The Devil's Nettle

This is the tarot spread I did when I was trying to decide what to do with The Devil’s Nettle. It was the dead of Winter, and I was feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, and ill. This seemed like the clearest of messages - endings, moving on, finding true purpose.

I took that message to heart, focused on starting a new project, and came to terms with the end of The Devil’s Nettle…almost! I felt sad that it was over, that something I had loved and put so much of myself into had to end before I was really ready. As an experiment, I took a small amount of stock to the first two markets we did as .helaeth , and sold more than I have in months!

It turns out these two businesses have a lot of overlap - people who like plants like them in all forms. Telling people that the yarrow in the teas came from the yarrow plants we have for sale seemed to really interest and connect people to both things. Soon we’ll have mugwort and chamomile plants for sale, and I’ll be harvesting and using those plants in my products as well.

Emerging from Winter into Spring has shifted my perspective on so many things…so perhaps I said farewell a little prematurely!! The Devil’s Nettle has become the unofficial ‘gift shop’ of the Gardd Helaeth stall, and the website is still up and running for online orders. Things have changed but they’re not over yet!

It hasn't been an easy decision, but it's time to move on to the next project - and time to say goodbye to The Devil's Nettle.

I've loved doing this, but it's time to work on a project with someone else, and I'm so happy to be doing that with my good friend and landmate Jo. We both love plants, growing food and sharing that with other people, so a plant nursery is the perfect project for us!

Thank you so much for all your support over the last few years - whether you came on a foraging walk, bought some tea, shared or liked a social media post or told someone about me, it's all helped and been appreciated!

Please do go check out my new business, .helaeth, give us a follow, and if you're a regular, I'll see you there in May with Jo!

I'm slowly getting back to work, and starting to prepare for my first market for quite a while.

It's been a tough few months, and taking a step back was a hard decision to make. It's paid off though - I'm feeling healthier, and ready to get back to doing something I love.

Getting back to basics and spending time with the plants I've been growing has helped a lot. These calendula, yarrow and cornflowers were the first things I planted on the new land, and I'm feeling inspired by their abundance.

I'll be back at Kidwelly on the first Saturday of October - hope to see some of you there!

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything, and sadly I’ve popped back to say that I’m taking a break from The Devil’s Nettle.

It’s not a complete break - my website is still going, and you can order from my online shop, but I won’t be doing markets or foraging walks for a while.

I’ve been having some ongoing health issues that have left me exhausted, and struggling with physical work like long walks or lugging market stall stuff around! I’m having to really prioritise my energy, and right now I don’t have enough for the business.

I really hope to be back at it soon, and if you’re nearly out of your favourite tea, you can order online!

FORAGING WALK SUNDAY 18TH JUNE

Looking for something a bit different to do in this glorious summer weather? Come along on a foraging walk, learn about all the amazing medicinal and edible plants that are in season, and what you can do with them.

The workshop is about 3 hours - we spend a few hours walking round Llandeilo, and then after tea and biscuits there's a medicinal product making workshop. Priced on a sliding scale, it's £20-£30, and spaces are limited so book on now!

Follow the link to book on the website - a £10 deposit secures your place.
https://thedevilsnettle.com/product/foraging-workshop/

I'm super excited to announce that The Devil's Nettle is supplying The Warren in Carmarthen with their very own, unique foraged tea blend. 'Hedgerow Tea' will be a blend of freshly foraged herbs, so it will change depending on what's in season.

I love working with businesses like The Warren - their ethos of creating delicious food with local and seasonal ingredients is amazing, and they are all about supporting small local businesses like mine!

Head down to The Warren for an amazing meal, and why not finish off with a pot of Hedgerow Tea? Right now the blend is blackberry leaf, nettle, hawthorn and daisy - perfect for a summer's evening!

It's market day tomorrow! I've started going to a new market in Capel Dewi, on the second Saturday of the month, 9:30-13:00. It's a really lovely one, great local producers and crafters - come down and check it out!

I was super lucky to do a day's filming with A Great Alternative at Llety Mieri Cottages near Llandeilo recently. We did a video on making hydrosols, which I'll be able to share with you soon!

Jason also took some amazing photos of my products, and even some not-terrible ones of me (which shows his photography skills!)

I've got more collaborations planned with A Great Alternative, so keep an eye out for more videos and photos. Plus, check out their socials and YouTube channel for loads of awesome videos from folks who are growing, making or homesteading.

FORAGING WALK 16TH APRIL

There's still a couple of spaces left for the foraging walk on Sunday 16th - come along and learn about the medicinal and edible plants growing right on your doorstep, and how to make a useful product that you can take home with you!

The workshop is £20-£30 on a sliding scale, and you get 10% off any Devil's Nettle products that you buy on the day as well.

DM to book a place.

The sun might be showing itself a little more often these days, but there's still enough of a chill in the air to make a lovely hot bath a welcome treat.

Why not make it even more of a treat by using a Devil's Nettle Salty Soak or Tub Tea? If you're feeling achy and in need of a refreshing pick-me-up, then Revive is just what you need. Or if you're tired and drained and need something soothing and relaxing, Restore will definitely hit the spot!

Both blends are available online, in two sizes - a large pack is £10, a small pack is £5.50, and both come with a reusable muslin bag that keeps the bits out of the bath!

Link to online shop:
https://thedevilsnettle.com/product-category/bath-body/