Find yourself in a Welsh meadow thanks to Květomluva teas

WHO'S BEHIND THE FLOWER TALK

Zuzka and Radek Fryzelko, great enthusiasts, have carried nature in their hearts since birth. Although they studied in big cities and gained experience on organic farms far away in Norway, they have remained faithful to the picturesque Wallachia region. The Fryzelks try to devote as much time as possible to herbs in order to achieve the best possible result, which they can sign off on without regret.

WHERE THE HERBS ARE GROWN

Above the small village of Vlachovice in the Zlín region is a place called Hájek. Here you can find a magical meadow where Radek and Zuzana grow all their herbs and flowers. They have established terraced fields and every year they try to grow traditional but also new types of edible flowers and herbs. All the herbs are hand-picked and are of certified organic quality.

WHERE THE HERBS ARE DRIED

In Wallachia it has been a tradition for many years to dry fruits and herbs. Therefore, in 2014 Zuzana and Radek renovated and saved an old Wallachian timbered fruit drying house. Since then, it has been restored and the herbs are dried in the old way. The drying room was blessed by the parish priest and St. Francis became the patron saint. That is why it now bears his name and is the basis for the creation of quality organic loose-leaf teas.

INTERVIEW

When and how did Květomluva come into being?

We started growing herbs in 2005, and everything had its gradual development. For the first few years we were called St. Francis Drying House, after our over 120 year old, wooden Wallachian drying house where we dry our herbs. In 2019 , however, we renamed ourselves FLOWER MELON, because everyone imagined drying as the drying room and we felt that FLOWER MELON would say more about us later on.

You both worked for two summers in Norway on a vegetable and herb farm. What did this experience give you, did you apply anything to FLOWER TALK?

Specifically, it was 3 years that gave us a lot. It was when we quit our jobs and decided to travel and gain experience. We are still very happy for that to this day. I believe that if we hadn't travelled and been lucky, we would probably be doing something completely different.

Do you want Květomluva to continue for generations to come?

We are still young and our children are young. But I admit it's a little dream of mine.

What do you plan to do next with the Flower Maiden? Will there be any news?

We have a lot of plans and work ahead of us this year. We are building a brand new shop on our herb grove,with a warehouse for our herbs, as the current one is still very small, we are looking forward to it. We are planting another herb field, just outside of Vlachovice with new herbs and now we are testing different variants of herbal oils for healthy quality gastronomy, we are also testing them for example in the hotel Augustianský dům in Luhačovice.

Is it possible to visit you in your Hájek meadow and try out picking herbs?

Certainly, but always preferably by phone. We will be happy to show you our drying fields and guests can buy our products here if they wish.

What herb has captivated you the most?

Lichen - it captivated me in Norway with its beauty and flavour and gave us in Norway the impetus to start growing edible flowers, which we now distribute to upmarket restaurants.

Are you trying to live organically and in harmony with nature at home?

Already our little house and our establishment is all wood from the family forest that we built with a lot of help from our family. For us, working and generally living in harmony with nature is one of the most important challenges in life. Yet we feel that this is not enough and in many ways we are not doing everything right, we have a car, a tractor... Even building a plant will not benefit nature. We still buy our favourite bananas and avocados:-), often unnecessarily food in plastic. I think we still have a lot to work on ourselves to have a completely clear conscience.:-)

ORGANIC PRODUCE AND ORGANIC FARMING

Everyone of us comes across the term Organic on every corner. It's a hit nowadays, but that's actually a good thing. But few people can explain what organic actually is. If a product bears the label BIO, it means that the product has been produced according to the principles of organic farming.

In the case of the family-owned company Květomluva, this means that they do not use any herbicides, pesticides or artificial fertilizers to grow their medicinal herbs. In order to use this label, the Fryzelka family must, for example, rotate different types of herbs in the soil each year.

The term "organic" is directly linked to organic farming. Organic farming is based on the fact that only natural resources may be used to grow crops. So, for example, fertilisers are used to combat pests and must not contain chemicals. Crops grown in this way are healthy and very nutritious for humans. Organic farming also has a minimal impact on the pollution of the planet. That is what this is all about.

HOW TO MAKE LOOSE LEAF TEA EASILY

Tired of chasing petals in your cup of tea and drinking them? Who does? Try the new Brew It Stick for tea. It's great for travel, too. You pour the tea into the strainer and pour hot water over it. You let it steep for the desired amount of time for the tea. The Brew It Stick is also suitable for making coffee. For us, it is an indispensable part of our kit when we go on holiday.

WE HAVE A SELECTION OF TEAS AND INFUSIONS IN OUR SHOP.

Our decision to work with Zuzka and Radek was clear from the beginning. Like us, they do work they enjoy and find fulfilling, and they transfer their love into their products.

On our shop you can choose from twelve teas that have been lovingly picked for you. Our favorites include loose-leaf tea Hemp Love and Wallachian Summer.