I saw this and had to give it a try.
I'll let you know.
I'll let you know.
Sticky Willy Juice.
- Thread starter crosslandkelly
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Happily I am able to report back. 
It's not an unpleasant infusion, and as Tom says, a slightly cucumber flavour. I'll take a glass each morning, and see how it goes.
It's not an unpleasant infusion, and as Tom says, a slightly cucumber flavour. I'll take a glass each morning, and see how it goes.
To be fair, it looks like a great thing to annoy the wife about. She’ll go mad when I try it.
Certainly one to try either way!
Certainly one to try either way!
I know this plant as goose grass, others call it cleavers.
According to picky weedier all parts are edible and the roots can be used to make a red dye.
I have some in the garden, not sure if there's enough to make an infusion, though.
According to picky weedier all parts are edible and the roots can be used to make a red dye.
I have some in the garden, not sure if there's enough to make an infusion, though.
I have enough to set up an industry!
Not sure that I want to try it though.
Not sure that I want to try it though.
I do a goosegrass infusionf every spring for a few weeks to help the liver and kidneys. Some animals have been noted to eat large quantities of it to detox. I haven't watched the video but some sliced lemon is a nice addition.
I've put a little ginger in flip top bottle to see what it's like, but lemon sounds good too.
No harm in adding Lemon Juice and Ginger too it but if you do feel any positive benefits important to consider exactly what is causing them - is it the Sticky Willy ? or is it the Lemon and Ginger and would you feel the same benefits from omitting the sticky willy/cleavers.
Good to experiment however.
Good to experiment however.
I make some every year with some of the first growth of spring.
Possible benefits aside, I really like it. It does taste like the first of something green and healthy after the long, dark, depths of winter.
Birch sap has the same properties for me.
It certainly tastes like a tonic.
Possible benefits aside, I really like it. It does taste like the first of something green and healthy after the long, dark, depths of winter.
Birch sap has the same properties for me.
It certainly tastes like a tonic.
I was told by a herbalist the acidity of lemon juice helps extracts beneficials from the goosegrass... but there is likely no official research on the subject.
Ginger (along with black pepper) is a very common addition to herbal medicine as an 'uptake blend', to help the body absorb the main player. This has been proven in the case of curcumin (the useful component of turmeric) at least.
Ginger (along with black pepper) is a very common addition to herbal medicine as an 'uptake blend', to help the body absorb the main player. This has been proven in the case of curcumin (the useful component of turmeric) at least.
It's nice if picked young and eaten in a buttery sandwich, it gets tough pretty quickly though.
It's also good if picked and crushed/rolled around between the palms of the hand to release it's green juice....that works as a kind of anti-itch, anti-insect bite, soother.
There's a lot of muddle out there.
There are other Galiums, and it's Lady's Bedstraw that gives a red dye from the roots....used to be used as a vegetable rennet, and that's why we still dye cheddar that orange/red colour.
Ordinary, sticky willie, bedstraw has very little root really. Try digging some up.
Again, it's claimed that it is often troublesome to folks with sensitive skin...well I'm the original canary in the coal mine on this sort of thing, dermatographic urticaria is my norm, and it causes me no grief, but that's up to yourself if you want to try it.
M
It's also good if picked and crushed/rolled around between the palms of the hand to release it's green juice....that works as a kind of anti-itch, anti-insect bite, soother.
There's a lot of muddle out there.
There are other Galiums, and it's Lady's Bedstraw that gives a red dye from the roots....used to be used as a vegetable rennet, and that's why we still dye cheddar that orange/red colour.
Ordinary, sticky willie, bedstraw has very little root really. Try digging some up.
Again, it's claimed that it is often troublesome to folks with sensitive skin...well I'm the original canary in the coal mine on this sort of thing, dermatographic urticaria is my norm, and it causes me no grief, but that's up to yourself if you want to try it.
M
