Hello and welcome to The Compost Bin. I'm Compostwoman and I live with my family in rural Herefordshire. We have nearly four acres of garden and woodland, all managed organically and to Permaculture principles, which we share with Chickens, Cats and assorted wildlife. We also grow a lot of our own food, run courses in all sorts of things and make a lot of compost!
I am a Master Composter and have spent more than a decade as a volunteer Community Compost adviser with Garden Organic and my local Council.
I'm a self employed Environmental Educator so I run workshops and events where I talk about compost, veg growing, chicken keeping, cooking, preserving and sustainable living. I also run crafts workshops and Forest School/outdoor play sessions in our wood.
We try to live a more self sufficient lifestyle here, as best we can, while still having a comfortable life and lots of fun.
To learn more about us click on the About Compostwoman tab and remember to click on the photos to make them full size!
Monday 18 March 2013
Spicy tea and a blocked view
At mid morning break time today I decided I would take my drink outside and sit in the sunshine at the edge of the wood. Normally I take coffee mid morning but as I still feel full of cold and a bit rough I took a herb tea - as I thought it might help me feel a bit better and warm me up a bit.
As is usual I sat surrounded by a bevy of hens and cats. I wanted to take a photo of the wood, but hens kept on getting in the way!
This is Babs - she always jumps up on the bench and tries to drink out of my mug!
But I fended her off and drank my tea before it got cool. Today I was trying a new to me tea - Sweet Chilli from Higher Living Herbs Wow! It was so nice! I like herb teas but usually drink single herb versions and have never tried a blend like this sweet chilli blend before. It was really warming and tasty, but not too chilli hot, more warming and comforting than anything else.
This is Yarrow hen, still alive and looking quite perky, she begged a few crumbs from my mid morning cookie. Apart from her permanent limp she looks pretty good now. She wanted some of my tea, as well.
After I finished off my drink I also hung out some more washing - I got five loads done and dried yesterday. Then I came inside and because I liked the Sweet Chilli tea so much, I made another one!
Higher Living Herbs are based not far away from us in Gloucestershire and their teas are 100% natural and organic. They specialise in herbal teas ( there are loads of other flavours to try!) and have over 45 years blending experience.
As you can see from my oh so artistically arranged shot set in my kitchen, the teas come very attractively packaged in paper and card so all fully recyclable materials ( or in my case, fully compostable!)
I was also impressed that there was no little metal staple holding the tea bag string on to the paper tab - as I hate having to fish the staples out before I compost it - so full marks for that Higher Living, as well as the yummy tasting tea.
Oh - and Higher Living don't just do herbal teas, they make a range of "ordinary" teas as well - you can find the full range here. I like Breakfast tea, if anyone is interested...(!)
I was sent a couple of boxes to review (thank you Higher Living) but you can buy the teas online, in some health food shops and I think Waitrose stock them as well.
I never knew hens liked tea. Redefines the term 'hen party' for the better I think.
ReplyDeleteMy mad hens do, not sure if it is something chickens like in general, though!
ReplyDeleteMaybe it is the chilli they like? Although they will have a go at coffee, black tea, anything of mine tbh.
Wow! That looks fantastic! Everybody here at Gardeners Derby agree this is fabulous! Thanks for sharing.
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