How to Safely Harvest and Use Stinging Nettles
When it comes to increasing your self-sufficiency, taking control of your food supply and nutrition, saving your hard earned money and even knowing how to survive in an emergency situation, there’s perhaps no more valuable, all-encompassing skill than learning to forage for wild edibles.
Wild edibles are the earliest form of food (and medicine) known to man. Human beings used to hunt and forage for all of their food long before farming was invented, and certainly before markets and grocery stores stocked everything we could ever want or need on their shelves. Our species literally owes our very existence to this valuable skill.
Today, we most often turn to stores and perhaps even to our own gardens for food and medicine. But wild edibles still exist all around us and are just waiting to be harvested and put to good use. The biggest problem is that many of us lack the traditional knowledge we need to know what wild plants are edible, where to find them, how to identify them, how to harvest them safely and responsibly, and how use them to our full advantage.
Luckily this knowledge hasn’t completely disappeared, and as people are taking a growing interest in health and self-sufficiency, foraging is becoming popular once again. And with the advent of the Internet, more people are sharing their knowledge and learning from others, just as we’re doing here today!
There are so many wild edibles that can be foraged across North America, including all sorts of edible mushrooms, berries and “weeds,” but perhaps one of the easiest and most valuable plants to learn how to harvest is the humble (yet slightly intimidating) stinging nettle.
Related: Homemade Tree Tip Syrup
Health benefits of stinging nettles
Stinging nettles are both highly nutritional and medicinal. They’re packed with vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, C, B and K, iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium, among others.
Studies have shown that stinging nettles can help with everything from allergy relief and boosting immunity to joint pain and eczema. But there are many other health benefits of stinging nettles as well, some that we are only just discovering. In any case, it pays to learn how to forage and use these amazing “weeds!”
Related: How to Use Yarrow to Cure Almost Any Ailment
How to find and identify stinging nettles
Stinging nettles are one of the first wild edibles that you can forage for in the spring. Even if you still have some snow on the ground, stinging nettles may already be popping up (as they did here this year when we got an early spring snowfall). While they can certainly be harmful to touch, they’re rich in vitamins and minerals and can be consumed without worry when cooked or dried.
Stinging nettles grow wild across North America (and across many other continents), and can be found growing in thick, dense patches in rich, moist soils, usually along waterways like rivers, lakes, ditches and streams, or along fence lines and on the edges properties.
They tend to pop up in the early spring and grow throughout the summer, eventually reaching heights of up to 8 feet tall! They are best harvested in the spring when they are under a foot tall and when the leaves are new and tender. While they can be harvested in the summer, the leaves will be thicker and stems will be much more stringy and woody.
It’s quite easy to identify stinging nettles once you know what you’re looking for. I struggled to identify them for a couple years until I found a patch and confirmed that it was indeed a stinging nettle patch. Now that I have experience harvesting it, I know exactly what to look for (and you will too).
The plant itself has a pretty distinct shape and design. The leaves are pointed at the tips and serrated along the outer edges (like a serrated kitchen knife). The base of the leaves are sort of heart-shaped and they grow in pairs opposite one another, alternating in direction along the length of the stem.
The leaves and stems are covered in tiny hairs (which is where the sting comes from), and the stems are sort of square-shaped rather than perfectly round, and hollow in the centre.
They also grow in dense patches, which is another giveaway that you’ve found nettles and not some other look-alike.
But if you want to be 100% sure… Just touch them! If they sting, you’ve hit the jackpot 🙂 Don’t worry too much about the sting. While you wouldn’t necessarily want to fall into a patch, a bit of a sting on your hand won’t kill you. (Don’t get me wrong… It will be quite irritating for a while, but it’s not the worst thing in the world).
How to harvest stinging nettles
Due to their trademark sting, you want to take extra precautions when harvesting stinging nettles. For starters, always wear gloves, and not just thin, gardening gloves: make sure they’re thick garden or work gloves that the stinging hairs can’t penetrate. You should also wear long sleeves and pants and closed shoes rather than sandals. Basically cover up as much as possible any body parts that might come into contact with the nettles.
While some seasoned nettle foragers swear by foraging with their bare hands (there is some evidence that stings from stinging nettles can actually help to prevent and treat arthritis), I don’t recommend it. There is also evidence that consuming stinging nettles has a positive effect on arthritis, so personally I’d rather save my skin and enjoy them steeped in a cup of tea or sautéed on my plate instead:)
Related: How to Harness the Healing Powers of Calendula
Once you’re all geared up with gloves, etc., harvest nettles by either cutting or pinching them off just above a set of leaves. Much like basil, nettles will produce new shoots if they are harvested just above a set of leaves. I usually harvest the top three to four sets of leaves and leave the rest of the plant as the lower leaves and stems are tougher and woodier anyway.
