Celebrate with Forest Tea!
I love to hike in the winter. And I’m also an avid tea drinker, so I have discovered a way to combine both of these passions into one special celebration! I’ve started a tradition of making a forest tea. It adds a little something extra to the overall experience—rather than just hopping into the car and driving off once I’ve finished, I find it really helps ‘round out’ my hikes into a more meditative experience overall. Best of all, making forest tea is easy to do and you don’t need a lot of equipment, so I hope you’ll give it a try!
I’d like to show you how to make one of my favorites—White Pine Tea. Not all pines are edible, but White Pine (Pinus strobus), which is native to the East Coast, is and makes for a delicious, refreshing tea that’s also highly medicinal (see below)!
Forest Tea Supplies!
Equipment Needed
Camping Kettle + stove
Water Bottle (fill with potable water)
Matches
Foraged material
Cup for drinking tea
A beautiful place to sit and relax while you make your tea
Optional:
journal + pens
*Don’t have a camping stove? No worries, just bring along a thermos of hot water
My stove and camping kettle
Forage as You Go
What I like to do is gather as I go, so that in the end, my tea becomes an elixir of the hike itself. This process also helps minimize the extractive nature of the foraging process by not stressing out one tree or area too much. It doesn’t take much to make a great tea—a handful of needles is really all you need for this tea.
A handful is all you need!
Making White Pine Needle Tea
Once you’ve finished your hike, find a place where you can comfortably sit and relax.
Set up your stove and heat up your water.
If your water gets to the boiling point, take it off the heat and let it rest for a couple of minutes before adding the Pine Needles. Pine needles have a lot of Vitamin C in them, which will get destroyed if boiled.
Add your pine needles and let it sit for about 3-5 minutes
Enjoy your tea!
I like to take some time to journal and reflect or even sketch out some special moments or memories from the hike. And don’t stress or feel like your creation has to be some fantastic, super realistic drawing! Try something abstract—like using some swaths of color to express how you feel in the moment. Or just let your pen create some abstract expressions of the scene. If you have watercolors or a brush with you—try using the tea! It’s a fun way to extend and ‘capture’ your foraging experience in a whole new way!
Reciprocity & Gratitude: a foraging MUST!
Foraging for me is about Relationship—a relationship with nature and with place. Because I don’t need to forage for survival reasons, I try to be as respectful as possible and always forage with great care. Reciprocity and gratitude are two important elements I always try to weave into my foraging practices. So, I always save my last cup as an offering back to the forest in thanks for all its gifts. Please consider doing the same. We are lucky to have our wild places, and showing respect and gratitude is both thoughtful and kind.
White Pine (Pinus strobus)
Medicinal Benefits of White Pine Tea
Anti-microbial
Anti-inflammatory
Raises cognitive function
Pain reliever
Boost circulation
Enhances vision
Boost immunity
Enhances cardiovascular function
Decongestant
Rich in vitamin C, A & beta carotene
Do you enjoy tea on the trail? Have you ever made forest tea? I’d love to hear your tea stories! Let me know in the comments below!
