Today in the orchard
Nettles and daffodils
Spring is changing so fast it’s beginning to feel like we’re in a canoe going down class 10 rapids. (Is there such a thing?) Today marks the beginning of nettles season (Urtica dioica). Nettles are often maligned but, I think, for no good reason. You just need to know where to plant them. We keep them far away from the vegetable garden. We plant them out in the orchards and just let them do their thing. They love to have lots of room to move. We have enough to feed an army and still have a lot left to dry and make tea for the winter. They improve the soil and are delicious steamed like spinach. In fact, I think they’re better than spinach. They do “sting” so we pick them with gloves. Many of the daffodils are also now blooming.
