Green Goodness: Just Wear Your Gloves

The stinging nettle stand I mentioned a few weeks earlier has grown substantially, in fact there's a couple of nice bushy mounds of it by the barn. Now that I recognize it every time I see where it's spread to another place I'm pleased. It seems to like to grow against rocks and buildings. I've not seen any out in the open, it's almost like it's trying not to be noticed.

But I notice! And a couple of days ago I donned my gloves and a pair of snips and harvested some stalks with tender greens. I was nervous about the gloves, but I figured the barbs would be less likely to penetrate latex than leather or cloth gloves. It was a gamble that paid off. I snipped them low with kitchen scissors, took them in an washed them, all the while being careful not to get them against any bare skin.

My sister had told me they didn't taste great but were great for you. All my research supported that but I wasn't up to a meal of straight nettles, so I mixed them with canned turnip greens. To tell you the truth, I couldn't tell I was eating anything out of the ordinary, but then, I wasn't doing a high ratio of nettles to greens either. It's been almost forty eight hours and no hint of symptoms, so at least I know it's not poisonous.

What was left after snipping the tender greens off the stalk I bound up in a string and hung it just outside the back door. It may be an old wives tale but it's supposed to help keep flies out. So far so good! They're supposed to be naturally leery of the little barbs. I hope it's true - I HATE flies!

I think tea is next on the agenda. They'll be gone as soon as it gets hot so I plan to harvest soon.
Who would have thought a plant that causes so much pain would do so much good?