Winter can be long in the Northeast where we farm, some years its down right interminable! While I don't know what the coming months hold, 10 inches of snow in April maybe? This winter has been undeniably mild, and with a few days recently in the high 50s, I've been feeling like Spring is right around the corner. For a farmer, and I suspect for others the impending transition of the seasons can spur some excitement but also anxiety. There is a feeling of needing to rally and quickly get into gear the preparations for the coming season, and complete all the things that were on the winter to-do list that inevitably haven't gotten done yet. AKA the to-do list doubles! Because all you really wanted to do this winter was think about anything but farming or (insert task), so now you're in catch up mode.
Thus the end of February and March tend to see me stressed out as I scramble to get to tasks I've put off, before all the "spring work" comes for me.
We should fortify ourselves for this expenditure of energy and resources, for this time of stress that can ruin our mood and leave our bodies feeling tired and vulnerable to colds and flu which are always looming this time of year.
When I'm feeling stressed and in need of support I turn to CBD and to my herbal allies.
This time of year, I like to drink herbal tea, as a way of staying hydrated, in the cooler months I love having a warm drink to sip on. I also love herbal teas as a way to nourish myself and support my over health. Herbal teas can be a delicious and easy way to naturally and gently aid and address all kinds of physiological issues and also boost or modulate our mood.
Here are a few of the Benefits of CBD Hemp and other Herbs include
and some herbs to try alone or in combination!:
Boosting immunity or easing symptoms of colds: ginger, hibiscus, echinacea, hemp, elderberry, linden, mullein.
Combatting inflammation: Nettles, hemp, turmeric, cinnamon, tulsi.
Easing digestion: peppermint, ginger, CBD and CBG hemp, cardamom, fennel
Reducing stress, mood boosting : hemp, rose, tulsi, lemon balm, lavender.
Aiding with sleep and relaxation: chamomile, hemp, passion flower, hops, mugwort, valerian.
These are of course just a few more common herbs… I encourage folks to explore and learn more about the herbal pharmacology. I find it a rich and fascinating area of study. Something I love about herbs is experimenting with flavors and different herbs to see how they make me feel. But please be mindful to read up on contra-indications of herbs and CBD hemp, especially if you are pregnant or nursing or are taking medications for serious conditions.
At Anthill Farm we specialize in hemp and herbal tea blends. Our teas are made with dried and decarboxylated hemp flower and leaves grown here on the farm. Then we combine the hemp with high quality organic herbs and teas to create our signature blends. The last couple years I’ve been growing and wild harvesting some of the herbs for our teas too, which has been a really fun mix of plants to incorporate into our agroforestry system. Herbs like tulsi, lemon balm and chamomile are easy to grow and great herbs to have in your tea chest! If you want to get into wild harvesting, make sure to get a guidebook for your region, to make sure you’re properly identifying herbs and avoiding look alike plants that could be harmful. Also be sure to avoid harvesting from sprayed areas and roadsides, to ensure you are gathering only good quality herbs that will only benefit your health not harm it.
If you haven’t tried our CBD teas, let me introduce you to the blends and explain some of the beneficial qualities you may experience.
Drift is a blend of our CBD rich Suver Haze Hemp and our White CBG variety. Suver Haze is super relaxing, anti-inflammatory and often encourages creative thinking, dreaming. White CBG is gently eases stomach pain and helps relieve stress. We combine these hemp varieties with tulsi (holy basil), lemon balm, chamomile, anise hyssop, mullein, mugwort, and rose petals. This is a lot of herbs but I find a lot of synergy between these herbs and hemp in their role in supporting restful sleep and reducing stress, many have anti-inflammatory, nervine and sedative properties. Tulsi and lemon balm also play roles as adaptogenic herbs, which are herbs that support your bodies resilience to stress and combat the effects of oxidative stress on the body, guarding against burn out. All of these herbs also happen to be safe for smoking, so Drift doubles as an herbal smoking blend, which many people find pleasant and therapeutic. Smoking Mullein has been used traditionally to clear the lungs of mucus. This blend could also be used in ritual settings to calm, center and also awaken visualization. Adding full fat milk or substitute like oat milk will allow you to feel the full effect and benefit of the CBD since it binds with fats and is then absorbed and utilized by the body.
Golden Milk Hemp and Herbal Chai, is a blend Lifter CBD hemp along with turmeric, cassia cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, fennel, clove, black pepper and cayenne. It’s essentially a super food beverage, with potent anti-inflammatory herbs and that promote healthy digestion. Our stomachs and digestive systems play a big role in our immune system, and herbs like hemp, cardamom, ginger and turmeric are also stimulating for our immune health, containing anti-bacterial and in some cases anti-viral and anti-parasite properties. Warming spices like the ones in chai are great for the winter and for those who suffer from poor circulation, it can help get blood moving toward chilly hands and feet. Again adding full fat milk or substitute like oat milk will allow you to feel the full effect and benefit of the CBD since it binds with fats and is then absorbed and utilized by the body.
Lift Me Up: Hemp and Matcha tea: This tea is pretty simple, Culinary quality organic Matcha and Decarbed Hemp flower, combine for a spicy and toasty green tea flavor. We recommend combining or steeping with milk or oat milk for a matcha latte. That will have you relaxed but still energized. Great for creative work!
Allergy Relief Tea: Combines CBD and CBG Hemp flowers along with nettles, peppermint, goldenrod and calendula. As an allergy sufferer myself, I’ve found nettles and goldenrod tea to be super supportive when I’m experiencing symptoms of hay fever but even more effective if taken daily leading up to allergy season, to lessen histamine reaction. Our histamine reaction is tied to our immune systems and inflammatory response, which can be supported by the anti-inflammatory properties in CBD hemp. I add peppermint for flavor and calendula for its soothing throat coating qualities.
You may be wondering…How you might feel from these CBD Hemp teas? These teas (particularly Drift and Golden Milk) can make me feel very relaxed and often ready for bed, in fact I might not make it off the couch if I drink too much. It should be no surprise considering the combination of anti-inflammatory herbs and full spectrum hemp (which contains small amounts of THC)! A word of caution a strong full cup made with full fat milk or high fat non dairy milk may be too much for some people, similar to drinking too many glasses of red wine. Consider trying this tea in small doses and not too long a steep at first. Since hemp tea is an edible, it will take more time (up to an hour) for the full effect to set in and it will stick with you for many hours longer than smoking or other forms. Tea can be hard to dose too since there are many factors at play, always best to go low and slow if you’re new to CBD and cannabis in general. Adding caffeinated tea to the blend or a blend like Matcha and hemp can be good for those who don’t want to be too sleepy. Also because hemp is not water soluble, but requires a fat like those in milk or non dairy substitute, to be absorbed and used by your body. So if you wish to skip the more “high” or sleepy feelings try steeping in hot water. There are still plenty of benefits from raw hemp, like the many terpenes and flavonoids which are mood elevating and stimulating for the immune system.
Enjoy responsibly and in the spirit of experimentation and intention. Herbs including hemp are wondrous allies but we should respect their ways and honor the role they can play in our health. Start low and slow and allow for time to enjoy the full effect of the tea.