Growing, Making “Brick through a Window” Tea

I make my calming and focusing stress relief tea from one or two leaves of garden grown Perilla frutescens - (L.)Britton shiso at a time. I add one or two large leaves, rolled together and finely chopped leaves, to a green tea bag and steep them in boiling water for a few minutes before drinking. I frequently add a leaf or two of garden grown lemon balm- another calming herb, as well.

At the end of the first summer in my new garden, my single nursery- acquired plant went to seed and browned. I did not think about it until the following spring when half a dozen young self sown plants sprang up. I made and drank the tea frequently- until once again- the plants died at the end of their season. The following season- my garden was rife with self-sown new seedlings. Initially I used entire young plants to thin the crop- and later harvested and dried the leaves of mature plants.

Aside from the plants which grew exponentially in my raised bed, it also seeded and grew under the shade of my loquat tree along with my other edible weed volunteers. I do not till, weed, amend soil, or fertilize there, or give it the extra water that my vegetable garden receives- so it is slower to mature and does not grow quite as large- but it voluntarily grows there.

Well into spring this year, I noticed that I seemed to be feeling generally down and depressed- so I stopped using the leaves. My mood returned to my normal sunny, optimistic self – last overwhelmingly prevalent about 10 years back. Although I am not consuming the balance of this year’s crop- (but I am drying and preserving it for future uses) my mood is persistently stable, calm and good natured.

I had been under unusual stress from change of life, change of location, change of career, money issues, taking care of my dying parents all within a 5-7 year period. This plant eased me through a spate of high blood pressure, stress, and kept me balanced and focused till I had a chance to heal and re-establish my own prevailing healthy mood controls.

This beneficial herb is not illegal, is highly adaptable to growth conditions, reseeds itself prolifically, has a long history of culinary and beneficial medicinal value, has had a noticeable positive impact on my emotional health, does not interfere with my ability to work or sleep, is not addictive, and presents no withdrawal problems when I feel it is no longer working to my personal advantage.

Different foodstuffs have different effects, depending on your biochemistry. Mine is very sensitive- to medicines, drugs, stimulants like coffee, and soporifics like alcohol. I have grown an abundance of herbs and perennial greens like chard in my newly acquired garden for the past three years. I have no doubt that the many positive lifestyle changes I made helped my healing. Nonetheless- the prolific, inexpensive easy to grow little perilla plant had an outstandingly positive effect on my mood at a time when I really needed safe, affordable, accessible help.

Lambs Quarters in my Backyard Weed Patch

I finally harvested the lambs quarters, a nationally wide-ranging herb appreciated by those who forage, which has been flourishing this year at the base of my loquat tree. I cultivate a raised bed herb and vegetable garden nearby using square foot garden principles- but this area is permitted to grow whatever comes up- dandelions, nasturtians, beefsteak perilla, etc, some of which I eat or prepare as tea.

This feral vegetable, or "weed," also referred to as pigweed or fat hen, is another nourishing super food from the goosefoot family which produces wholesome, protein complete quinoa, exceptionally heart healthy beets, calming, restorative chard, spinach, amaranth, etc. It is popularly consumed as a replacement for spinach, or as animal and poultry feed.

I favor greens and other produce that germinate easily, hold their value for long periods of time until I wish to eat them, taste and look good when served, and self-sow freely. Robust cut and come again plants are particularly appealing- hence I cultivate rainbow chard, herbs, mesclun, red giant mustard and arugula. Fortunately they often have some of the highest nutritional and health benefits for greens as well.

I delayed for months, having doubts about the wild vegetable taste. It is currently producing seed heads. The scent, uncooked, was a little harsh and acrid. I prepared an inexpensive lamb stock from neck bones. It cooks down quite a bit- like spinach- and the acrid odor/flavor was much reduced- resulting in a mild but savory greens dish.

I did more research. "Lambs Quarters is a 'purifier herb' and in its effort to cleanse the soil, it absorbs soil pollutants and artificial fertilizers and concentrates them in its leaves. Thus foragers should be weary of patches where this plant grows in abundance - it could be an indication of soil pollution. At the very least you should investigate what gets dumped in nearby fields or streams."

Lambs quarters is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds and is supposed to have full sun- which is definitely not the case between the fence, the orchid foliage and the loquat tree. But that is where it grew.