Place stinging nettles in a basket of paper bag (somewhere they can breathe and won’t get moldy while waiting to be cooked or dried) and head on back to your kitchen to prepare them!
Related: The Easy Way to Grow, Harvest & Preserve Basil
How to use, prepare and preserve stinging nettles
First thing’s first: Give your stinging nettles a good wash to ensure there are no bugs, dirt or any other possible residue on them. Do this with gloves!
I pour a sink full of cold water and dunk batches of stinging nettles in the water and swish them around real good. Then I let them dry completely in the drying rack or pick off the leaves and throw them in a salad spinner to dry. From here you can either cook them up or dry them out for later use.
Stinging nettles lose their sting when they are either cooked or dried. NEVER EAT THEM RAW! You don’t want to be adding fresh stinging nettles to your salads, but a light sauté is all they need to wilt the stinging hairs and make them edible.
Cooking Stinging Nettles
If cooking nettles, steam them or sauté them in a little butter or oil like you would if you were cooking spinach, then add them to soups, pasta or rice dishes or even eat on their own with a little garlic or lemon juice.
You can also blanch them and freeze them for later us. Simply steam them for two minutes until they wilt, then dunk in ice water to stop the cooking process. Next, spin in a salad spinner or lay them on a paper towel for a few minutes to allow excess moisture to run off (I like to fold the paper towel over them and squeeze gently to release the moisture). Then pack tightly in a freezer bag, being careful to squeeze all the air out, and freeze for up to a year.
Drying Stinging Nettles
You can also dry stinging nettles to use as tea. The drying process will also cause the sting to disappear. You can either tie them in a bunch and hang upside down like you would with a bunch of herbs, or lay them out to dry, turning them regularly to ensure that no leaves mold if there is still moisture in them.
I lay mine out to dry on one of the metal shelving racks we keep in our sunroom. It’s perfect because it allows air to circulate from all sides, but I still regularly turn them and move them around to ensure air is getting to all of the nettles.
Allow stinging nettles to dry completely (about two weeks will suffice). You could also dry them out in a dehydrator if you have one to speed up the process. If drying in a dehydrator, set the dehydrator to its lowest temperature setting and set it to dry for about 12-15 hours.
Once dried, pick the leaves off of the stems (if you haven’t already) and pack in a jar or bag out of direct sunlight. It’s best to leave the leaves whole and then crumble them up to put in a teapot or tea bag when you’re ready to use them. You can preserve nutrients for longer by keeping the leaves whole.
To make tea, crumble a few leaves and steep in a looseleaf teapot, french press or put in a tea bag. Steep for about 5 minutes (longer if you prefer a more potent tea). Then discard or pour out a cup of tea and add a little honey and lemon to enhance the flavour of the tea.
What about you? Do you already use stinging nettles? Do you have any other ideas or suggestions on how to use or preserve them? What else do you forage for? Be sure to let me know in the comments section below!
Wishing you homemade, homegrown, homestead happiness 🙂
P.S. Want more modern homesteading advice and inspiration? Subscribe for FREE to Modern Homesteading Magazine and get our free monthly magazine delivered straight to your inbox! Plus get the latest posts, recipes and all around great content from The House & Homestead sent to you weekly so you never miss a thing:)
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But if you work on learning one new skill at a time and gain confidence in it before moving onto the next, one day you’ll be looking back and marvelling at how far you’ve come.
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There are so many reasons to grow your own food at home:
💰 Saves you money at the grocery store
🍴 Healthier than conventionally grown food
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But perhaps the number one reason is because it just tastes better!
Not only does food taste better when it’s freshly picked or allowed to ripen on the vine, there’s something about putting in the work to grow something from a tiny seed and then getting to see it on your dinner plate that just makes it so much more satisfying than anything you’ll ever buy from the store.
Plus, having to wait all year for fresh tomatoes or strawberries or zucchinis to be in season makes that short period when they’re available just that much more exciting!
With the world spinning out of control and food prices continuing to rise, it’s no wonder more people are taking an interest in learning to grow their own food at home. But that also means changing our relationship with food and learning to appreciate the work that goes into producing it and the natural seasonality of organically grown fruits and vegetables.
