Philosopher's Tea

Hops!
Humulus lupulis
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Not an ingredient I use often in blends. Mostly reserved for personal use, as harvests tend to be sporadic, and the flavor is quite strong. This member of the Cannabis family is the most effective sedative herb I've grown, hands down. Even kicks chamomile off of its sleep-aid pedestal. Steep 5-6 cones in hot water for 10min, and you'll have some of the best sleep of your life. Hops is incredibly bitter, usually accompanied by citrus & pine notes. These flavors are even more concentrated with a bit of mindful harvesting. Glands at the top of the cone produce lupuline, a yellow pollen-like substance containing concentrated oils & other compounds found throughout the plant. (See second slide)

For a rapidly growing vine, I find it to be tame. Aside from the occasional trimming to improve airflow or adjusting stray tendrils, it stays well behaved. The first slide features a healthy specimen at my childhood home in Southeastern VA. I planted this hops as a Father's Day gift back in 2015. Our mild winters on the coast have never killed it all the way back. Always returning in the spring to climb whatever supports it can find along the fence. She flowers well & large, usually with a flush in the early summer, then fall. Without the height one would normally see hops using in a cultivated setting, it tumbles on top of itself while spilling over & through the cracks of the fence. Winter cleanup never takes more than half an hour as all the plant requires is the dead material to be removed and tossed with the yard waste.

If you've got the climate for it, try hops in your garden. They provide lots of asthetic & practical benefits in the yard. Hops even hosts native butterfly & moth species in VA

Farmers Market Week!

I'll be back at Constitution Park in Waynesboro on Saturday with all of your favorite local businesses. Plenty of cold tea to-go & loose leaf to stock up on

Pictured: the big batch of ducklings with momma relaxing on the steps to the workshed at Wild Altar Farmstead

More rain in the forecast for the market this weekend. Hurry to the Waynesboro Farmers Market on Saturday from 9 - 1
to buy some tea before it gets wet
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Did a quick wild bouquet for the first time in a while. Real happy with how it turned out. My usual method for making arrangements involves guessing the right length/height of the individual pieces on the first cut. I'll strip whatever leaves/flowers are on the lower ends of the stem but usually won't cut them any shorter. First instinct always feels right & often leads to intriguing shapes & forms in the vessel.

This was made up of introduced plants including baby rose, bittersweet, orchard grass, and a single silver fern leaf all placed in an antique earthenware pot

sticks & fluff
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I've been b u s y

Yesterday was one of the most physically intensive tea making procedures I've worked on. A dream of two aromatic powerhouses native to Virginia coming together.

Spicebush twigs, bark, and a few woody sticks pounded with rabbit to***co. An airy & intensely fragrant blend for longevity.

Rabbit To***co (also called Sweet Everlasting) is a relatively common biennial herb that can be found in pasture, fields, and disturbed areas with drier soils. They bloom in late summer and once dried, deliver a smell very similar to maple syrup. This plant has been used by Indigenous people for its immune-boosting properties & as an adaptogen to maintain general wellness. An incredible addition to herbal smoking blends.
Fellow farmers & growers have shared experiences about how this plant is very bad at staying in one place. Where one season, it will fill a whole woodland opening, and the next time, it's nowhere to be found

Spicebush has had an undeniable influence on my relationship with wild tea alternatives. Ever present and always giving. All parts of the plant deliver unique flavors & can be utilized year-round.
I had found a recently deceased spicebush on a local mountain that was crushed by the weight of last year's snow & ice. I dragged the broken branches back to the house & gave them a full year to dry before processing. The woodier parts of the shrub benefit from toasting to accentuate their flavors, though they can also be used fresh with similar results.

This is a full circle blend. I have spent the last 9 months in my hometown on VA's southeast coast. Reworking on countless projects and personal connections within this coastal swamp community.

Soon, I will be back living in Appalachia, this time, nestled in the Shenandoah Valley. Focused on making wholesome tea blends, offering meditations, and tending the land. Over the last 5 years, every move I've made into new housing has felt chaotic & unpredictable. This is the first time I truly feel in control of my choice.
I look forward to seeing familiar & new faces on this next venture.
Cheers, y'all