How to avoid nettle stings?

[tjwuk]

Hi Asa,

Yes the nettles in Cornwall are nasty, sting last for days!

As for the cordage, when adding extra lengths, alternate them to give extra strength, ie. when you first make the twist, make sure one end is longer than the other!

Also bit of useless information.

1: Nettles were used by the Romans to whip their legs to keep themselves warm.

2: This has also proven good for arthritis, it increases the blood flow to the affected area offering relief.

3: Not only do nettles contain, mineral and vitamins, but parts of the roots etc are undergoing medical trials as it contains a compound that reduces the size of an enlarged prostrate, treats urinary infections and has anti-cancer qualities.

4: Nice eaten as green vegetable or as a tea.

Tim

 

[Rumcajs]

Check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EN3QPwb_pLU

Gloves ara always good idea.

 

[hog]

Coat your hands in mud (seriously) at least while you are out camping and short of a pair of gloves.

 

[chickenofthewoods]

http://www.nettles.org.uk/nettles/lore.asp

 

[jenks]

You could also use any piece of clean cloth that's big enough to cover your hand. An old blunt kitchen knife may be useful to scrape off the stings but be aware of falling foul of knife legislation. If you haven't got gloves then you will more than likely get stung. I have found that being stung on my fingertips during cordage making is not debillitating and subsequent stings are not felt. My fingertips turned green though. I've not made tea or cordage from purple or white (dead) nettles, but they don't sting. I aggree that the best time to harvest the leaves is early in the season and then only on the young green shoots and leaves.

 

[chickenofthewoods]

Nettle for culinary uses is best not picked from old stands of plants at this time of year because as the leaves age chemical changes internally make them gritty. Some sources say that ingesting leaves in this state is literally damaging, but I can't comment on that one way or the other. However if you can find fresh new young shoots from a stand that have been cut back, you can use the new growth. Do take care choosing the site you pick from though. Some local authorities and landowners routinely spray field and wayside boundries and even this late in the year residues may persist in the plants and surrounding soil.

 

[bramble]

Tescos carrier bags on both hands works well when harvesting nettles, I dont use gloves.