🍋 Backyard Brews:

Summer’s heat calls for wild, refreshing sips made straight from the land. This week, I’m sharing two native foraged drink recipes: a bright, citrusy sumac-ade and a wild-fermented pine needle soda that bubbles with forest flavor.

🌺 Winged Sumac-Ade

Ingredients:

1 cup ripe winged sumac berry clusters (fuzzy and red, don’t rinse!)

1 quart cold water

Sweetener to taste (honey, sugar, stevia . Your call)

Instructions:

1. Harvest ripe red clusters of winged sumac (Rhus copallinum), making sure they’re fuzzy and tangy to the touch.

2. Do not rinse, the tart citric coating is what gives the drink its lemony flavor.

3. Soak the clusters in cold water for 2–3 hours, gently agitating occasionally.

4. Strain through cheesecloth or a fine mesh.

5. Add sweetener to taste and serve chilled over ice.

Result? A refreshing, native lemonade with a wild citrus tang, no powders, no mystery ingredients.

📺 Recommended Video: How to ID Winged Sumac

New to foraging sumac? Check out this clear, beginner-friendly ID guide by Wilderness Academy:

▶️ Watch on YouTube

Video shared for educational purposes. All credit to Wilderness Academy. I do not claim ownership. Support their work if you enjoy it!

🌲 Naturally Fermented Pine Needle Soda

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh pine needles (Eastern White Pine or Longleaf preferred)

2 tablespoons raw honey or sugar

1½ cups filtered water

Optional: a few slices of lemon or wild mint

Instructions:

1. Lightly rinse pine needles to remove debris. Don’t scrub off the natural yeasts.

2. Add needles, honey/sugar, and filtered water to a clean glass jar. Stir well.

3. Cover loosely with a cloth or lid (not airtight) to allow fermentation gases to escape.

4. Leave at room temp (65–75°F) for 2–3 days, tasting daily.

5. Once it’s lightly fizzy and tangy, strain and transfer to a sealed bottle.

6. Refrigerate and enjoy chilled. Garnish with citrus or mint if desired.

This one’s bright, woodsy, and alive with probiotic goodness. It’s like forest champagne, but legal to drive after.

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🌿 Coming Next Week: Nature’s Compass: Using Plant Phototropism to Find Direction

"Discover how plants’ natural growth toward light can serve as your wild GPS , a subtle and ancient survival hack."