Deus Ex Machina and I attended a workshop on "Natural Healing with Medicinal Teas." It was a great lot of information, and I was very impressed with the presenters.
I came away with some very exciting information, though - not because I now have the outline for "curing" just about whatever ails us using herbs (many of which I'm already growing, or have access to in my local area), but because I was given an ingredient that can be used as a substitute for the green tea I so love, but have been trying to wean myself from.
Polypores.
They grow prolifically - everywhere, and, unlike some mushrooms, are easy to identify. None of them are poisonous - although it would be tough to eat most of them (because they're so *tough* ;)).
So, we came home and made a blend of chaga, sage and lavendar. It's delicious, and while I'm using it today medicinally, because someone gave me a cold, it's a keeper and could be my every-day-substitute-for-green-tea.
The best part: it's 100% local - right down to the sweetner, which is honey ;).
Oh, and free, because I don't have to buy chaga. I can go and find it ;).
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9 comments:
I've made use of lemon balm for tea. It's supposed to have stress relief properties, and you don't have to squeeze any lemon juice into it. ;-)
But it's good to know that tree fungi are edible (or at least drinkable). I've known about morels most of my life, but have never found any here although I know people who have.
FARf - we're just beginning to learn about the world of mushrooms. As Deus Ex Machina said - so much to learn!
Uhh, I don't imagine it contains caffeine, does it? (Says this seriously-caffeine-addicted blog reader, who loves coffee, accepts black tea, drinks green tea when necessary -- but can't imagine the point of non-caffeinated mushroom tea.)
Respectfully,
Steve
Just wondering why you'd want to stop drinking green tea, Fukushima?
@ John - I don't *want* to stop drinking green tea. I LOVE green tea ... BUT ... the tea bush (camellia sinesis) does not grow in Maine. I've tried. And in an attempt to live more locally, finding an alternative that I like that will also grow in Maine has been a long-term quest of mine.
Why don't you just grow your own green tea? It does fine here in the UK as an outdoor shrub, with a bit of protection it might do okay in Maine as well.
@ Tanya - as I mentioned to John, I actually have tried to grow the tea plant (camellia sinensis). I purchased two - each costing $30. One, I planted outside on the south-facing side of my house, right next to the house, in a tire and heavily mulched it with leaves in the hopes that the south-facing location next to the house, tire and the leaves would help to insulate it.
The other, I planted in a pot and tried to overwinter in my house.
The one outside just died. The one in the house lasted through winter, barely, but died almost as soon as I put it outside in the spring.
I live in Maine and my hardiness zone is 5b. The coldest zone in the UK is 7, according to a map I found, and so even though it seems like we should have a similar climate, Maine is significantly colder than even the coldest parts of the UK :).
In short, $30 is a lot of money to pay for a plant that simply can not grow in a climate as cold and harsh as mine, and so I've been looking for an alternative to my beloved tea ;). I've found a few, including white pine and polypores, and I'll be testing them more :).
hmmm... will have to do some cold hardy tea searching for you...
Hi,
You may already know about these but here goes. Too bad about your two bushes though.
http://coldhardytropicals.com/cold-hardy-camellias/
http://www.permies.com/permaculture-forums/8196_0/permaculture/zone-6-hardy-camelias-blackgreen-teas
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/camellia/msg0120550423904.html?14
http://www.camforest.com/category_s/4.htm
http://www.camforest.com/category_s/40.htm
hope this helps,
john
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