From Wikipedia:
Thistle is the common name of a group of flowering plants characterized by leaves with sharp prickles on the margins, mostly in the family Asteraceae. Prickles often occur all over the plant – on surfaces such as those of the stem and flat parts of leaves. These are an adaptation that protects the plant against herbivorous animals, discouraging them from feeding on the plant.
Everyone except for Bernard.
You’re not surprised, are you?
It hurts so good.
♥
Morning Bray Farm 
June 20, 2014 at 7:03 am
My children and I used to have to watch out for “Spiny Weed” because the spines are so hard and sharp, they could go through a child’s shoe! Yea Bernard! It’s not cactus, but it’s plenty sharp!
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June 20, 2014 at 7:49 am
I bet you could rent that boy out for weed control! 🙂
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June 20, 2014 at 8:11 am
Great pics!
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June 20, 2014 at 9:27 am
There’s one in every family … the free-thinker that goes against the grain … even donkey families.
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June 20, 2014 at 10:02 am
I’ve never understood the eating of ‘spiny’ plants by equines. My horse used to LOVE the thistle flowers. We’d be on a trail ride and he’d give me whiplash stopping to snap the pretty purple flowers from their perch on top of those horrible plants.
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June 20, 2014 at 10:04 am
May I please borrow Bernard? I have a few obstinate thistles in my yard and garden that I just can’t seem to get rid of. 🙂
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June 20, 2014 at 3:18 pm
I don’t see how they can do that, but they do! 🙂
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June 20, 2014 at 11:56 pm
My horses also will eat thistle tops. Silly things! But there must be something therapeutic in them or they wouldn’t eat them.
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June 21, 2014 at 1:47 pm
Shirley,
I did read something about the health benefits of milk thistle…
Just went back and found it (also from Wikipedia):
For many centuries extracts of milk thistle have been recognized as “liver tonics.” [4] Milk thistle has been reported to have protective effects on the liver and to greatly improve its function. It is typically used to treat liver cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis (liver inflammation), toxin-induced liver damage including the prevention of severe liver damage from Amanita phalloides (‘death cap’ mushroom poisoning), and gallbladder disorders.[3][5]
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June 21, 2014 at 4:30 am
Please send Bernard 350 miles northeast. I need his appetite.
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June 21, 2014 at 4:31 am
Oh. Never mind. It’s more like 1000 miles. Darn mapquest.
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June 21, 2014 at 1:44 pm
June,
If only it was 350 miles…
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June 21, 2014 at 9:53 am
Having seen pics of the 7MSN crew eating chollas, I’m not really surprised to see Bernard eating thistles. Bemused, but not surprised.
🙂
How is Harriet doing?
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June 21, 2014 at 1:43 pm
Vicki,
She’s doing “okay.” Her appetite continues to be good and she’s acting well, but it does appear that she continues to slowly lose weight. 😦 As long as she’s otherwise happy though… and content being with her herd, we’re happy. 🙂 Thanks for asking. ❤
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June 22, 2014 at 5:43 am
I could do with Bernard in my veg plot! When we had pigs, they LOVED thistles. We used to collect some for them as a treat!
Christine
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June 22, 2014 at 11:30 am
After watching Carson’s herd dining on cholla, this seems only natural. I’ve got more than a few thistle treats I could send his way!
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July 1, 2014 at 12:33 pm
ha!! That’s too funny. I love the pictures of his “happiness” while eating it too!
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January 18, 2018 at 7:58 am
The man who laught but once to see an ass
Mumbling to make the cross-grain’d thistles pass,
Might laugh again, to see a jury chaw
The prickles of unpalatable law.
— John Dryden
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