Entrepreneurs are known for being dedicated, but Katheryn Langelier really takes the cake – the wedding cake, that is.

Much to my astonishment, Langelier took my phone call just one day before her wedding. I could hear her family and friends rushing around in the background as Langelier and her longtime partner, Gus (and their dog, Wilco), readied their Lincolnville farm for their weekend nuptials.

I had called to find out more about Chaga Chai Tea, one of several she prepares herself for her small business, Herbal Revolution. Langelier makes elixirs, teas, tinctures and body products with herbs she grows as well as ingredients (such as the rose petals in her Wild Rose and Honey Elixir and the chaga in the Chaga Chai) that are “ethically wild-gathered.”

Her original garden was less than an acre, but at the couple’s new farm, she will plant as many as five acres, which she expects to be certified organic sometime this month. She tries to source additional ingredients – honey, maple syrup – from Maine producers.

I sampled her Chaga Chai, which contains no actual tea leaves but is a blend of chaga mushrooms – a medicinal mushroom that grows on birch trees and is said to help relieve stress and boost the immune system – and traditional (and some not-so-traditional) organic chai spices: ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, star anise, nutmeg and vanilla.

The instructions say to place 1 to 3 teaspoons of loose tea into a pot with 8 ounces of water, and bring it to a boil. The chaga must be simmered for 15 minutes to bring out the medicinal properties, Langelier said. After 15 minutes, add milk and honey and simmer a couple of minutes more. Strain and enjoy.

I doubled the ingredients, using 6 teaspoons of tea, and it came out much too strong for my taste. After 15 minutes of simmering, half of it had evaporated, so I added milk to bring the amount back up to 8 ounces.

Langelier said the market for herbal remedies is strong. “Now people are wanting to take control of their health and are seeking ways to support themselves through preventative care,” she said. “Medication is very expensive.”

Langelier brings her products to the Common Ground Fair every year. This year, she’ll be in a new spot (booth No. 3 in the Agricultural Products Section) with a bigger tent, and a sampling bar. She also plans to give a talk on the benefits of tonics and elixirs.

Depending where you buy them, the cost of Herbal Revolution products varies; a 4.5-ounce tin of the Chaga Chai Tea was $12.29 at the Portland Food Co-op. Other stores that carry the products include Lois’ Natural Marketplace in Scarborough, Treats in Wiscasset, Morning Glory Natural Foods in Brunswick, Terra Optima Farm Market in Rockland, the Belfast Co-op and Rising Tide Community Market in Damariscotta. For a complete list, visit the Herbal Revolution website.

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