Nettle is a grounding and nourishing herb. It is an Iron powerhouse. Wonderful and abundant and a versatile herb to consume alone as a tea, soup, pesto or in tea blends. It brings sense of resilience and rooting within the body. Excellent any time ally, it has provided me with support through times of stillness and when things have felt stuck. It is an adaptogen, and for this it supports your body through stress periods.  It has been used for generations and can be found growing in the wild and also in urban parks. When picking Nettles make sure to do it before the flowers or seeds appear. Do not harvest when in bloom as the levels of silica will be too high and not good for consumption.  Also when harvesting make sure they are away from polluted areas such as roads. 
"The ancient Greeks and Romans cultivated more acres of nettle than any other crop, and they used it extensively as food and medicine as well as in clothing. Perhaps one of the more unusual uses of nettle arose out of an old Roman practice called urtication, in which stalks of nettle were cut, tied together, and used to flog arthritic or swollen joints.
Warning: The herb can and does give a nasty sting. The sting comes from needle- like protrusions on the stems and under- sides of the leaves that contain formic acid, the same chemical that causes the pain in bee stings and ant bites. The formic acid is destroyed by heating, drying, or mashing the leaves. Be careful when handling fresh nettle. Wear gloves to harvest it.  " Rosemary Galdstar