Devonviolet Acres

[Baymule]

@greybeard do you have any plans to undergo shoulder replacement surgery? My husband had his right shoulder replaced in February and is delighted now that he had it done. He has range of motion that he has not had in years, still has some pain, but it lessens each day. He did all his therapy and still continues some here at home. While the aftermath was painful and miserable, he is glad he had the surgery.

 

[Bruce]

Glad to hear DH is still on the upswing @Baymule !

OUCH! This afternoon, I'm suffering the pain tingling, as a result of forgetting to wear gloves, when handling the Stinging Nettle seedling, that I planted last Feb. It had gotten rather leggy, with multiple side shoots, on the main stem. This plant is in the mint family. So, I thought I could root the stems in water.

So, without thinking, I picked up a pair of scissors & grabbed the stem, to cut it. It wasn't until I felt the sting, that I remembered that I shouldn't touch without gloves. But, of course by then it was too late.

I had heard vinegar would take the pain away. So, I tried that and, of course it didn't work. But, after doing research, I learned the sticker is tipped with acid, which causes the pain. My research found that what I should have done was put baking soda paste, to neutralize the acid. I have been doing that, and while it is on my fingers, the pain is gone. But, as soon as I wash it off, the pain, tingling & numbness comes back.

Right now, I am sitting with a glove that has baking soda paste in the first three fingers. So, for now it doesn't hurt.

@Devonviolet Get yourself up here and cut all the stinging nettle you can carry home ... in a semi! @greybeard's diagram rings true. That 5h1t spreads and spreads and spreads. If you can dig deep and pull some you'll find a runner running horizontal to the next plant. Trying to pull it out by the roots is like trying to pull Japanese Knotweed - breaks below the surface and you've accomplished nothing but a slight slow down. Doing my best to keep if from going to seed so at least I'm "only" fighting the existing plants. HOPING to keep it cut down enough that the roots don't get fed.

Antidote to stinging nettle? It usually grows right nearby ... and is the other bane of my existence - burdock. Use the "juice" from the leaf on the area where the nettle got you.

 

[greybeard]

@greybeard do you have any plans to undergo shoulder replacement surgery?

I do not.

 

[Baymule]

I do not.

It isn't for everybody. Suck it up and keep on keepin' on.

 

[Baymule]

@Devonviolet
Antidote to stinging nettle? It usually grows right nearby ... and is the other bane of my existence - burdock. Use the "juice" from the leaf on the area where the nettle got you.[/QUOTE]

Or the "other" antidote.......pee on it............never tried it, don't plan on it either.....

 

[Bruce]

I've heard that works for stingray "stings". Saw it on "Survivor" MANY years ago. No idea if that works either.

 

[Mike CHS]

There is a saying that "some" good can be found in almost all things.

Edible parts: Leaves, stems and roots. Young leaves are preferable however, no matter how far into the growing season be sure to remember that until dried or cooked, stinging nettle leaves will have those stinging hairs – never eat them raw! Nettles make an excellent spinach substitute and can also be added to soups and stews. Nettle beer is brewed from the young shoots. Nettle root is used for medicinal purposes including enlarged prostate and when there is difficulty in urination due to BPH. Nettle tea made from the root can help urinary ailments. Tea made from the leaves is rich in iron and can aid coagulation and the formation of hemoglobin.

 

[greybeard]

Nettle root is used for medicinal purposes including enlarged prostate

Just understand that while nettle might reduce the symptoms from an enlarged prostate, it does not reduce the size of the enlarged prostrate.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

Stinging nettle root is used widely in Europe to treat BPH. Studies in people suggest that stinging nettle, in combination with other herbs (especially saw palmetto), may be effective at relieving symptoms such as reduced urinary flow, incomplete emptying of the bladder, post urination dripping, and the constant urge to urinate. These symptoms are caused by the enlarged prostate gland pressing on the urethra (the tube that empties urine from the bladder). Some studies suggest that stinging nettle is comparable to finasteride (a medication commonly prescribed for BPH) in slowing the growth of certain prostate cells. However, unlike finasteride, the herb does not decrease prostate size. Scientists aren't sure why nettle root reduces symptoms. It may be because it contains chemicals that affect hormones (including testosterone and estrogen), or because it acts directly on prostate cells. It is important to work with a doctor to treat BPH, and to make sure you have a proper diagnosis to rule out prostate cancer.

http://www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/stinging-nettle
http://pennstatehershey.adam.com/content.aspx?productId=107&pid=33&gid=000275

 

[Devonviolet]

Just understand that while nettle might reduce the symptoms from an enlarged prostate, it does not reduce the size of the enlarged prostrate.

http://www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/stinging-nettle
http://pennstatehershey.adam.com/content.aspx?productId=107&pid=33&gid=000275

Great link GB. Stinging nettle does have some positive benefits. However, @Baymule, I think you will be happy to know that I have decided not to grow Stinging Nettle here.

