The St. Louis Tea Club is a seasonal subscription program to hand-blended teas made with fresh ingredients from our small organic farm. We practice Earth-based farming and herbalism so the plants in our blends are nurtured from seed to cup by our own hands. New members are accepted year-round! To learn more or sign up, click here.
Dear friends,
I am excited to tell you that the first packs of tea for 2020 members have been shipped! My goal is to use these blog posts as a way of sharing Tea Club updates with you and I thought the easiest way to approach that would be to write them as a letter. So, each month, I'll be sending you a digital letter along with your tea.
Our small organic farm (and the tea garden!) has grown tremendously over the past three years. Our mission has always been to cultivate food and medicine in a way that's good for the Earth, healthy for our customers, and nourishing to our souls. I believe it's important to know where your food comes from, to let it connect you to the Earth and to your own body in a way that cultivates self-love, self-awareness, and space to share your gifts with others. Your membership in this program directly supports that work and I could not be more thankful to you for joining us this season!
This month, I felt inspired to blend something that would carry us through the cold/flu season by supporting the immune system and also help us bring awareness to the lengthening days. The blend is called "New Light" to pay homage to the ever-expanding daylight hours as we flow on past the Solstice and start dreaming of Spring.
Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) is the perfect ally for this. It's flowery, bright and crisp, like a cold early-Spring morning. It eases the stomach and the sinuses, allowing things to move and flow easier into the new season. All the Pennyroyal in this blend came from our farm and lends the most aromatic quality to the tea.
The other herbs included for similar effect are tulsi and peppermint. Nettle adds a nutritive quality and adds heft, almost an umami quality, to the flavor.
Echinacea root acts as the grounding force, rounding out the other light aromatics. It also serves to stimulate the immune system, activating T cells and helping to fight off infections.
I like this tea just as it is, or with a little raw honey. Lavender syrup is a nice addition, as well.
Let me know how you like the tea! What season does it remind you of? What images, poems, and feelings come to mind when you catch the scent wafting off your mug? What sweet additions do you enjoy with these herbal flavors? I'd love to hear your experiences in the discussion on the St. Louis Tea Club Facebook page.
I am hugely honored to be a part of your tea journey. Thank you so much for inviting me to share a cup with you.
Keep brewing and be well,
-- Summer