Stinging Nettles are Good for You by Small Footprint Family

BonBon Break

Stinging Nettles are Good for You

~:: Small Footprint Family ::~

Stinging Nettles are Good for You by Small Footprint Family

Today I weeded my very overgrown flower garden, and learned (the hard way) that stinging nettles are the most common weed there. But despite the fire in my hands that lasted for several minutes, I was so grateful to find them!

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is a fast-growing wild plant common across all of North America, though it prefers the moist, forested soil of the Pacific Northwest. People have been using nettles for food, medicine, fiber, and dyes since the Bronze Age.

Although gardeners and hikers have historically avoided stinging nettles, the plant has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity as people rediscover its health benefits in cooking and herbal medicine. Here’s how to use them.

ABOUT DAWN: Dawn is a stay-at-home mama to a beautiful, 4-year-old girl, partner to a dedicated and creative man, and caregiver for her mother-in-law with Alzheimer’s. Before motherhood, she was a Master Gardener and Master Composter, horticulture teacher and extension agent, as well as a certified arborist and Permaculture designer. Her blood runs green.

Dawn believes that the first step in creating a more sustainable, just, and healthy world is in becoming conscious of the personal choices we make (and don’t make), and their effect on the lives of our children and grandchildren. In other words: Sustainability starts at home. Dawn blogs about sustainable living, natural health, gardening, and real food at Small Footprint Family. You can also find her on FacebookTwitter and Pinterest.

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