Spearmint Tea

Spearmint is a true summer tradition around our homestead, whether it’s used in iced, sweet tea, or in a mojito or mint julep.  This easy to grow, or purchase, mint is also great at soothing upset tummys, or just refreshing you on a hot summer day.

There are many reasons we enjoy growing mint on the homestead- here are just a few-

Spearmint is often used for assisting with digestive disorders including gas, indigestion, nausea, diarrhea, upper gastrointestinal tract spasms, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), bile duct and gallbladder swelling (inflammation), and gallstones. Spearmint is also used sometimes for relief of sore throats, colds, headaches, toothaches, cramps, cancer and inflammation of respiratory tract. Some people use it as a stimulant, germ-killer, local pain-killer, and anti-spasm medication.

Here at One Ash Homestead, we grow a lot of spearmint.  Because it is somewhat invasive (it grows under ground and then sprouts up all around!) we place it in areas we don’t mind it spreading.  Outside the entrance to the dairy we have it growing along the building and it smells so good every time we go out to milk!  We also have several pots with spearmint growing.  Putting in in pots really helps contain the mint from spreading.

One of the other tricks to growing spearmint is to cut it often.  We have found the best flavor in our mint comes when the stems have grown to about 8-10 inches in length and are full of young leaves.  It’s important to cut your mint while the leaves are young and tender, and not wait until the stems become “woody” or hard.  Trimming your mint often will also keep it thicker, and more bushy, rather than long and lanky.  

If for some reason your mint grows too long and creates flowers, don’t worry!  We often use the flowering stems of mint to add to cut flower arrangements!  The flowers are so pretty, the leaves are so green, and the smell is so fresh and clean when you put it in a vase with other flowers.  (we like making simple arrangements for the house with our zinnias and mint stems!) 

If you don’t have time to make something with your mint when you cut it, then you can easily dry the mint leaves.  Simply place them in a single layer on a rack (I use a baking cooling rack so the air flows all around the leaves- see on here). In just a few days your mint leaves will be dry and you can slide them off the stems and store them in a bag in the freezer.  If you choose to store them in a jar in the pantry instead, just keep an eye out for potential mildew.  I prefer the freezer method because of this.

We hope you enjoy spearmint on your homestead as much as we do!  

 Here is our recipe for making Iced Spearmint tea to sip while sitting on the porch!

Iced Spearmint  Tea from One Ash Homestead

1 large handful of dried spearmint leaves (click here to purchase )
2 quarts of boiling water
1/2 cup sugar

Steep the spearmint leaves in the boiling water for about 20 minutes.
Strain and add 1/2 cup of sugar.
Pour over ice, garnish with a slice of lime, and sip while leisurely enjoying a hot summer afternoon!

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