(It also means learning to preserve it so you can make the most of it and enjoy homegrown food all year long).
In my online membership program, The Society of Self-Reliance, you’ll learn how to grow your own food, from seed to harvest, as well as how to preserve it so you can enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor all year long!
You’ll also learn how to grow and craft your own herbal medicine, detox your home, become your own handyman, and so much more (because self-reliance is about more than just the food that we eat… But that’s a pretty good place to start!)
The doors to the Society are now open for a limited time only. Click the link in my profile or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
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If you’ve been watching events unfold over the past few years and you’re feeling called to start “cutting ties” with the system and begin reclaiming your independence, The Society of Self-Reliance was made for you!
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Link in profile or visit thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
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Got out for an early morning harvest today. Been up since 3am, contemplating life, the future and the past, the order of things…
There is a rumbling right now, not just in North America, but around the world. Many of us can feel it, and know we are on the precipice of something big.
I’d been hearing about this new song that’s become an overnight viral sensation, written by an (until now) unknown singer named Oliver Anthony. His new song Rich Men North of Richmond has had 14 million views on YouTube in the past week alone, so I decided to check it out.
I also saw a clip of him playing a Farmers Market last week, and anything that has to do with Farmers Markets always has my attention;)
I can’t tell you how many tears I’ve already cried listening to that song. If you’ve heard it already, you probably know what I’m talking about, and if you haven’t, I highly recommend giving it a listen. All I can say is it’s been a while since a song resonated so deeply with me, and in this strange new world, I know I’m not the only one.
One of the lines in Anthony’s song is “Livin’ in the new world, with an old soul,” and that’s something I think so many of us in the homesteading community can relate to.
Trying to cling to better days; To a simpler time; To the old ways, all while doing our best to get by in the new world.
The world has changed drastically in the last few years especially, and it’s set to change in immense ways over the next few years. Today I’m feeling thankful for people like @oliver_anthony_music_ who give a voice to what so many are feeling right now.
Know that if you’re feeling it too, you’re far from alone. And while the future may feel uncertain and even a little scary, remember that if we stand united, we the people are a force to be reckoned with.
(Continued in comments…)
Another garlic harvest in the books!
Garlic is easily one of my favourite crops to grow. It’s pretty much a “set if and forget it” crop. We plant in the fall and leave it to overwinter, fertilize a couple times in the spring, start watering only once the ground starts to dry out, and then harvest in the summer. We can even plant a fall succession crop after our garlic if we want so it really makes great use of garden space all year round.
Over the years we’ve managed to become completely self-sufficient with garlic. We now grow enough to eat all year (and then some!), plus we save our own seed garlic and usually have extra to sell or give away. And around here fresh, organic garlic ain’t cheap, so it’s a good cash crop for anyone who’s serious about selling it.
It took me a few years to really get the hang of garlic, but it’s one crop I’m now very confident with (knock on wood, because it’s always when we make statements like this that next year’s crop fails! Lol.)
A while back I compiled a comprehensive guide to growing, harvesting and using garlic both as an edible and medicinal crop. This is usually only available as part of a paid bundle (or in the fall 2022 issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine if you’re a subscriber;), but for a limited time I’m offering it for free, no strings attached!
Plus you’ll also get access to my step-by-step video lesson on planting garlic so you can set yourself up for success with your garlic crop this year.
Comment “Garlic” below or head to thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-guide to get your free copy!
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Going through photos and videos from our trip to the @modernhomesteadingconference and the vast majority are of our daughter having the time of her life!
Even if I personally got nothing else out of this gathering (which I most certainly did), watching her discover her own love of this lifestyle outside of what we do at home made my heart grow three sizes!
Homesteading is about so much more than homegrown food and self-reliance. It’s about passing on invaluable skills and an understanding of and respect for our connection to the land that provides for us to the next generation.
Being around so many other kids and families who are also pursuing a homesteading lifestyle helped show our little one that this is a movement that is so much bigger and greater than what our own family does on our little plot of land. This is a lifestyle worth pursuing, with a community unlike any other.
Glad to be back home and more excited than ever to involve my kids in everything we’re doing. But also, I think I speak for my whole family when I say we can’t wait to go back someday!
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Head over using the link in my bio!
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A brand new issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine just dropped!
In this issue:
🌱 How to forage and use five common edible and medicinal weeds
🏠 A sustainable, affordable alternative to traditional homes, greenhouses and more
👨👩👧👦 Tips for managing a homestead while raising a family (big or small!)
