“Son” of a Vetch! - a QVV column
Growing up on a farm in the 1950’s, I would often hear my dad or neighbours say “Son of a _ _ tch!”, when something irritating or bad happened. I heard lots of swear words in those days, and have tried not to use them during my lifetime, although I’ve been tempted!
By Barry Mitschke, RM of Lumsden
June 20, 2024
Hiking our hectarage trail on June 1, I saw several "Vetches" in various places on the dry hilltop or open prairie. The photos show one plant and a close-up of the wildflower and its leaves. I wasn't sure which vetch this was. A true vetch, a vetchling or a milk vetch. So, I consulted three book references when I got home.
As I have cited in my Qu'Appelle Valley Views (QVV) books, these are: Carmichael's Prairie Wildflowers, Budd's Flora of the Canadian Prairie Provinces, and Jowsey's (et.al.) Wildflowers Across the Prairies. They all use some good descriptive words, and they helped me to identify it as the Narrow- leaved Milk-Vetch.
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