and blood pressure.

A friend of mine claims nettle tea is the only treatment that relieves his arthritis and boiled nettles can be eaten like spinach (cooking
removes the sting). I admit I admire our neighbors’ pristine lawn.

Although I do no aspire to it. The milkweed, yarrow, plantain and Shepherd’s Purse are easy to maintain. And rabbits, being picky and health conscious, depend on it.