It’s finally springtime in Wisconsin! While many eagerly await the arrival of crispy asparagus spears and the oh-so-elusive morel mushrooms, you’ll find me with leather gloves and scissors carefully snipping tender stinging nettle shoots into my harvesting bag. They’ll get a quick rinse if needed and then into a hot pan with butter and a touch of salt. Here is where the magic happens. The tiny hairs that coat the leaves and stems wilt away to leave nothing but a nutritious side dish. This first taste of spring nourishment is especially delectable after that long midwestern winter. This unsuspecting superfood can be found near the banks of my favorite trout streams or creeping in from the sides of the vegetable garden of Front Porch Pets. It is packed with protein, vitamins, and minerals. Since it’s so abundant, I like to dry some and store in jars for the winter months. Use the dried leaf to make an energy-boosting tea or simply toss into whatever dinner happens to be simmering away on the stove. Harvest whole shoots when the plant is young and tender or just the leaves as it grows tall and woody throughout the summer.