Nettles for Dinner!!

- by Heidy Claire Farrell

As a new raw mom, I have been noticing plants while commuting in my car. I am not sure what has spurred my sudden awareness of these plants.  But, there is some magic at work here.

In fact, I saw Stinging Nettles three times in one day.

Once in a roadside garden, then again in my acupuncturist waiting room,  and finally in the gravel driveway outside a neighbor’s home.  All the way home I wondered what the mysterious Nettle (Urtica dioica) plant had to tell me. 

The last time I came in contact with Nettles was when I was 10 years old,  I broke out in a large, red rash on both arms while playing in a creek.  The nettles lined the entire shore and were about 3 feet high with purple spiky flowers.    I found out that nettles have tiny hairs on the stem and leaves that can cause a “stinging” sensation that lasts for hours.

Stinging Nettles: Benefits and Preparation

With my handy laptop, I quickly discovered “Stinging nettle has been used for hundreds of years to treat painful muscles and joints, eczema, arthritis, gout, and anemia.”  (http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/stinging-nettle-000275.htm) CAUTION:  when harvesting Stinging Nettle please wear gloves and avoid contact with the skin, to avoid stinging sensation.  Aside from its curative nature, young nettle leaves can be eaten raw or cooked.  You can steam them like spinach, they are high in minerals and taste very good.  When you steam them they lose their stinging ability.

Mullein: Benefits and Remedies

Again, another local herb caught my attention.    While shopping for local organic basil, cucumbers and kale for my green smoothie, I ran into a Tony Mayers.  He collects local herbs and makes teas and tinctures.  His favorite local herb right now is Mullein (Verbascum densiflorum). He quickly told me Mullein is most commonly used for treating ear infections.  But I also found that that it has a variety of other uses such as treating angina, palpitations, asthma, bruises, migraines, diarrhea, burns, coughs and hemorrhoids.  And other not well known uses such as using the yellow flowers to dye hair blonde.  CAUTIONS: Seeds are toxic and should be avoided.

Things to Keep in Mind

As you have noticed, I have also included some cautions in preparing and harvesting herbs.  While an herb is a plant, it may also have properties that counteract medications or have other side effects. Please always seek medical advice from your physician before taking any wild herbs.  Wild herbs can be ingested safely and produce healthful benefits with some practical research and education.

Since wildcrafting and foraging for herbs requires knowledge and skill, I recommend finding an Indigenous Native American teacher, or a qualified local Herbalist to teach you how to identify and harvest the plants.  It’s important not only to know your plants and make sure you do not pick potentially dangerous plants, but also to learn to respect the wild plant and ensure the continued growth without over-harvesting.

North Carolina Herbal Resources

Where I’m from, there are wonderful educational institutions in North Carolina that can help you become a professional herbalist in a more traditional format such as North Carolina State University.  Or  you can take courses at  The Appalachian School of Holistic Herbalism , or The Universal School of Holistic Healing. In addition, you can attend a WILD HERB WEEKEND with North Carolina Herb Association – NCHA from July 23-25.  Or attend a Wild Food Weekend Workshop at Institute for the Study of Edible Wild Plants and Other Foragables (http://www.wildfoodadventures.com/northcarolina.html)

General Wild and Herbal Online Resources

For online foraging you can visit The Green Pharmacy: Dr. Jim Duke’s Botanical Desk Reference with a database and gallery.  There you can learn more about the Biochemistry of edible flowers and greens.

http://www.greenpharmacy.com/

Herbal Recipes

Never again will I overlook the Stinging Nettle or Mullein.

To celebrate our newfound knowledge of Nettles as a Raw Food, and Mullein as a Tea, I invite you to try a couple of recipes:

Nettle Pesto

Ingredients:

• 1-2 cups fresh greens
• ¼ tsp salt
• splash of vinegar or lemon juice (keeps the greens green)
• 2 cloves fresh garlic
• pepper to taste
• olive oil to give desired consistency

Directions:

Use your favorite pesto recipe using nettles or other wild greens, alone or in combinations with parsley and basil. After the nettles are blended or pounded, they do not sting anymore. For a basic pesto, blend the above ingredients.

~ from the North Carolina Herb Association Newsletter (Summer 2010)

Mullein Tea

Ingredients:

• 6 large Mullein leaves
• 5 cups water
• Honey if desired

Directions:

Gather Mullein leaves from healthy plants. Use leaves green or dry. Break leaves into small pieces. Put in a teapot and add boiling water. Let the tea steep
for 5 minutes. Serve. This tea is reputed to be a good remedy for colds.

~ from Edible Plants Cookbook, Greenhills Environmental Center, Dallas, TX

Herbal Remedies

Mullein Ear Drops

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce Homemade Mullein Oil (see below)
• 1 ounce Garlic Vinegar (see below)
• 1 teaspoon glycerin

Directions:

Combine ingredients and stir well. After making sure that the ear drops are warm enough not to cause any discomfort, place 2 drops in each ear. Then, gently rub around the outside of the ear to work the drops in.

Homemade Mullein Oil

Ingredients:

• Fresh mullein flowers
• Olive oil to cover

Directions:

To make your own mullein oil, you will need a source of fresh flowers to pick. (Be sure to properly identify any herb you pick yourself. Fortunately, once you are familiar with it, mullein’s tall taper of yellow flowers is easy to spot.) Place, but do not pack, flowers in a clean glass jar. Cover with just enough olive oil to submerge all the flowers. Stir the flowers to release any air bubbles. Place in a warm location, such as the top of a refrigerator or in the sun, for about 3 days. Then, pour it through a fine strainer. Put 2 drops in each ear a few times daily during an infection, or once a day as a preventive measure. Stored in a cool place, this oil should last for 2 years.

Garlic Vinegar

Ingredients:

• 4 garlic heads, divided into individual cloves
• 1 pint apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey or glycerin (optional)

Directions:

Using a blender, blend the unpeeled garlic cloves and vinegar thoroughly. Transfer the mixture to a covered container and let sit at room temperature for at least 2 weeks. Strain and discard the garlic. If you wish to sweeten the vinegar, add honey, glycerin or the sweetener of your choice. (Remember that honey should not be given to children under 2 years old.) To treat parasites for a 50-pound child, give at least 3 teaspoons daily. You can also use this formula now and then as a preventive measure. This versatile preparation is good to have around to treat many different conditions. Stored in a cool place, it will keep for many years

~ from the Rodale book, Herbs for Health and Healing: Chapter 92

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You can learn more about Heidy and her journey to help her son, Adam, and family at www.freewebs.com/raarmom