Some experienced nettle harvesters pick them with bare hands, but they benefit from years of building resistance. Cook, stirring frequently, until the nettles are tender, about 2 minutes for blanched nettles and a few minutes longer for raw nettles. Bear in mind that a combination of methods might be required – and more detailed and important information is still to come. You can also hang them to dry, use a dehydrator or be creative with your method. Tincture can be made with either the roots or the leaves. Hi, I would like to dry the nettles for tea. And as late summer turns to autumn, the leaves will wither and fall and the stems will turn from green to brown to whitish/gray as they overwinter. It's considered an aggressive invasive and has become established and common in certain areas. The way I do it is I dry the stalks for a couple of weeks, then slice them down the middle in halves or quarters, the same way you would split a piece of wood. Bear in mind that a combination of methods might be required – and more detailed and important information is still to come. Ingredients: 13 oz Olive Oil How Much – It all depends on what you want to make. Your email address will not be published. You can substitute basil for a portion of the nettle but it will tend to overpower the flavor. Remember that squirrels and jays need nuts, too, and honor that…. Generally, the leaves and stems provide relief for allergies and breathing issues, and the roots provide urinary relief. I’ve found this works like a charm with most damp mud. The plants are dark green, with leaves growing in pairs opposite each other. No scientific study on that so far, but intuitively, like you mention, I have always used super stingy/deep green ones more for drying for medicinal/tonic tea, and normal ones for food. Once you’ve determined the proper garden location for nettle, you’re ready to plant it and start the growing process. After the fibres are extracted they are scraped, rinsed, combed and dried (perhaps not in that order). That’s why I recommend cooking until crisp – so you feel a little more confident. Once you get home, if you plan on using the nettles fresh, chop them up wearing gloves, too. 5-6 packed cups raw stinging nettle (you can choose to wash or not), 3/4 c parmesan – grated (the food processor will take care of it, too, if you wish to throw in a chunk instead), 1/2 c toasted pine nuts (or nut of choice), Extra Virgin Olive oil to preferred consistency (approx. The most detailed guides for Some Prefer Nettles How To are provided in this page. Kim McKillip Chisholm is co-owner of Wolf Camp & School of Natural Science. Drop the leaves into a sink or bowl of warm water and let them sit for about 10 minutes. Hi William. The leaves have a characteristic heart shape to them with a small stem attaching the cleft or top of the heart to the central stem. Thanks, – Chris. If you are still unsure whether a plant is indeed a stinging nettle, you can opt to touch it and see what happens. This is the part that releases the histamine that causes a red, bumpy rash, often referred to as urticaria or nettle-like rash. Nettle can be planted using five different scenarios. At the very top of the nettle, pinch the growing tip with one hand, lean the nettle over, then cut through the base... 2. Below are two well-written articles that outline the simple tincture making process. In a dehydrator… Spread stems and leaves on the drying trays of a dehydrator. Making Cord from Nettles. Here at Wolf Camp & School of Natural Science, we adhere as closely as we can to the following Honorable Harvesting Guidelines for every plant we collect: Fortunately stinging nettle has a distinctive look to it. Stinging nettles are plants that are commonly found in many areas of the world. However, the hairs are still there and can be irritating to the skin or give you a sliver if you’re not careful. Cooking the nettles will neutralize the sting, but the hairs are still visible. Stinging Nettle: Harvesting, Processing and Recipes, (see above) before harvesting any plant material. Drain well. Drain them. Yes, you can eat a leaf raw, freshly harvested from the plant. This can be one particular of the most useful blogs We’ve ever arrive across on this subject. Clip it near the ground. If you’re not familiar with making cold process soap, see my instructions: 7 Easy Steps to Homemade Soap and my books The Natural Soap Making Book for Beginners or my Ebook Natural Soap Making How-To Recipe Book . How to Plant Stinging Nettle. If you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick summary for removing or destroying nettles. Immediate relief! Others crush and apply Yellow Dock leaves or rub the welt/sting with the spores on the under side of Sword Fern leaves. Always wear thick gloves and long sleeves! If you want to try water retting, lay them in a bath tub for 12 hours only. Baking soda paste also helps. She has a B.S. Leave Grandmother. I bet your godmother is having a grand time watching you process stinging nettles Lol, my mom chuckles too. I’ll be doing a post on this in the fall (when I harvest for fiber), so watch for that. Some people recommend blanching the nettles (adding them to boiling water, plunging into ice water, then using). Nettles have a high sugar content and this promotes fermentation and rotting. Give it a shake every couple of days. 3. Good job! 1. Or, come to one of our plant classes, workshops, camps or expeditions where we’ll demonstrate then invite you to give it a try. How to Make Nettle Tea. Grasp the nettle and cut it as close to the ground as possible. For fiber, it might work but we haven’t tried, but again the fibers probably degraded so probably not worth it. Identify the nettles. Used in lieu of rennet, nettle serves as a vegetable-based type of rennet to allow people to produce cheese. Send a little hello to get in touch or to request a media kit. These hairs are hollow and when they get under your skin, the tips break off and allow the formic acid (among other things) under your skin. The drying process will also cause the sting to disappear. Stinging nettle rash occurs when the skin comes into contact with stinging nettles. Urtication, or flogging with nettles is the process of deliberately applying stinging nettles to the skin to provoke inflammation. It also helped me live in alignment with myself so I can enjoy more peace, clarity, and fulfillment. This washing process by itself will remove much of the sting from the nettles. My #1 go-to plant to stop the sting is Jewelweed. Alternately, I don’t want to offer advice that could do harm. Check the terminal (top) bud for signs of an inhabitant before harvesting. Nettle contains more protein than nearly all other plant species and is brimming with vitamins and nutrients. Nobody supports nettle, so it is an excellent repellent. Nettle originates in the north of Europe and Asia, but now, can be found growing all over the world. Cooking the nettles will neutralize the sting, but the hairs are still visible. They offer early spring greens, beneficial herbal medicine, as well as fiber for textiles and cordage. I’m not sure of the efficacy of that idea, since I think an alkaline compound would be needed to counteract the acidic nature of nettle stings. Seed harvest . What happens if you don't have any? 7. If you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick summary for removing or destroying nettles. This is the tender new growth. Hi Pamela. You’ll notice the first leaves emerging from snow or soil in late January (in the Pacific Northwest). 1: Aids your Heart Health. Never put anything in your mouth unless you are 100% sure it is safe to ingest. It saves water, the cooking water is already hot (so it speeds up the blanching process), and it yields an extra strong nettle tea, which makes for a lovely cordial. Did You Know? Stinging nettle (Urtica genus) is a European native plant that has become naturalized throughout the United States. We do use nettles in other ways throughout the summer, however: fresh flowers and a few leaves for one meal or in survival situations; seed heads for same purpose but we don’t know of any studies on nutritional / hazardous content at that stage; then stems for fiber / rope-making before they deteriorate/mold in the fall. We chopped the nettles off near the ground and stripped the leaves from the stems. In my own life, learning how to think differently and integrating new habits changed the way I experience consciousness. My brother swears that mud does the trick for him. I put mine in a paper bag or cardboard box in front of my furnace and let the warm, blowing air do the job. 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