Mighty Nettle
reproduced in part from Sage Lake Herbs' "Herbal Thymes" by Jolynn Wagner

Botanical name: Urtica dioica

Common Names: Stinging Nettle, Sister Spinster, Wild Spinach

Habitat: full sun to shade, typically found near bodies of water

Best identified by: Opposite, saw-toothed leaf with hairy underside resembling a giant mint plant, white pearl-like flowers early to later summer, the sting!

Uses: Nettle is a truly versatile herb. It can be used as food, tea, medicine, and its strong fibers were traditionally used by NW Native Americans to make rope. Nettle makes a wonderful medicinal food. It supports male and female reproductive health, the immune system, allergy relief, urinary tract, skin and hair.

Nettle is packed with nutrients, including calcium, iron, zinc, protein, and vitamins A, C, and K.

Nettle has been used to stop bleeding in postpartum women and increase quality of breast milk. It is also popular among menopausal women to ease mood swings and provide calcium to prevent osteoporosis.

Nettle has been found to stabilize blood sugar, improve stamina, develop strong teeth and bones, and support both immune and nervous system functioning.

Nettle is easily harvested in the wild in western WA. It should be harvested in early spring before the plant matures further. Caution—do not use flowering nettle for food or medicine. Wear gloves! Otherwise she will sting you! Once dried, cooked or frozen, she no longer stings.

Doses: Women can use Nettle leaf daily, fresh or dried, to support hormonal balance. Both men and women can use Nettle regularly to benefit from the rich vitamins and minerals in Sister Spinster.

As a tincture, Nettle leaf doses range from 5-100 drops per day.

Nettle root is used for strengthening the immune system and as a scalp and hair tonic. Use 5-90 drops of tincture or 4-8 ounces of infusion.

We regularly eat potato nettle soup at our house, and there is nothing like it made with fresh spring nettles. Use any potato leek soup recipe and substitute nettle for leek. I always add extra nettle, starting the nettle broth with lots of garlic and onion and a sprig of young lovage in the morning and allow it to simmer through the day.  Hmmmm...and nettle pesto is to die for!

We keep fresh frozen nettle and dried nettle around all the time. We are lucky to have nettle all over our farm and we harvest heavily so the nettle patches have young shoots about 7 months out of the year. Some of our regular uses include:

1. Soup and pot herb at the table
2. Fresh nettles for the goats early in the season when they are craving those greens
3. Dried and made into "mini bales" for the animals to eat as hay
4. Dried to add to teas, to make infusion, or add to an animal’s food
5. Fresh nettle manure tea for the garden
6. As a starter and great mineral addition to compost

Happy Nettling!