New Moon Greetings – May 26, 2025 Discovery of Fiber Plants For the last few years I have been intrigued with spinning fibers into usable thread and imagining how our ancestors first pieced this skill together. This all began when I grew flax to process into linen. You can read about that experience here, but … Read more
Pesto with Stinging Nettles? If you know that pesto is made with fresh herbs (usually basil) and you are familiar with stinging nettles, this might sound impossible or very painful. Nettles make great cooked greens and tea (cooking deactivates the sting.) They are super nutritious and easy to grow. But fresh nettles have tiny hairs … Read more
If you’ve encountered stinging nettles by accident while walking or gardening, the word gift is probably not the first thing that pops into your head. Tiny stinging hairs cover the plant and brushing against them releases the plant’s venom. The sting contains formic acid, the same chemical as a bee sting, and can … Read more
