Seeing the beautiful green shoots of stinging nettles popping up in damp places tells me it's Springtime long before the calendar says so! I was out foraging just a couple of days ago (St. Paddy's Day) along a river trail, close to our house, where there are huge cottonwood trees and lots of happy, singing birds. I just had a bag and no gloves so I improvised by just using the bag as protection while I pinched off the tops of the sprouting nettles. If you do it this way, the plants recover quickly and it branches out to be more bushy. Even if you get a "sting" from a nettle, it'll go away in an hour or so. No worries.
Stinging nettles are a powerful tonic because they are full of the yang of Springtime and will cleanse your blood, urninary tract, can help heal an enlarged prostate and nettles are full of iron and taste good too. I like to dry them for a tea to drink every morning till Summer but I also like them steamed up with some butter and mashed potatoes...Go pick some soon and accept nature's gift to you.
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