Nettle is one of my favorite plants to pick. I love nettle. It is so beautiful. I was told years ago that June is nettle picking month so that is when I harvest it.
It makes the best tea. I often drink it with red raspberry tea. I never thought to use it like a spice in our food. What a great idea. I think I will pick a bit more this year and do that. Then we get those health benefits all winter.
You give it to your animals? Again I never thought about doing that. So much to learn and do. I need to live to be 150 to learn it all. Now that is something else I will research. We are going to have some rainy days over the next few days, this is the time to do that. As well as catch up on steemit.
June is the perfect time to pick, I would suspect! I have to transplant some onto this property. I would fill my whole pantry with it! I am really trying to learn to forage and incorporate it into our diets. So that a bad growing year, we will be just fine. :)
When the animals are grazing, i try to see what they are eating and I tie it up in the barn to dry. They love it come hard winter. It seems to perk them up. Might be harder now i have Lucy. She seems to like food...lol alot...lol
Love those rainy rest days! Enjoy!!
June seems to be really good. The nettle is not too big. Many years ago I picked at the end of the season and it was ok but I think it is better in June. The nettle is younger.
I think I will work on saving some for the goats. Even if it is just a treat in the middle of the winter. I think it would be too hard to save too much but it would be good to give them a boost.
Yes Lucy must be getting close. She is probably eating everything in sight.
I prefer the tender nettle... in the fall... after it seeds...i cut it down like straw... let the sun dry it. And then loose bale it and tie it to the rafters of my garage. This year if i have time...i want to mulch it up into a garbage pail...and just keep adding all the animal greens i dry. Its on the list...lol
Lucy has really settled in beautifully. She IS eating everything. She hangs out with the dogs all day. Lol her feet are slowly improving. They are taking alot of work.
I prefer the tender nettle... in the fall... after it seeds...i cut it down like straw... let the sun dry it. And then loose bale it and tie it to the rafters of my garage. This year if i have time...i want to mulch it up into a garbage pail...and just keep adding all the animal greens i dry. Its on the list...lol
Lucy has really settled in beautifully. She IS eating everything. She hangs out with the dogs all day. Lol
Oh you have such good ideas. Harvesting in the fall like that for the animals. I will have to put it on my list to do for the fall.
She looks great. Healthy and happy. Well at least she is sticking close by. We have to tie ours at times. They love to wander and see what they can eat at the neighbours.