Main reason: it is just too painful, and I don't want to have to deal with anymore accidental stings in the future. I will buy the dried herb online.

Secondary reason: GB made a really good point. Before, I was thinking in terms of keeping flowers cut, to prevent broadcast seeding to spread it out of control. With a tight underground root mass, it's gotta be hard to control spread that way. Stinging nettle is not a native species, and since most find it a painful, irritating weed, I don't want to be the one to introduce it to the ecosystem.

 

[Devonviolet]

WOW!!! What a day we had today!!!

It started out rather normally, with me milking Ruby & Falina. However, after milking, Our routine took a different turn. On the way back to their run, we took a detour to the barn, to weigh the girls, on our new Vet style scale. They had never been in the barn, and I expected to meet with resistance. However, each girl hopped up into the barn fairly easily.

Once that was done, I headed into the house, to filter & pasteurize the gallon of milk I had just gotten from the girls.

When I was finished with that, I decided to attempt my first batch of cheese: Quest Fresco. This is one of the easiest, because all you do is add vinegar, to separate the curds from the whey, let it sit for a while, strain the curds out of the whey into a flour sack cloth placed in a colander, for a while, add salt and press in a colander, to get more whey out. I weighted it down, with a full gallon glass jar, for a couple hours. And what we ended up with was more like Ricotta. But, we were very happy with the flavor.

Something I read, while looking for the recipe, was that I could put the leftover whey over ice & drink it. So, when the cheese was being pressed, I added some salt to the whey, put it over ice, and sat, for a while to get my aching feet up! It was very refreshing!

To say I am pleased, as punch, to have made my first cheese, was an understatement! I am ecstatic!!! As @Baymule keeps saying, this has been my dream, for a long time, and it is finally coming to pass!

When I finished making the Queso Fresco, I was going to make some Mozzarella cheese, but I couldn't find my Rennet anywhere. I KNOW I bought some, when I bought the different cultures, that I would need, for cheese making. So, now I am going to have to buy more Rennet before I can make Mozzarella cheese. I may just go to the grocery store & buy some Junket (Rennet). I'm pretty sure I have seen it in the pudding section. Or, was it the canning section?

At 3:00 we had to go out and put the dogs in the back of the pickup truck, for their annual trip, to the Vet, for Rabies shots. When we bought the truck, we put a Leer cap over the bed, with side raising Windows (for easy access), into the truck bed, as well as sliding Windows, with screens, for ventilation, since we knew we would be hauling animals in the truck bed. It was a bit spendy, but we have been very happy with it.

Since Violet & Deo spend 24/7 with the goats, getting them into the truck, has never been a fun task. They do not want to leave their goats, and going in the truck scares them. This time was no different. However, we did put a 2x3' wood bench under the tailgate, and that made it a bit easier. We have big eye bolts, screwed into the truck bed walls. DH crawled into the truck bed and hooked each dog to one of them, to keep them contained. We do that with the goats, when we transport them, and it works well.

To say they were stressed, is an understatement. However, once we were on the road, they both laid down and were much calmer. When we got to the Vet, we left the dogs in the truck, and he came out to give them their Rabies shot. They were sweet as you please.

When we got home, the plan was to unhook them, and let them jump down, to run to the gate, which we knew they would do. Before I could let go of Violet's leash, it tangled on my left little finger and twisted it as she jumped down. OUCH! Within 15 minutes, it was starting to swell and get stiff and painful.

So, after we fed the animals and got them all settled in, for the night, we came inside and out of wrapped a comfrey oil poultice on my finger & wrapped it well, to prevent the oil from running all over everything. DH was a big help getting it done. It is bulky, but doing the job. I will have to take it off in the morning, to milk the goats. I'm hoping the comfrey oil will have done the job, of reducing the swelling. Once the milk is processed, I might just have to put another poultice on.

One more cute thing, and then I'm heading to bed. At the end of feeding animals, we take leashes into the goat run, to hook up the kids and lead them over to the barn, so they can spend the night away from their moms. Usually, I have to track them down, to hook the carabeaners onto their collar & lead them out. Tonight I was pleasantly surprised! As I walked into the run, both kids came to the gate and stood there, while I put the leash on them. Then, they walked out without any encouragement, and headed straight for the barn. It was SO sweet!