this is new jeresy tea or red root
a pic of the root.....notice the size of the root in comparison to the spade.
new jersey tea is found along fomer prairies, wastelands and roadsides.
it grows to be about 2 feet high.
you will most def need a spade to dig this root.........it grows very very deep.......sometimes 3 feet deep.
new jersey tea is used for a ton of stuff.............
it's most popular use is as a laxative, and for lung ailments also for high blood pressure...the root is strongly astringent.
the leaves were used by the early colonists as tea when the colonists started to boycot the stuff from england........which i myself have tried...and it isnt too bad. and it lacks the caffeine that regular tea does too.
to prepare the root for market......wash all the dirt off which is easy...i use a plastic tote filled with fresh clean water.......then i take a hatchet and cut the root into 1-3 inch chunks to help it dry. the root is almost like a tree root.
place on screens to allow air circulation to all sides......it'll take a few weeks for this to dry. when dry,,,,store in paper sacks or cardboard boxes and keep in a cool dry spot.
never store any roots or herbs in plastic...it will draw moisture and destroy your product.
my buyer quotes $2.50 per dried pound
