The first sign of spring here in the mountains of British Columbia is the appearance of nettles. If picked while young and lightly steamed they satisfy my craving for greens. Later after they have grown a bit bigger, I chop them up (wearing gloves and long sleeves for protection) and put them in a barrel to let them ferment. This makes a great compost tea that acts as a growth accelerator for my garden plants, loaded with minerals to give them a good start. Later in the summer I dry some nettles for use as an herbal tea in the winter. Nettles are a very good source of minerals, and they are good for the prostate health of the men in your life.
My Favorite Recipes for Summer Squash
In answer to Wanda, my favorite meal using summer squash is a stew of onions, garlic, tomatoes, egg plant and summer squash. I like to make up a huge batch and can most of it to enjoy on winter nights, served over rice.
Another thing I do is grate my squash. I have a spiral grater, and I use the long stringy strands of grated squash the same way I would use pasta.
The best advice I can give about summer squash is don’t plant too much of it! Two plants should give you plenty.
All the best,
Carol
Thanks to Carol for participating in the [Grow] Network Writing Contest. We have over $1,500 in prizes lined up for the current writing contest, with more to come. Here is a list of the current pot of prizes:
– A 21.5 quart pressure canner from All American, a $380 value
– A Survival Still emergency water purification still, a $279 value
– 1 year of free membership in the [Grow] Network Core Community, a $240 value
– A copy of The Summer of Survival Complete Collection from Life Changes Be Ready, a $127 value
– 2 copies of the complete Home Grown Food Summit, valued at $67 each
– 3 free 3 month memberships in the [Grow] Network Core Community, valued at $60 each
– The complete 2014 Grow Your Own Food Summit interview series, a $47 value
– 4 copies of the Grow Your Own Groceries DVD video set, valued at $42 each
– A Bug Out Seed Kit from the Sustainable Seed Company, a $40 value
– 4 copies of the Alternatives To Dentists DVD video, valued at $32 each
COMMENTS(0)
I love nettles! I put them in green smoothies – the Vitamix pulverizes the “stingers” so they are edible raw. They’re so lemony and refreshing!
Your squash recipe sounds a lot like ours! Except while the squash is simmering, I crack 1-2 eggs per person in the broth and let them poach for about 10 minutes to add some protein. We love this! I am originally from Ontario 🙂