Spilling The Tea

Seems I'm drinking herbal teas every day - watching the sunrise with my husband, as a midday tasty flavor and/or as I settle into the evening.

It's not complicated but did take a bit to get here from learning about local original indigenous use, flavors, my own preferred taste profile with mixes, health benefits, side effects, frequency of use, origination, what can I forage, grow myself or get at the local store, and how to prep - fresh, dried, tincture, salve etc (more on delivery method & prep in a later post).

As timely as the 2020 fake apocalypse was & while everyone hoarded toilet paper, I - like any good homesteader - loaded up on physical bibles, herbal medicine books, seeds & canning lids. Six years later - 2026- I have no regrets on any of it!

A FEW FAVORITES

CALENDULA

I've been growing this for years for my own use and to sell at markets (which is always the first to sell out) but has a slight bitter taste when dried though has a very aromatic sweet minty smell when fresh. And so pretty! Great in salves and often used to ease inflammation, I keep it in my regular rotation. Super easy to grow & looks lovely in late fall/winter when everything is dead.

BUTTERFLY PEA

Another easy one to grow here and has so many uses - from inflammation, brain & heart health, lowering cholesterol, regulating blood sugar and so much more PLUS the natural dye can be used for baking or for fun science projects. If you add lemon to the tea, the ph changes and the butterfly pea liquid changes from blue to purple/pink. Not frost hardy but absolutely loves a good Texas summer.

LEMON BALM

Even dried it smells delightful and makes bitter teas more palatable. Lemon balm helps with menstrual cycle pain, stress, and just an all around every day soothing tea. One solid plant will deliver more than you know what to do with. Being part of the mint family- be careful where you plant it. (Stinging nettle & raspberry leaf also excellent with menstrual pain! - seriously why isn't this information more accessible?!!)

MALLOW ROOT

Another fun one! Grows amazingly well here. Takes a couple years to get good roots but mallow can be used to soothe the throat or gut lining. Many years ago Egyptians mixed a thick mallow tea with beef gelatin & honey and voila - the original marshmallows. Add in some of that butterfly pea dye and you have yourself a healthy medicinal snacky snack!

I can keep going but perhaps in my next post I will instead share some good mixes I use myself.

***I'm not a certified doctor. Please research all side effects before consuming any remedies.

Herbs are medicine. 💕

My happy place

Butterfly Pea, Lemongrass, Echinacae, Calendula, Horse Mint

BONUS

SNOW ON THE PRAIRIE

If you've made it this far, here's an interesting plant - Snow on the Prairie. Local indigenous used this plant as a form of opioid. This Texas native plant blooms right around the 1st of August here in the Blackland Prairie and is usually one of the last native flowers to bloom. I looke forward to this plant every year. This plant gives bees their last shot to collect all the pollen and nectar they need before winter. Also, if you try any honey harvest with snow on prairie in bloom, you may notice a much more bitter or warmer honey taste. Now you know. NOTE: I do not recommend consuming this plant however scientists are actively researching potential uses to help break the opioid pandemic.