Pine needle tea.
When I was shown the Pine tree and all that could be used from it, I was astounded and shocked, not just from the information but I think because I hadn't heard anything about this tree before and had probably judged this tree in my head somewhere to have nothing of any value. How stupid the mind can be, labelling and putting things into 'this is useless' boxes! 

It happens all the time in learning Bushcraft and primitive skills , how little we know...

So...Pine Needle Tea contains 4-5 times the Vitamin C of fresh-squeezed orange juice, and is high in Vitamin A. It is also an expectorant (thins mucus secretions), decongestant.

This delightful tea is also great to drink because of its vitamin C (which is about 400 mg or more) and vitamin A (which helps vision, skin and hair regeneration, and cell reproduction). Some of its creat uses help with you with cancer, colds, scurvy, sclerosis, the flu, a digestive aid, an alternate for caffeine, weight loss, aging, urinary infections, kidney stones, and so much more.
 
You should drink it throughout the winter to prevent illness! It will definitely help a lot! 
 
So please get out there and harvest some, a great project for the kids and to make the most of a sunny day. You can dry and store some for the winter in jars . Make sure you are very careful about identifying it, making sure when you get home to check on the internet or in a book, which type of needles you have found .
 
How to make pine needle tea:
Step 1: Harvest a cup of young green needles from the Pinus strobus
Step 2: Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan or pot.
Step 3: After the needles are added, reduce heat to a simmer and partially cover to minimize evaporation.
Step 4: Continue simmering for 20 minutes. Heating longer is not recommended since vitamin C is degraded by heat.
Step 5: Remove from heat and filter the needles by straining. The tea may be consumed warm or cold.

Optional: Add lemon juice and sweetener of choice, such as maple syrup or stevia.

I am writing this blog to inspire you to go outside and learn about the deep fulfillment you get from harvesting and eating wild food 

Wild food only disappears for around 1/2 months a year, we are so lucky to have the earth look after us, I'm not saying it's easy, in the depths of winter there is almost nothing to eat, the stores of food dwindling from the harvest and processing of Autumn time are normally over in Dec / Jan time. From here on in it's very hard to thrive, even for the most avid survivalist. I hear mice stew is on the menu a lot! If you don't eat meat, death could be on the horizon...

So here is a list of Jan wild foods and medicines, and I will be doing an all inclusive list for every month this year, so keep your eyes peeled for them, I am also working on a calendar for all the wild foods, medicines and trees that are edible.

So here we go
Roots

• Burdock
• Dandelion
• Horseradish
• Dock
• Nettle

Teas / Medicine 

• Pine needles
• Holly
• Ivy
• Birch twigs

Mushrooms / Medicine

• Turkey Tail
• Birch Polypore

Edible Mushrooms

• Scarlet Elf Cap 
• Oyster
• Winter Chanterelles
• Jelly Ear

Wild Plants

• Ground Elder
• Cleavers
• Chickweed
• 3 Cornered leeks
• Sow Thistle
• Nettle
• Sea Beet - Coast
• Garlic Mustard
• Hairy bittercress
• Sorrel
• Alexanders
• Black Mustard
• Primrose
• Navel wort
• Yarrow
• Chervil
• Plantain
• Ivy Leaved Toadflax
• Hogweed

Barks Food / medicine

• Pine - Inner
• Ash bark