Stinging Nettle

I resurrected a blog draft from April of 2019.  The only thing in the draft was a photo of wild growing stinging nettle.  The only thing I can think, is maybe I was sharing what it looked like?

Always do your research before foraging for this weed.  You can also buddy up with someone who is familiar with foraging and learn that way too.

I know I dehydrated some in the past for teas, and did you know that if you blanch them, you can ice bath them and freeze them for eating in future meals?

You do need to have very thick protective gloves on to harvest this medicinal weed.  It's prickly spines will leave a nasty, itchy rash on you if you do not.  Just ask my husband.  He was mowing in shorts one time, and brushed against some growing here on the property.  I had to lather him in chickweed salve. Chickweed is another weed to talk about when it arrives this spring/summer.

I wrote up a post about how I made a tea infusion for hair and nail health.  I don't make the tea infusion as often as I did back then, but it is a nourishing tea with oat straw.  You can do your own research, but the post can be found HERE.

Stinging Nettle  © Feb 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Harvesting Stinging Nettle ~ Garage Clean Up

The snow was arriving around noon yesterday, so I went ahead and harvested some stinging nettle.  It filled my smaller dehydrator.  Happy for that. If you haven't done this before, be sure to have thick gloves on.  The "sting" does not leave the plant until you either cook it or dehydrate it.

Hubby and I spent 3 hours in the garage.  Found so much we can give away - roller blades, knee pads, wrist guards, all sorts of balls and bats, kids tent....lots to throw out too.  Now the trash is full, so it waits again for another day.  Happy for that too.

Luckily, I harvest a small bit of feverfew.  I make tea for our youngest daughter's headaches.  

The sunrise this morning.  I actually slept until just before it came up.  Beautiful, and praying for the best for world, especially our Governor.  I just hope they don't hold us captive much longer, and that they do not enforce wearing a mask all year.  I do understand the purpose, but you can't gain immunity by covering our faces an entire year, possibly 18 months.  There is hope for things to open back up.  In our state if you are tested and are positive they are giving your personal information to the local EMS/Police authorities - so much for HIPPA and our privacy.  Might as well stamp a number on us.   Sorry for the "Debbie Downer" but it really has me thinking/wondering.  Keep praying.

Spring Nettle ~ Snow

Spring nettle is coming up, but snow is coming today and possibly Friday.  I'm going out to harvest what I can for now.  I'm going to dehydrate it for now, as it's not much, but better than anything at this point.

I got another email from the school.  Graduation is still set for late may, with a back up date late June.

I plan to make another jar of Four Thieves Vinegar today.  Other than that, due to the weather, we'll be working in the garage.  I doubt thrift stores will be open any day, so I'm not sure what we'll do with items we want to get rid of yet.

Random Ramblings

We are still unpacking, a week after our trip, ha ha!  It was our first "vacation" in almost or over 20 years.  I guess I deserve more time to unpack.  The nice part of it, is that what's still in our bags, is clean clothes we packed extra.

We are getting boat loads of rain, so there is no garden work going on, and we are to get rain for about the next 7 days.  It'll take a while for things to dry out.  We are down to the lows in the 30's again.

Jesse, eye balling my carrots.  I made roasted carrots to go with dinner and he had to have a few bites.  Crazy dog!

The other day Youngest Daughter got home from school.  I said I needed to put the hens in from the run.  She said, "I'll do it."  I was totally shocked.  When she didn't come right back in, I wandered out to see if she had trouble.  I heard voices in the barn.  I popped my head in, and she was not only standing inside the coop with the littles, but holding them and talking to them, ha ha!

The spring nettle is up.  I've been consuming much of it.  I do need to freeze some for breakfast meals and for other meals.

Finished this book on the trip to TN.  Sort of got boring 3/4th of the way through.  Donating it to Goodwill.  Ordered a book from the library.

Finished this dishcloth, and started another.  Not much time for "play time" recently.  I think it's time to dive right into the garage and utility room for indoor cleaning.  All depends on the weather and wind.

Recipes Morel and Nettle Bake ~ Random Tidbits

Although a bit late for morel mushrooms here, I'm sharing a recipe I found you all may like.  I hope to try it next spring.  I'd probably use ground organic oats with some Italian herbs, or grind up some homemade "croutons" for this recipe.

Stinging Nettle Smoothie and other Tidbits

Yesterday I enjoyed a nettle smoothie.  I used blueberries and bananas for the fruit, some homemade yogurt, ice, and organic pomegranate juice.  Nettles are loaded with vitamin A and C, calcium, potassium, iron and a bit of protein.  Very low in calories too.

