STINGING NETTLE
I have been deeply off grid for the past few weeks, helping my friends in the North with their Spring Harvest and Medicine Making Camps. We have been busy at work with the Plants of the Northern Interior, and it has me reflecting on the value of daily use of spring tonics.
It can be so easy for me, living in the city, to only eat a spring green once or twice, and I know that I am missing the real value of nourishing my body with the new growth of the season.
From fireweed shoots, when they are still red, fried like asparagus, to dandelion roots, sauteed like carrots, and leaves steamed like spinach, the abundance of spring plants should comprise the bulk of my vegetable consumption this time of year.
In particular, the nettle patch where I am staying is popping off and massive in its abundance. High in Vitamin C, Iron, Potassium, Calcium and Amino Acids, nettles are a super food and I hope to harvest enough for the year. The fresh plants can be juiced and frozen in cubes (dreaming of my some day deep freeze), or thoroughly dried, powdered, and stored in airtight containers in a dry and dark and cool place. While I am stuffing the drying racks here full of nettle tops, I am also trying to eat my daily dose by cooking them into my meals.
Nettle tops can be tricky to harvest - the stings from the spikes on the stem and bottom of leaves contain formic acid, the same that ants produce. Little white bumps and a burning sensation can erupt after handling the plant, which for some is too much, and for others, a desired circulatory stimulant for their aching knuckles. I find that pinching just the top leaves and cutting a few leaf pairs down with a knife is just enough sensation so I can enjoy the sting and still harvest a full basket. Nettles will regrow their shoots x 2 if harvested early in the season - check your patch again in a few weeks for even more renewed abundance.
Here is a page from a zine I wrote for the Harvest Camp - while it is incomplete, please enjoy an excerpt on nettle and some spring medicine making techniques!
As always, my herbal practice is open to book through my website. For those interested in the magic of herbal medicine, and what it might look like to invite a plant into conversation about your health and life.
xoxoxox
carmie
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please exercise caution with herbs and work from within your skill set and experience. this is not medical advice. contact a registered herbalist or physician with questions on safe use of herbs. tysm!
