Tag Archives: spring forage

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I went out foraging along the riverside. It’s a great place to find nettles. These particular nettles are are called woods nettles and they have a broader leaf than the standard stinging nettle. When young they have a good flavor and are extremely healthy. In the first picture, I have both nettle and jewelweed the juice of the jewelweed can remove the sting or burn of the nettle. If applied quickly. I pick nettles by hand grabbing the tips from the back and snapping them off. My fingers are calloused enough not to be affected but if yours are not just rub some jewelweed on from time to time to stop the sting. Cook them like you would spinach the heat will knock out the chemical that causes the sting.

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Nettles for dinner

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I went out foraging along the riverside. It’s a great place to find nettles. These particular nettles are are called woods nettles and they have a broader leaf than the standard stinging nettle. When young they have a good flavor and are extremely healthy. In the first picture, I have both nettle and jewelweed the juice of the jewelweed can remove the sting or burn of the nettle. If applied quickly. I pick nettles by hand grabbing the tips from the back and snapping them off. My fingers are calloused enough not to be affected but if yours are not just rub some jewelweed on from time to time to stop the sting. Cook them like you would spinach the heat will knock out the chemical that causes the sting.

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Gathered ramps today. Every year I post on gathering ramps, but I think I evolve a bit each time. I now only get ramps that are no bigger then my index finger, and no smaller then my pinky. This is because I pickle the bulbs and the best bulbs for canning are that size. I also used a pressure washer to speed up processing a big time saver. I also now value the leaves more then the builds. I make pesto that I add to bread, noodles and hummus. It is one of my all time favorite flavors.

I made 7 cups of pesto, and pickled the bulbs.

Forage

This years Ramps

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Gathered ramps today. Every year I post on gathering ramps, but I think I evolve a bit each time. I now only get ramps that are no bigger then my index finger, and no smaller then my pinky. This is because I pickle the bulbs and the best bulbs for canning are that size. I also used a pressure washer to speed up processing a big time saver. I also now value the leaves more then the builds. I make pesto that I add to bread, noodles and hummus. It is one of my all time favorite flavors.

I made 7 cups of pesto, and pickled the bulbs.

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I went out to pick nettles today.

I found a huge patch of Wood Nettles a couple days ago. They come up earlier then the type of stinging nettle I usually pick. It is so early the jewelweed I use to kill the sting when I mess up is still tiny and a little hard to see. I picked a good bag full of nettle. I ended up blanching and freezing half and drying half for tea. I am going to to make nettle and ramp soup also depending on time try brewing some nettle beer. If you have never had stinging nettle its a spinach substitute maybe a little sweeter and less slimy. Has a ton of medical uses also, but I just got it to eat and use for tea. It’s my favorite herd tea if you add a little lemon and honey.. I also grabbed fiddle heads.

Notes:

You can use baking soda past on your skin to stop a nettle sting if there is no jewelweed. I think jewelweed works better. Also both only seem to work if you get it fast enough.

Cooking or drying kills the sting, but take care till then.

You can use a burdock leaf as a glove if you forgot yours.

Take young plants 12in and smaller or just the tops.

Check for bugs or spray down, unless you like to eat bugs or need protein đŸ˜‰

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Wood nettles

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I went out to pick nettles today.

I found a huge patch of Wood Nettles a couple days ago. They come up earlier then the type of stinging nettle I usually pick. It is so early the jewelweed I use to kill the sting when I mess up is still tiny and a little hard to see. I picked a good bag full of nettle. I ended up blanching and freezing half and drying half for tea. I am going to to make nettle and ramp soup also depending on time try brewing some nettle beer. If you have never had stinging nettle its a spinach substitute maybe a little sweeter and less slimy. Has a ton of medical uses also, but I just got it to eat and use for tea. It’s my favorite herd tea if you add a little lemon and honey.. I also grabbed fiddle heads.

Notes:

You can use baking soda past on your skin to stop a nettle sting if there is no jewelweed. I think jewelweed works better. Also both only seem to work if you get it fast enough.

Cooking or drying kills the sting, but take care till then.

You can use a burdock leaf as a glove if you forgot yours.

Take young plants 12in and smaller or just the tops.

Check for bugs or spray down, unless you like to eat bugs or need protein đŸ˜‰