Honey Bees & Mint Plants = The Best Iced Tea

Blooming Mint Plant

A couple of years ago we took a workshop to find out what kinds of plants were beneficial for the honey bees, both as a nectar and pollen sources. We began adding these types of plants to our honey bee farm. 

Mint is a gem—the honey bees just love the blooming flowers. Great, we like mint too! Especially in a fresh pitcher of iced tea, on a hot day like today. I think it reached 86°F outside, and 90°F in my office. There will be no baking on this day!

No time to make sun tea, at the end of the workday, so here’s what I did. A quick trip the garden, and a few sprigs of mint were harvested, which is wonderful in home brewed iced tea . . .

Mint Infused Iced Tea with Honey Simple Syrup

 

Fresh mint sprigs (best flavor, harvest early am after dew)

Bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Turn off the heat. Add 8 to 10 teabags of your favorite tea. I’m always swapping it out, Earl Grey, Darjeeling, and Raspberry. Today I used Orange Pekoe. Place a handful of fresh mint sprigs into the hot water. Let steep* for about 25 minutes. 

Stain into your beverage container and add honey simple syrup to taste. I under sweeten, and then let guest add more if they like a sweeter tea. 

*While tea is steeping, if you don’t already have your honey simple syrup made do it now.

Ah—now sit back, relax and refresh!

 

Honey Simple Syrup

• 1 cup honey from Heavenly Honey Apiary 
• 1 cup water, fresh from the well or filtered

Processing

• In a small saucepan add the honey and water. 
• Heat over medium heat until water and honey are well combined; do not boil. 
• Let cool completely before using. 
• For ease of use, place in a squeeze bottle with cap

Keep refrigerated for up to two weeks (if you can’t use this much in this time-frame make ½ a batch).

(You are encouraged to copy, share or repost this recipe, please give credit to my website Heavenly Honey Apiary at www.vtbeekeeper.com or this blog link--Thank you!)