Nettles Anyone?

Run bare skin into it once and you will easily recognize if for the rest of your life.

It hurts. I grew up along a marshy river bottom where nettles were prolific and common.
And good to eat if one knows how to prepare them.

Stinging nettle is a large, rhizomatous perennial wild edible plant that can grow quite tall.

" however it is a vitamin-rich food source as well as a remedy for various medical conditions. Stinging nettle has been used for hundreds of years to treat painful muscles and joints, eczema, arthritis, gout, and anemia. "

Google it and print info just in case you encounter it when a bit hungry.
I've eaten lots of common "weeds" when a kid growing up quite economically challenged. (poor)
http://www.ediblewildfood.com/stinging-nettle.aspx

I pity the "gimmie" people that get free food, housing, clothes, if the shtf.
Well I don't really feel at bit sorry for 'em.

 

THe only nettles I know are pine needles. I don't think that is what you are talking about. I think I will have to do an internet search as to what nettles really are! I have heard of them being used as a poultice and in tea. It might be something quite useful.

 

I've made tea from pine needles.
It was awful.
Rose hip tea is drinkable and a good source of vitamin C.

http://www.canstockphoto.com/nettle-16006379.html

Nettle pictures^^^^.

Be careful when picking them. They are called stinging nettles for a reason.
The species is divided into sixsubspecies, five of which have many hollow stinging hairs called trichomes on the leaves and stems, which act like hypodermic needles, injecting histamine and other chemicals that produce a stinging sensation when contacted by humans and other animals.

 

Down south a lot of people my parents included grew up eating Poke Weed, also known as Poke Salad. It grows wild and is plentiful but has to be prepared carefully because it is poisonous. The leaves tastes pretty much like cooked spinach, and stems similar to asparagus. You have to boil it at least twice, preferably three times and using fresh water with each boil, and then it is edible.

 

I've done that also but years ago.
I changed water 3 times.

 

Stinging nettles are plentiful in my area and are consumed alongside other dishes. I have consumed it go powder form with mashed food and they add a tantalizing texture to the food in addition to supplying valuable micronutrients. Once I tried consuming the say vegetable and I was not exactly enamoured by the sweet taste.

 

It's actually quite a trendy thing to be eating these days. In my line of work, I supply some of the best, most expensive restaurants in Melbourne and so many are ordering these among other weeds.

I don't know if I'd been keen. I know that cooking tames the stinging aspect to it...But even so, I'm weary.