Here is today’s nettle harvest and my very (very!) soggy shoes. For some reason having my shoes, socks and pants soaking wet was surprisingly fun and made me feel like a kid again. Although, it made me realize that it’s about time for this farm girl to get a pair of boots! (Those nice, high kind…)
Bracken and I went to our neighbor’s to harvest nettles this morning. Nettle harvesting is a spring tradition in the Wilson household and gives us that much appreciated fresh green food after winter time. This is a little later in the season than I usually go harvesting, but the newly emerging tops were looking great. If you are looking for ways to eat healthy, nutritious food for free (besides growing your own or trading with local farms) wild-harvesting is great! Plus, it is satisfying in a primal sort of way. Being a nursing mama, I am especially grateful for this iron rich food source.
This was Bracken’s first time experiencing nettle harvesting and he watched curiously in the pack on my belly. It wasn’t raining this morning, just overcast, and seemed like a good day to harvest them. After arriving, it started pouring. That, plus the already wet fields where the nettles like to grow, made for a very soggy situation (which made a warm fire that much sweeter to come home to.) Our neighbor Stan (bless his heart) helped me harvest. He has never eaten them, but says he had an aunt that did. Unfortunately, he slipped and landed right in a fresh pile from one of his cows. He got a little covered, along with some nettle harvesting gear, which needed to be washed when I returned home. But hey, what’s a fun nettle harvesting adventure story without a little cow poop?
Kim- So nice to hear from you! Can’t wait to see you at market soon! 🙂
Love hearing other nettle lovers out there.
Ballerina Baller- I will write a blog post today about what we do with the nettles. Thanks for inspiring me!
Christin- Hello! Thanks for saying hello, it was so nice to receive your message. I’m glad you found my blog and that you are enjoying it so much. I hope it will inspire you to live your dreams.
I will do a post about some things we do with nettles. Lovely to make a new friend in Sweden!
Trish- Much love back to you!
Kris- Good luck! I really hope you find some. (If not, I know you can buy seeds and plant some.) Let me know if you find some so I can say a big hooray for you!
xoxo
Yes, please share some good things you do with the nettles. I am searching here in Georgia for some. I want to get some so bad. I saw a video of a guy picking them without gloves and popping them in his mouth. Somehow that looked so good to me. So now I am on the hunt for some Ga. nettles.
Wonderful nettles. I love them!
Much love
Trish
I found your blog for some weeks ago and I´m addicted to it now 🙂
I love to read about your life and work……I wish I could live in a house in the forest and keep some goats and other animal like you do. It sounds so peaaceful !
I would love to read about some receipe with the nettles. I use to make nettlesoup,served with eggs, its very tasty and feels so healthy to eat.
Forgive me for my poor english, I´m from Sweden so its a bit hard for me sometimes to find the right english words when I´m trying to explain my thoughts 🙂
All my best to you and your family!
Christin from Sweden
what exactly do you do with nettles?
One of my favorites things about country living in Oregon—Fresh Nettle sprouts in the spring time! Talk about some nutrition. Especially for Mamas!
MMmmmm. sauteed nettles and olive oil OR fresh nettles tea…MMMmmm. ENJOY!