nettles as a cash crop

Hey Phil,
Just got a chance to edit my comment above. The ones here get up to ten feet tall, no kidding! That is why most islanders lament them growing here! I am the only one here I know of harvesting! Yes, there are uses for many things in nature........for every drug manufactured, there is something in nature that used to be a remedy for that purpose. One of my relatives in the 19 century is documented to have lived 100 years. He died of gangrene of the foot! We have alot of old timers on both sides, a modern day 97 yr old was the most recent. In their long lives, none of them were attended by physicians! My great Grandfather, the 97 yr old, gee he had one issue his entire life...prostate in his old age. That was the only illness he was ever treated for!

I don't go to a doctor for a cold and minor things I can treat myself but do not ever suggest anyone forgo that option. It is healthy to improve one's diet and incorporate some of this handed down remedy info to our own daily lives.....

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Thank you kindly,

Romy "Island Girl"
[URL="http://www.romysrealm.blogspot.com"]

Reckon it depends on where you live. And your marketing skills... if you'd passed the P.T. Barnum Academy with flying colors, it'd probably work...

Around here, most people do their darndest to get rid of them. Got neighbors who walk several hundred acres of pasture, chopping down the heads before they have a chance to bloom. They usually ask if they can cut the absentee neighbors' down too. A moot point if the neighbors repopulate your meadow each year.

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Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Seneca
Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival. W. Edwards Deming

I didn't know nettles were so good for compost...I will most certainly gather it now on my walks

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It's not that I don't like mankind, I just like nature a whole lot more.

I have dial up so I can't see the video. We use nettles for vinegar hair rinse instead of store bought conditioner and I haven't done this yet, but as soon as we get moved I hope to find some and use it to make rennet for cheese. I haven't found any on the new property yet though but I'll keep looking.

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Our website promoting the use of Missouri Herbs. www.MissouriHerbs.com

more and more interesting nettle info all the time..i just love my forage treats but love to learn more..thanks Paul

ours here are the smaller ones but they pack a nasty sting..i think i'm extra sensitive to them

Nettles are a favorite of mine too. There is an old abandoned Tlinget villiage about a 30 mile skiff ride from me where I load up on wild nettles. The whole villiage site is just full of them. I try to get down there when the nettles are only about 4-6" high and drag home at least 4 kitchen trash bags full. Another couple weeks and they should be perfect. I blanch & freeze half and dehydrate the other half. I put nettles in everything from tea to the dog's food. They also make a great hair rinse for thinning hair or any scalp problems. 1 tsp. nettles to 1 cup hot water, steep 'til cool enough to pour over your head - don't rinse it out. You won't believe your healthy hair!

Nettles have significant amounts of protien, chlorophyll, vitamins A,C,D and iron, calcium, potassium and maganese. In addition, they are a terriffic "spring cleaner" as they also contain a substance called secretin which causes your intestinal tract to slough off it's heavy mucous lining from eating heavy "winter" foods.
Save that cooking water for soups, stews etc. or water your plants with it. When transplanting seedlings, a little nettle tea will keep them from going into shock.
Here's a couple favorite ways I like them:

creamed nettles on toast
stir-fry nettles in olive oil with grated ginger
steamed nettles topped with parmesan cheese
I keep a shaker of dried nettles next to the stove along with the salt & pepper.

Just a little update on my post about the nettle patch... I found a recent article in our local paper about this company.
The owner's tractor broke down and using his cane he had to walk thru some nettles.
He discovered that his osteoarthritis in his knees no longer hurt. He did some research and developed this product.
He buys nettles from the local and Wis. Amish.

Anyway, the product is called Netical patch and the website is Nettlefarm.com.
Once again I've no connection with this company.

Grammas cabin I agree that nettles are a very useful plant, thanks for the inspiration.

The fabric 'Linen' was originally made from Nettle fibers as well.