Mint (Children)

I like the smell of mint. Sometimes Mum puts mint on the floor and when we walk on it the house smells lovely.

When Dad has been busy woodworking, he sometimes chews a mint leaf. He says it makes his mouth feel fresh. I tried it once, but it does not taste very nice. Granny cooks in stews and sometimes chops it up for salads.

Grow your mint

When you open the packet, be careful. Mint seeds are VERY small!!

Sprinkle seeds onto moist soil – make sure that they are evenly spread.

Carefully cover the seeds with about 5 mms of soil

Gently water to keep the soil moist and seedlings should appear in 7 to 14 days

The seedlings can then be planted 2-3 feet apart in moist soil.

If you rub the leaves between your fingers you will see why it is Jacob’s favourite smell!

For older children

Mint is a herb that most people use to add flavour and a sharp taste to their food and drink. For example, chewing gum uses mint to help create it’s strong and refreshing flavour and scent. Mint should be planted 2-3 feet apart in moist soil, and may grow to be up to 2 feet tall. For the best results, you may want to consider sprinkling some compost or organic fertilizer on the plant to boost its growth. Sometimes mint can spread very quickly to surrounding areas of soil, so it may be ideal to place barriers in the way if you want the plant to be contained.

We are introduced to mint in the New Testament during the Gospel of Matthew, where it describes Jesus as stating:

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”

Matthew 23:23 (NRSV)

When we first read this quote, it may seem a little difficult to understand what is being said. However, when we break it down, we can see that Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees, trying to help them understand that being generous and giving away their herbs to the poor is not enough, especially when there are other matters of crime and justice that need solving within their society. Jesus’ statement suggests that mint is a herb of value during this time, as giving away mint is said to be a good act of charity.