Was picking weeds yesterday and one of them left my fingers tingling with pins and needles. Still a little of the same feeling today. Does anyone know the name of this weed. Thanks.
Stinging nettle has long been attributed with medicinal properties and can be made into teas or used in other ways. Here's a page with receipes including Nettle Wine.
Stinging Nettles are a favorite part of my spring rituals!I go to great lengths to find and gather stinging nettle, not only to dry for tea and hair rinse, but also to blanch and freeze for winter greens. Loses it's sting when dried and/or cooked, have a wonderful robust texture and spincah/like flavor. They are loaded with vitamins & iron!! Try them with a little balsamic vinegar. I bet they will become one of your favorite vegetables!
Of course you need to wear gloves to pick them, use the new shoots, up to 6" tall or just the top new leaves of slightly older plants. If you do get stung, the nettle plant itself is the antidote. Scrunch up several leaves and rub on the sting, it will soon ease. Natives here in Alaska traditionally used stinging nettle to ease the pain of arthritis. There is an ancient abandoned Tklinget Indian village about a 20 minute skiff ride from me in Southeast Alaska that has about a 3 acre spot near the beach that is thick with nettles. That is where I go to gather them, I imagine they were planted there on purpose because they are rather scarce otherwise in my area. Wherever you find them growing you'll find really fertile soil. If you want to grow your own, the roots transplant easily - but grow them in containers or they'll become invasive.