I'm trying to get as many weeds put up before the farmers start spraying too.

Healthy Hair and Nail Tips (update)

I'm posting this today to give you an update on everything have tired over the last year and a half, regarding hair and nail growth (and strength).

I have had very good results with all of my hair health recipes.  Over the last year I found the following for hair growth, shine, strength, and overall healthy hair.  First, let me say, a year ago a lot of my hair fell out due to sickness combined with the pharmaceutical drugs and x-rays (and chemicals) used by doctors. I am so happy to say, that more than a year later, my hair is stronger, growing, and I have had more new hair growth.  I have been consistent, and it took a long time, but worth it.  It could be another full year before it's fully restored, but I'm so glad I tried all of the following (most are linked to older blog posts for more details):

Stinging Nettle ~ Preparing it ~ Teas

Spring is just around the corner here, and nettles will be growing like crazy.  I'm posting today to encourage you to forage your edible weeds.  Ants love my stinging nettle, so I try to harvest it before they discover it.

Stinging Nettle is a wild growing weed.  It's best to harvest first thing in the spring, however larger leaves in summer can still be used for tea making.




Stinging nettle contains fiber, and protein, and is a packed with Vitamin C.  It also provides Vitamin A and other healthy nutrients.  It helps with seasonal allergies, helps removed retained water, reduces joint pain (arthritis), swelling, helps hair growth, may help with urinary issues, and more.  To obtain more information on edible and medicinal weeds, check your local library for resources.  Here is one useful book:

Nettle ~ Black Eyed Pea Spread ~ Gratitude

I harvested another huge pot of stinging nettle yesterday.  Before the rain arrived.  It's been a very good year for me to actually get things done in a more timely fashion.  I hope to harvest more.

I got out there early, before the bees woke up.  We have bees everywhere right now.  

I picked more than would fit in the dehydrator, so I blanched the rest for the next breakfast or pasta dish.  Nettle can be used in any dish you would use spinach or other greens.  Did you know 1 cup of cooked nettle contains 428mg of calcium?  Dandelion, 1 cup boiled contains 147mg of calcium.  According to the internet, those are the figures I found.  Hm.  A huge difference. No wonder my teas helped my hair and nails. 

What's on the breakfast plate?

Random Tidbits ~ Fruit Trees ~ Car Shuffle ~ Peas, Bacon and Prosecco

Something new for the homestead - three rooster door pulls.  Love them!  They went on the master bath cabinet doors.

Something harvested at the homestead - stinging nettle.  I filled the dehydrator, but will need to cut more for "greens" for the freezer this spring.  

I took a walk out to the fruit trees.  I am happy to report that all trees have buds, and the peach tree has teeny tiny pink blossoms about to bloom.  I'm thrilled to see most of the fungus is gone on the plum tree, so my homemade neem spray is working.  My elderberry trees actually have leaves on them already.  The grape plants are budding, and I will have to buy one grape plant to replace the one that died last year.   

We are still playing the car shuffle.  Daughter's car is not fixed.  We now know the problem, but the other problem is the labor involved.  It's about an 8 hour job with her engine.  We got one quote of $800 or $900.00.  We then located another person who might do it, and they did not want to mess with it.  Finally, we found one other person, and hope we can finally put an end to this car shuffle.  I can't run to the store for stamps, chicken feed, etc. And some folks in this house have bad memory (not saying who, ha ha!). Although Vet-Tech-Daughter texted me and asked if she could pick anything up for me.  That was nice of her.

Update on the car shuttle.  I wrote this post last night, but Hubby worked over, so he never got home until after 8pm.  He rolled in with a flat tire, in the pouring down rain.  And, the guy called him back about Daughter's car  -  estimate $1,000.00 (more problems than we thought).  He's calling around for a new engine.  Daughter just paid off her car too.  Sigh.....the kids that have moved out have the other half of our garage filled.  Yeah, so changing a tire isn't going to happen in the rain.  And Daughter has exams and is driving my car.
 

Before roasting

After roasting

. . .using up a bit of last year's rosemary.  I love to cook with it.  It smells like a real Christmas tree and that makes me happy.

I made Giada's (recipe is online) Peas, bacon and Prosecco (Italian white wine).  I loved it.  Just one more way to cook my peas.

And who doesn't want to try a new wine with dinner?  

 

 Pork chops with homemade condensed mushroom soup. Mmmmm!

 

Wild Stinging Nettle?

If this is what I think it is, I've hit the jackpot for my herbal teas this year.  Is this stinging nettle?  I see spiky thing-a-ma-jobs (can you tell I have kids?) all over the center stem and on the leaf stems.

More photos.