Milkweed seeds
As previously written Milkweed is good eats. Few plants reproduce without seeds. Now is the time to be collecting the seeds to be able to establish a crop or several crop beds of this delectable wild food. What you are looking for is the span from when the seed pods first start opening until they are nearly empty as long as there are seeds to be harvested. The fluff of the milkweed which is attached to the seeds is there to facilitate the spread of seeds via the wind.
The day [s] that you collect the seeds you can carry them in whatever you have available including plastic bags from Walmart as long as you can transport it. Once you are done collecting for the day transfer the seeds and fluff into PAPER bags so that the seeds can finish drying. IF you leave the seeds in plastic or other occlusive containers as they will mold and rot.
Store the bag with the seeds in a warm dry space out of direct sun light. While the seeds are drying you can be scouting out the areas you plan to establish your crop beds. Look for areas near your home territory that is similar to the spots you found the plants in, undisturbed, mostly sunny, perhaps near a fence line.
How to plant, as closely as possible mimic nature. Scratch up small areas to drop seeds and cover lightly and firm the soil down over it. Scatter leaves, grass and twigs over the spot to capture snow which will later melt and water the seeds in the spring. The seeds will sprout better if they winter over outside in the spot they will be growing in.
A second way to ‘plant’ the seeds is to mix the seeds with damp potting soil and form it into shooter marble sized balls. Place the seed balls in a single layer on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Freeze at least over night. Once solidly frozen the seed balls can be placed into a plastic bag until you are ready in early / mid winter to seed your food plot. Well what do you do with them now? Keeping the seed balls hard frozen take them to the area you have selected along with your sling shot and liberally & randomly launch the seed balls out into the area. The seed balls will sit over winter and during the spring thaw they will start to sprout and grow.
Once the milkweed seeds have sprouted and become established this type of food plot is hardy and should produce food for you and your family for MANY years.