Red clover harvest

First harvests of red clover blossoms for our Women's Tea this week.  Red clover is an excellent herb for women of all ages and helps alleviate hot flashes, menopausal symptoms, and PMS as it contains a chemical called isoflavones which acts similarily to the female hormone estrogen.  Harvesting red clover is a great project to do with kids - this herb grows low to the ground so is easily reached by little arms and hands, is simple to harvest (and not irritating to skin like stinging nettle), smells beautiful, and is safe to nibble on.  General harvesting tips: Pick blossoms when they are fully opened, in mid morning after dew has dried but before the heat of the day causes flowers to wilt.  Harvest only 1/3 of a clover patch (or any herbal patch you are harvesting) so to keep a strong healthy plant for next season and leave a substantial amount of blossoms for bees, etc.