Nettle & I
Can you hear it? "Harvest me! Harvest me!"
For the past two weeks, the nettle has been begging me to harvest it. Every time I've been near it, it's saying "Harvest us! We're ready to become medicine! If you trim us, we'll grow bigger!" (Yes, this is what happens in my head when I'm around plants. Call me crazy, or call me connected. At the least, we can all agree it's a good thing that I'm on a farm and not mingling with the rest of society.) I've wanted to harvest it, urgently, but I've been holding off until I was sure the very cold temperatures were at least most likely to maybe, hopefully, be past.
Today was the day. I cleared out one of our two drying spaces and prepared it to receive it's first crop. I gathered my harvesting basket, knife, and gloves (I'm working up toward handling it without gloves. Today I wore the thinnest gloves I have) and made my way to the field.
"The first cut is the deepest." "Is it? Is it really?"
Nettle is the herb that drew me to herbalism. I drink it for indoor allergies, for a long-term solution to menstrual cramps, and generally to get an infusion of calcium, vitamins, and minerals into my body. It is helpful for so many things, from rheumatism to hemorrhoids to stimulating milk flow to calming muscle spasms. It is nourishing and building to many body systems. It's even amazing for skin and hair.
When I arrived at Locust Light, there was no wild nettle here. I planted some last season, but it grew slowly. I had to formulate all my products without nettle. Nettle is such a staple for me, so this was quite a challenge. I am absolutely thrilled to harvest my first crop of nettle. Be on the lookout for nettle in our allergy blends, women's health and men's health blends, nutritive blends, and more! I hope you're as excited as I am :)
The bounty is always so much more than I expect.