Chances are you’ve run into stinging nettle at some point, and the experience probably wasn’t pleasant. The stalks and leaves come covered in tiny hairs or spines laced with formic acid that can turn your skin into an itchy mess if you brush against them. 

Did you know they’re delicious, filled with vitamins and minerals, and serve as a traditional superfood? Quickly blanching them before prepping them for a dish removes the sting. (Don’t toss the water! It makes for a nourishing tea.) The mild, spinach-like flavor when cooked makes them just as good served cold in a Japanese-style salad with ground sesame seeds as it does warmed in garlic butter. 

Look for nettles in areas disturbed by people or animals, such as along the sides of trails, and where water tends to flow at least seasonally. A great place to begin is the Tillamook State Forest in the northern part of the Coast Range, usually wet and lush in spring months.

Wear long-sleeve shirts, pants, and gloves when harvesting nettles to avoid being stung. They are easy to identify by their heart-shaped leaves, slightly swampy scent, and of course the bristly hairs on their stalks and leaves. Look for young plants no more than a foot high in spring as those are the most delicious. Use snippers or a knife to cut the stalk at the top, and always leave the roots intact.