I harvest them all season long, my Green Star Elite juicer which is especially good at wild greens which saves me a lot of energy chewing and digesting.
Nettles can really hurt though as most knows, the trick is to not touch the upside of the leaves and avoid stroking motions. I usually do without gloves and just be steady and precise. If I get tagged I just take a leaf on the downside and roll it into a ball. Then just rub the place where it hurts and it works as an effective antidote.
Very interesting about using the underside of the leaf to calm the sting. The stinging kind of feels good haha, I wonder if there is a medicinal quality to it?
Natural Nettle Sting for Arthritis Relief
http://www.motherearthliving.com/health-and-wellness/nettle-sting-for-arthritis-relief-zmaz01ndzgoe
Awesome! Thanks for sharing. :)