Season 8 Episode 3:
Stinging Nettle with Elise Higley

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Episode Summary

You have a double treat in store with this episode.

First, have you ever wondered what it takes to grow herbs commercially on a large scale? 

I kept hearing about Oshala Farm from my students, so last year I placed an order to check them out. I was so impressed with the herbs I received, and knew immediately that I wanted to interview Elise Higley, the farm’s cofounder! 

From finding the right location to the hard work of growing, harvesting, processing the harvest, fulfilling orders, stewarding the land… there are so many details to juggle! I came away from this episode with even more respect for herb farmers than I already had. I hope you’ll enjoy this peek into running a successful herb farm, too!

Second, stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is one of those herbs that people grow to love and crave, even if they’re not initially drawn to the taste. I loved discussing the gifts of this nutrient-dense herb with Elise! Who couldn’t benefit from an herbal ally that:

► Is deeply nourishing, strengthening, and energizing – an herbal tonic you can enjoy every day (and that your body will thank you for)

► Can provide support to folks who suffer from seasonal allergies

► Supports kidney health

► and more…

This episode is full of tips and ideas you can borrow like:

► Best practices for growing medicinal herbs (whether you use this to inspire your own garden or as a springboard for asking questions when you’re sourcing herbs to purchase)

► Possible herbs to blend with nettle when making infusions (and how they complement nettle)

► Various ways to work with both fresh and dried nettle leaf

► How to grow stinging nettle in your own garden

For those of you who don’t already know her, Elise Higley is a folk herbalist, wife, mother, grandmother and farmer.

With her background in Western Herbalism at California School of Herbal Studies and her husband Jeff’s background in organic farming, they blended their dreams and created a full-fledged herb farm in 2013. Together they own and operate Oshala Farm. Located in Applegate Valley, Oregon, Oshala Farm has over 80 medicinal herbs in cultivation.

Elise’s teachers and mentors include Cascade Anderson Geller, Rosemary Gladstar, Karen Aguiar, Teri Jensen, Lily Mazzarella, Autumn Summers, David Hoffman, Shana Lipner-Grover, Jon Carlson and, of course, the plants themselves! In her downtime, (9pm-5am) she helps with the Breitenbush Herbal Conference and TerraVita Herbal Symposium and works on agricultural advocacy with Our Family Farms.

I’m so delighted to share our conversation with you today!

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Would you prefer reading this episode? If so, click here to download a transcript.

Would you prefer watching this episode? If so, scroll down below.

Connect With Elise

• Oshala Farm | OshalaFarm.com
• Instagram | @OshalaFarm
• Facebook | @OshalaFarm

What You'll Learn from This Episode

• [01:09] Introduction to Elise Higley and Oshala Farm
• [03:39] Elise’s journey to farming medicinal herbs
• [07:53] The early years of Oshala Farm
• [12:45] Why Elise loves stinging nettle (Urtica dioica)
• [15:40] Nettle Spring Tonic Vinegar recipe
• [18:38] How Elise works with fresh nettle
• [23:01] Working with dried nettle leaf
• [26:50] Why would you want to have anything to do with an herb that stings you?
• [28:56] Harvesting and working with nettle seed
• [33:32] How to pre-order from Oshala Farm
• [36:05] Herb Camp at Oshala Farm
• [42:36] An important mistake to avoid when harvesting herbs
• [48:54] Herbal love letters
• [49:31] Stinging nettle tidbits

Recipe

-- TIMESTAMPS --

• 01:16 – Introduction to Elise Higley and Oshala Farm
• 03:47 – Elise’s journey to farming medicinal herbs
• 08:21 – The early years of Oshala Farm
• 13:40 – Why Elise loves stinging nettle (Urtica dioica)
• 16:51 – Nettle Spring Tonic Vinegar recipe
• 20:02 – How Elise works with fresh nettle
• 24:31 – Working with dried nettle leaf
• 28:30 – Why would you want to have anything to do with an herb that stings you?
• 30:41 – Harvesting and working with nettle seed
• 35:41 – How to pre-order from Oshala Farm
• 38:32 – Herb Camp at Oshala Farm
• 45:27 – An important mistake to avoid when harvesting herbs
• 51:55 – Herbal love letters
• 52:40 - Stinging nettle tidbits

Connect with Rosalee

• On Instagram | @rosaleedelaforet

• On Facebook | Herbs With Rosalee
• On YouTube | Herbs With Rosalee

• Website | herbswithrosalee.com


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