Spring is a good time to be out foraging for wild greens, and my very favorite, most choice of these is the stinging nettle, hands down. The flavor, the nutrients, the vibrant green color, and even the element of bravery involved in picking put this at the top of my list. There are just so many different things you can DO with nettles, I think I could have a supply on hand always and never grow tired of them. I ventured out to my favorite nettle patch with my honey recently, and have a good supply stocked in the refrigerator. Another thing to add to the list of goodness is that they keep exceptionally well. This week they made their way into a nettle eggs Benedict, nettle pesto gnocchi, and of course, nettle tea.
Having long ago gotten over any negative associations from run-ins with this plant I had during my childhood, I have really come to appreciate it aesthetically. It truly is a beautiful plant. My small nettle patch I started from rhizomes by my front stairs is starting to pop up, and I’m looking forward to establishing a more intensive nettle patch soon, possibly with a washing machine water runoff system (more on that to come later with other big homestead news…)
This was my partner’s first nettle picking excursion, and he fearlessly jumped right in there and began filling the basket. He’s definitely a keeper. Both being avid mushroom hunters, I have a feeling we’re going to have many walks on the wild side ahead of us throughout the seasons. I can’t wait to take him huckleberry picking.
As it turned out, we were not the only ones out foraging on this fine March morning. This squirrel was out and about, up to all kinds of squirrel shenanigans. Likely it was just as excited about the sunny day, and getting some pent up Winter energy out.
There are few things as delightful in life as coming home with a basket full of fresh nettles. It feels as though in doing so, one is ushering in the Spring.
I was so inspired by these nettles that I decided to pair them with a wild harvested Venezuelan cocoa bean to make some of my bean to bar chocolates. If you are eager to try something so wild, you can find them at my Etsy shop online:
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