Foraging with Flying Carp: Pine needle tea

[FlyingCarp]

I've been on a plant/animal identification kick lately, trying to learn as many species around me as I can. Chalk it up to reading some John Muir over the holidays.

I'm going to experiment with foraging and consuming the stuff I find if it's edible. I'll document the results here (hopefully no upchuck shots to follow).

Pine Needle Tea

1. Find a white pine (Pinus strobus) and yank off a branch.

2. Strip off the needles

3. Cut them into small segments

4. Boil water

5. Steep for 10 minutes

6. Drink

7. Hope you don't get the shits





The tea is very mild tasting. I think I'm going to try again and be more selective with the branch I take. I didn't exactly grab young, bright green needles. I hurried into my neighbor's yard under the cover of darkness and maimed their tree. White Pine I had, but not the choicest.

[Tdarcos]

I hurried into my neighbor's yard under the cover of darkness and maimed their tree. White Pine I had, but not the choicest.

Oh great, one of the members here is either a tree rapist or a sapling molester. Now I've seen everything.