Harvesting Nettles Without Getting Stung!

I didn't know about nettles until I became an herbalist. For some of you, that may seem

crazy. Most people who ran through a field as children learned about nettles the hard way. I grew up in the woods without many open fields and the city where everything was mowed down. Susun Weed was the first person I witnessed identifying and picking nettles boldly with her bare hands. Her confidence helped me fall in love instantly with the plant.

In the herb world, nettles are considered the multivitamin of field plants. They love to grow on farmland and spread easily. If you prune them, they can get quite bushy or grow as tall as a sunflower in one long stalk. The stem and under the leaf, along its spine, are covered in fine trichomes (tiny hollow stingers) that deliver phytochemicals that cause contact dermatitis.

Before I go further, I want to address what to do if YOU DO get stung. Wash the affected area with soap and water first. If you are severely allergic to certain plants you may want to take a natural anti-histamine like Antronex from Standard Process. Topically you can try the liquid that is expressed from fresh dock leaves, just look around the nettles and you may find some at your feet. My prefered remedy is Jewel Weed tinctured in witch hazel. It gets rid of the sting immediately and diminishes any topical inflammation.

The best way to approach nettles is to acknowledge the plant before jumping in. I am a big fan of talking to the plant, it helps build intention around what you are doing. Observe her beautiful leaves, peak underneath and see the ridge of spikes beneath her leaves. This is her armor. If you don't want to go into battle it's important to get to know her and make friends. Notice the direction in which the tiny needles are facing. Before you harvest her leaves ask permission and collect the leaves in a way that leaves the plant pruned so more leaves will grow after. You can wear gloves and with scissors and a bowl, trim the top leaves catching them in the bowl. If you are brave and know you are not prone to extreme contact dermatitis, you can slide your hand up and out along the direction the spikes grow and pinch off the leaf. Using this method I have never been stung. I do not touch the stem with bare hands only the leaf.

Once you have harvested what you need, you can wash or blanch it depending on what you are going to use it for. Both washing and blanching will destroy the trichomes, making it safe to handle. Wash them before drying, blanch them before adding to food. A 30 second blanch is all it takes.