Where does peppermint tea come from?

BEND, ORE. — Each year the Women’s Advisory Council of the Oregon Farm Bureau do a great job of teaching people about agriculture in the state. Money they raise at fundraising events, such as a silent auction held at the annual meeting, goes towards supporting such things as the Summer Ag Institute, Ag Fest, Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom and other worthy causes.

Besides teaching the next generation about how diverse agriculture is in the state, members of the council also educate fellow Farm Bureau members of some of the bulk commodities as well as processed or specialty products that originate here in Oregon.

At the annual meeting, there usually is a gift bag that is the teaching tool.

For example, this year the bag included:
Hard candy mints from Benton County
Hazelnuts from Clackamas County
Chocolate cranberries from Coos-Curry
Bottle of water from Deschutes County
Mini pumpkins, corn and jars of jam from Douglas County
Apple from Hood River County
Mint tea from Jefferson County
Peppermint patty mints from Klamath/Lake County
Wildflower seeds from Linn County
Sugar packets from Malheur County
Nursery stock from Washington County
Honey Sticks from Yamhill County
Cheese from Tillamook County

Attached to some of the commodities is information about what is grown in each county. For example, the Jefferson County Farm Bureau includes a card that says “Jefferson County Farmers grow 80-85 percent of the peppermint leaf used for tea in the USA and 25 percent of the world’s tea use.”

Why give these products to the farmers at these events?

Not only does it educate farmers about what is grown by some of their neighbors, but this also creates pride that Oregon’s farmers contribute greatly to the success of agriculture here — and in the rest of the country — and honors their hard work.

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