Sunstroke, bayberry juice!
On December 28th, Melbourne experienced its second heatwave of 2025. Although we got up early to pick bayberries, it still wasn't enough. As the temperature rose, I wore a hat and long sleeves (for sun protection), feeling increasingly tired and less inclined to pick. All I wanted was to sit under the pine trees, enjoy the breeze, and rest. I never imagined farming would be so hard! I told George I didn't want to pick anymore, but he said, "Our friends in the group are waiting, and everyone hopes to have some refreshing fruit to eat." He then told me to rest while he continued picking.
On the way to the Forest Hill pickup point with the bayberries, I felt dizzy, but didn't think much of it at the time. When we arrived, our friend Luna offered me her homemade bayberry juice mixed with a mysterious drink, which instantly transformed into sparkling bayberry water. After one glass, I felt instantly refreshed, and my dizziness disappeared. I exclaimed, "Wow, bayberry juice can really cool you down!"
I remember as a child, when I suffered from heatstroke, I was always forced to drink a bottle of Huoxiang Zhengqi Shui, which was truly unpalatable, while holding my nose. Now, I have a delicious and refreshing solution—iced bayberry juice! Friends, can you guess what that mysterious drink was? The slight tartness of the bayberry juice, combined with the sweetness and fizz of Sprite, is truly a magical combination.
From a Traditional Chinese Medicine and nutritional perspective, bayberry juice indeed has excellent heat-relieving effects:
- Quenches thirst: bayberries are warm in nature with a sweet and sour taste, especially suitable for thirst caused by heavy sweating in summer.
- Aids digestion: it helps digestion and eases loss of appetite in summer.
- Settles the stomach: it may help ease common summer diarrhoea.
Our naturally grown bayberries keep their natural cooling qualities, and because we use no chemical pesticides, you can enjoy them with greater peace of mind.