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🍓 The many ways to preserve summer berries (including 5 delicious recipes!)
💇How to make your own all-natural herbal hair care products at home
🧑🌾 Why “community sufficiency” is the new self-sufficiency
And more!
Visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com (or click the link in my bio) to subscribe or login to the library and read the latest issue.
Plus, be sure to check out all of our past issues as well! There’s a wealth of information in our library on everything from farming and gardening to cooking and canning to herbal medicine, natural living and so much more!
*** This will be the last quarterly issue! ***
This little magazine has grown so much over the past 4 years and 32 issues, and now it’s time for another exciting evolution.
I’m excited to announce that we will be moving to an even more robust annual publication with the intention of offering the first ever print edition this fall if there is enough demand.
I’m also excited to announce the brand new Modern Homesteading Magazine blog, which is currently under construction and will be launching soon. While we will still be maintaining digital subscriptions, the blog will be accessible to all, free of charge, so that more people might benefit from the empowering and increasingly important information that we cover in each issue.
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And a HUGE thank you to everyone who has subscribed over the years. Modern Homesteading Magazine would never have become what it is today without each and every one of you.
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If you’ve ever grown your own garlic, you might have noticed the spiral-shaped shoots that suddenly pop up in the centre of the stem, usually about a month or so before the garlic bulbs themselves are ready to be harvested.
These are garlic scapes, and believe it or not- they make delicious pesto! Get the recipe through the link in my bio- https://thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-scape-pesto/
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Get the recipe through the link in my bio.
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Read it today through the link in my bio!
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This radish top pesto recipe makes good use of the edible radish greens that often get discarded once they’re separated from the root. The end result is a peppery, slightly spicy twist on a classic pesto recipe.
A perfect condiment for all your summer snacking!
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/radish-top-pesto-recipe/
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Hey Anna, Thanks for the great info. QUESTION: I now have my first experience with gout — left foot/big toe. Don’t know where that’s from but it’s been sore for about 10 days.
I wish to make nettle tea from the roots. Can I steep them in hot water in the fresh state or do they have to be dried? Also, is nettle tea from the leaves as effective as the root version?
Hi Eric – when substituting fresh for dried, you just want to use more of the fresh herb (2-3x) to achieve the same potency. Nettle leaves and roots have slightly different properties, so one may be better for what you’re targeting than the other. Maybe do some research on the properties of the leaves vs. the roots and go from there. Good luck!
Eric, I have battled gout for the last 10 years. If you want some info on what I found to be effective I’d be happy to share with you. There is a lot of conflicting advice online. One of the best resources I found was a book online called End of Gout. It discusses diet etc… If you have had one attack it is best to nip it in the bud and change your lifestyle now as the attacks will just get more frequent and debilitating.
see previous comment. Lost it all on the email line
Thanks for sharing this information. I spent my early childhood in the country in the hills of Western Mass and the only thing I knew about this wild plant was that you should avoid it unless you want to get stung! Now my mother came from a farm family of 12 kids, so I bet they knew about the good use of this plant, but it was never told to me. I haven’t seen any of these plants on my property, but if I were to go to the fields, I probably would find some. I must admit that I try to avoid wild fields and meadows to keep from getting ticks which there are many here in TN. I can see how it would be a beneficial plant to find and use. Always great to learn something new!
I make shampoo bars out of them . It’s an old hair remedy to make your hair strong and beautiful
Last summer I unwisely ran back to quickly water some garden plants while wearing shorts and sandals. I had to go through a large patch of brushy weeds. After a short time, my legs really started to hurt like I’d been stung by wasps or something! Now I think I know what happened… and this year I will take my sweet revenge on the stinging nettle plants by harvesting and cooking them to eat. Maybe it will even heal the touch of arthritis that has just started affecting my elbows. Thanks for this article!
Yasss! Sweet, sweet revenge:) And once dried or cooked, they’re powerless (and tasty!)
a friend of mine made me some roasted Brussel sprouts with kale. I loved it. when I got home I made some but used stinging nettle instead. I also made creamed asparagus and nettle soup. love this plant! thanks for the article
That sounds delicious!
Hi, yes we use stinging nettles in teas and hydrosol, I usually add 2 tbsp hydrosol ( we get it from Lebanon )to a cup of warm water. It’s an old tradition in the middle east. Even though you don’t eat them raw! we do ?, in the spring when they are fresh and abundant, soaking them in salted water lessens the sting effect.
Oh wow! That is brave!