Did
you know that you can make a delicious (and medicinal) tea with raspberry
leaves?
If
you're already growing raspberries (or know someone who is!), remember to
harvest, dry, and brew yourself a wonderful cup of tea.
It’s
wonderful to be able to harvest it from the garden, to drink a potion of
vitamins and minerals and to feel a stronger connection with the plant.
Benefits:
The leaves are rich in potassium, iron, magnesium and
b-vitamins.
Red
raspberry leaf tea is a natural remedy for women’s health including menstrual
support, pregnancy, childbirth and menopause.
How to Harvest & Preserve
Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
The
leaves are best harvested in the spring before the flowers emerge.
Choose
young, bright green leaves.
Collect
raspberry leaves before the plant blooms.
Harvest
mid-morning after the dew has evaporated and before the sun is hot to preserve
the oils and flavor.
Spread
the leaves out on a screen and allow them to dry naturally away from dust and
sunlight.
Or
you can gather the leaves by their stems, tie the ends, and hang them to dry.
Depending
on the humidity, drying usually takes 2-3 weeks.
You
can tell when the leaves are dry, by crushing a leaf or two. It should crumble easily.
Try
not to crush the rest of the leaves to reserve the flavor until you are ready to brew your tea.
Once
dry, store leaves lightly packed in a glass jar away from direct sunlight.
