The gardener did a-nettling go...

March 5, 2006

The plot next to mine at the local community garden has lain fallow for the

last year, and become completely overrun with stinging nettles. It’s been

my main source of this herb for months. Recently I was talking with the

garden’s director, and she mentioned that she’d rented the plot and that my

new neighbors were anxious to begin weeding. “Can you stall them until

after this weekend?” I asked. “I want those nettles!” So this morning I

put on gloves and went a-nettling. I’ve got a couple bushels drying on wire

racks, enough to last me for a couple years, I should think. Wandering

around the vacant lot adjacent to the garden I found a patch of giant

plantain, so I got a bunch of that too.

The garden director was naturally curious about what I wanted the nettles

for. Our conversation led to an invitation to put on a soapmaking demo at

the garden this spring. Not a bad day.

Dave

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March 6, 2006

Is it not wonderful when things just come together for everyone's good.

>

> The garden director was naturally curious about what I wanted the

nettles

> for. Our conversation led to an invitation to put on a soapmaking

demo at

> the garden this spring. Not a bad day.

>

> Dave

>

March 6, 2006

>Is it not wonderful when things just come together for everyone's good.

Yeah, and I gotta add one comment. When I was done with the plot next to

mine, I walked around the garden, among all the plots, looking for more

nettles. One old guy thanked me for getting rid of them, and I thought what

a perfect win-win situation it was. I cleared their gardens, and in return

I got about four big armloads of nettles. I laid my tomato cages on their

sides in a row and used them for a drying rack. I’ll pick ‘em up in a few

days and strip the leaves by hand. They’ll finish drying on the patio, then

I’ll sift and bag them. I was pleased about the plantain, too. For the

last year I’ve been watching the plantain along the creek across the way,

and just about 100% of what I found was infested with something that made

the leaves all bumpy. Then about four months ago I began seeing healthy

plants. I only took about forty plants today, the first plantain I’ve

gathered in a few years, and they look wonderful. Some of the specimens I

saw are already blooming, as are some of the nettles.

Gardening, herbing and soapmaking are three things that really make me feel

centered, like I’ve found a place in the universe that is nearly perfect,

where the past is as alive as the present. The craft of soapmaking is an

amazing blend of ancient and modern lore, and working with herbs uses tools

and methods that are virtually identical to the ones used 5,000 years ago.

Sorry, I guess that was more than one comment.

Dave

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Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 268.1.2/274 - Release 3/3/2006

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Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 268.1.2/274 - Release 3/3/2006

March 6, 2006

Hi Dave!!

Got a question for you (or any of the other experts here!) My husband pointed

out to me yesterday afternoon what stinging nettles were...'cause they are

growing here in the yard & he's gonna get a chopping hoe & get rid of them, but

told me to watch out for them until he does. (In case you don't recall I live

way out in the country!) So I told him WAIT until I talk to my list buds on my

herb list 'cause they're good for you! He didn't see how since his big toe was

burning due to brushing up against it!! lol

So...do the nettles still burn the skin after they are dried?? If I was to dry

them & then infuse them are they skin " safe " ? Meaning they won't " burn " you

anymore? Anybody got a link they can share that I can look at quickly to make

sure it is the right thing?

Thank you thank you for any help that you can give me, before he chops them up &

they are gone forever!!!

Have a wonderful day!!! donna

PS: I also love your observation below!! It made me look at what we do in a

whole new light!!!

Thanks!!

Donna Buchholz

Something Different Soap & Things

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David Lambert

Gardening, herbing and soapmaking are three things that really make me feel

centered, like I've found a place in the universe that is nearly perfect,

where the past is as alive as the present. The craft of soapmaking is an

amazing blend of ancient and modern lore, and working with herbs uses tools

and methods that are virtually identical to the ones used 5,000 years ago.

March 6, 2006

LOL Nikie!

Thanks for the info...now I'm wondering if what I have is the same thing...I

don't remember seeing any thorns! I'll have to go out & look...what I have

growing that my dh says is nettles looks kinda like ground cover...very compact

& low to the ground. But if you brush it with your foot it burns like crazy! I

guess I'd better find a picture so that I make sure I'm not getting into

something entirely different! Now out in the pastures there are some very

large, mean looking plants growing that have thorns along the edges of the

leaves which are kinda purply green...actually I always thought those were

nettles but dh told me along time ago that's not what they were...I better hurry

& figure this out! lol

Thanks again for the help!!!

Have a wonderful day!! donna

Donna Buchholz

Something Different Soap & Things

www.somethingdifferentsoap.com

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Nikie Brown

Donna, I'm not Dave, nor do I play him on TV, but after the nettles dry,

the thorn parts fall off, so they don't sting. I also have a ton in my

back pasture area!! My animals won't touch it while it's green, but

once it dries, they eat it like crazy!!!! So, I split it with them!!

I take some while it's green to dry out and then I leave some out in

the pasture so they can have it when it dries out on its own!!

Although, they've cleared out everything else back there that I noticed

some of the sheep eating the nettle green!! OUCH!!! I wear very thick

leather gloves when I go to pick the nettle cause that burn does stay

with you for a bit!!

March 6, 2006