Thanksgiving is just two days away. There was rain last night and the day’s cloudy. A perfect day for gathering pine needles. There are seven small and one large pine tree on the farm. I visited one of the fast-growing trees and snipped of just one low branch. It was more than enough to make a cup of tea, and the beginnings of a pine needle oxymel.
The fragrance of hot water over fresh pine needles is intoxicating. What a full and warm aroma. Why drink pine needle tea? Over the centuries many cultures have used this infusion to deal with the lung congestion due to colds and flu. And what’s an oxymel? That’s an interesting combination of a plant (leaf, bark, flower), vinegar and honey. First you create a tincture with the plant material and organic apple cider vinegar. You strain out the plant material, then combine the fluid extract with honey. This provide the helpful constituents and flavors of the plant, the vinegar, and the honey.
And so, right now I have a small jar of coarsely chopped pine needles and vinegar macerating (steeping) on my kitchen counter. After three weeks, I’ll strain out the plant material and discard the solids. I’ll then combine the fluid extract with local honey. I’ll keep this oxymel on hand, refrigerated, in advance of coughs and congestion from flu or colds.
I hope you can get out and harvest pine needles throughout the winter season. Just be 100% sure of the tree identification, know that this tree has never been sprayed, and that you have permission to harvest.
Join me for an early spring 2024 Herbal Safari to identify and gather helpful needles and bark from pine, alder, prickly ash, and aspen.