Midsummer Herbs: A Source of Health and Tradition
Herbs collected during the summer solstice are believed to have special healing powers. The organic farm “Vecklinči” shares which plants to gather and how to use them for teas and remedies.
The summer solstice is not only a time for traditions and folklore, but also a crucial period for collecting medicinal plants. At the organically certified farm “Vecklinči” in Rauna parish, herbs are being gathered for teas and health products.
Farm owner Lāsma Raupe explains that the currently relevant plants include lady’s mantle, wormwood tops, St. John’s wort, yarrow, meadowsweet, wild marjoram, chamomile, red clover, and rose petals. Latvians have long known that the solstice marks the right time for wild herb collection.
Lady’s mantle is particularly noteworthy; in folk medicine, it is said to improve women's health. It is used for cycle regulation, easing menstrual and menopausal symptoms, and restoring uterine tone after childbirth. It also benefits the digestive tract and intestinal inflammation, and can be used as an anti-inflammatory mouthwash.
Lāsma recommends picking herbs on sunny mornings after the dew has dried, avoiding roadsides and polluted areas. For drying, spread them on a screen or paper, or hang small bundles in a dark, dry place.
Among her recipes, Lāsma highlights rose petal jam. It requires clean roses free of chemicals, from the garden or forest edge. The jam is made from rose petals, water, sugar, honey, lemon juice, and rose water.
Before heading out to gather herbs, Lāsma advises learning to identify the right plants. Environmental experts urge people to protect endangered species such as wild orchids, pasqueflowers, gladioli, and Siberian irises, enjoying them only visually, and choosing common traditional midsummer herbs for wreaths and teas.
