United States residents may be called again to provide some or all of their own food in the event of another World War or crisis.
Create Your Own Herbal Teas, Home Remedies and Oils workshop leader Kris Heeter taught participants at a Hinkle-Garton Farmstead event how to use herbs for more than just extra flavor.
Saturday’s workshop taught the basic uses for herbs.
Heeter volunteers as a gardener and runs a homesteading and gardening workshop with themes like gardening, canning and cheesemaking.
With a background in biology from Purdue University and IU, Heeter said she uses the classes to share things that have disappeared from common knowledge.
Constance Luttinen, 86, remembered growing a victory garden during World War II.
“I remember the empty lot we were assigned — I must have been 12 or 13,” she told the class.
Heeter asked the class to abandon their definition of herbs and their uses.
“Things like roots — ginger, turmeric — those are herbs,” Heeter said. “Some of the things you learn today will surprise you, like how lemon peel, an orange peel, those can be an herbal tea.”
Heeter brewed three separate teas meant to combat pain or mild colds and flus.
“Teas, oftentimes, we drink because we enjoy the taste,” Heeter said. “But teas can also be home remedies. Many home remedies can help reduce the duration of your cold or flu, if you get one, or they can prevent it.”
Heeter clipped a sprig from a stevia plant sitting on the table and gave it to one class member.
“You’re going to pass it around, pick a leaf off and pop it in your mouth,” Heeter said.
The group members’ faces registered surprised pleasure at the leaf’s sweetness.
Stevia, a zero-calorie sweetener, can be dried and added to teas in lieu of sugar or Splenda, Heeter said.
“Getting your sweetness from a natural source is way better than using something that’s been cooked up in a lab,” Heeter said. “I usually recommend honey or maple syrup — real maple syrup — or a true natural sweetener like stevia.”
Heeter brought a sample of overnight-steeped elderberry tea, which she said makes a “high-in-Vitamin C, anti-cold, anti-flu, anti-everything” brew.
The tea was flavored with cinnamon, lemon and ginger root, which all have anti-bacterial or anti-inflammatory properties, she said.
She taught the class to assemble and steep the tea, which will deepen from a scorched burgundy-orange to plum-brown overnight.
Luttinen recently discovered the Hinkle-Garton Farmstead’s classes and enjoys them, she said.
However, Luttinen didn’t enjoy two of the three teas the class tried, but said she does normally like a mug every now and then.
“I’ve always been like a child when I try something I don’t like,” Luttinen said. “My face just tells the whole story.”
Luttinen gardens at home in Spencer, Indiana, and uses herbs to flavor her food, she said.
“I’m crazy about using all of the spices,” Luttinen said. “I either have jars or I have fresh.”
The teas have stronger health benefits and a stronger taste when brewed longer, Heeter said.
“Elderberry is tart and the longer it brews, the tarter it gets,” Heeter said. “But I’m making it for the health benefits, so I’m willing to choke down the tartness or add extra honey for that.”
Adding alcohol can preserve the mixture longer and also draw out the compounds of the plants, she said.
“Add a quarter-cup of vodka and let it sit overnight, and it tastes like cough syrup,” Heeter said. “The alcohol will evaporate off, for the most part, and it’ll keep.”
Each workshop member took home beginners’ instructions for herb-mixing and a few clipped herbs from the farmstead.
“Don’t be afraid to experiment and fail,” Heeter said. “You may put three or four things together that you think will be great and ‘urgh,’ it’s just horrible.”
