Wild-harvesting Yaupon Leaves

Just walking my property brings me joy and solace. Wandering my trails and wild-harvesting leaves from the yaupon holly trees deepens the experience. 

I imagine the indigenous hunter-gathers doing the same task over a thousand years earlier. The yaupon holly has been found in archeology dating back to 1300-1650 AD with the traces of caffeine on ceramics fragments.

They called their drink cassina.

Wild-harvesting, sometimes called foraging is collecting plants from lands in their natural state, not cultivated or managed. Our yaupon holly is organic and over 40 years old. I love that I can take from the trees without harming them. I use the 10% rules. Taking 10% or less from each plant.