Since last semester, Residential Initiative for the Study of the Environment, or RISE, students have been meeting every Wednesday to test and blend teas for what is called Bailey’s Blend.
Tomich-Baylis has been leading the group of students on the creation of teas in Bailey Hall.
Bailey’s Blend is the brain child of students working in the blending of teas in Bailey Hall.
“It started with my love for food, and gardening; (it was) a fusion of those two together,” Tomich-Baylis said.
Tomich-Baylis was working at the Bailey GREENhouse when the idea of blending teas emerged.
“Last semester we had all those herbs and we wanted to make some sort of value of a product that could possibly be sold to Kellogg (Center),” Tomich-Baylis said.
The first idea Tomich-Baylis had was to use the herbs to create an herbal pillow, or sachet, for people to use while sleeping for better sleep. After doing some research on what would reach a greater audience, she decided it was better to use the herbs for the creation of teas.
“We were playing with that, but then we decided to take a simple route and go with the teas because people are more familiar with the teas,” Tomich-Baylis said.
For RISE Assistant Director Heather Shea Gasser, the work Tomich-Baylis does makes her an “innovator.”
“Karri has spent countless hours finding the blend of the tea,” Shea Gasser said. “It’s her creation behind the scene and I think that’s very exciting.”
The process for blending the tea can take up to three weeks and requires people to collaborate.
Horticulture sophomore Allison Stawara is one of the Bailey’s Blend tea makers. She calls her experience of blending teas a “fun experiment.”
“Next fall we are hoping to expand the number and type of herbs that we are using for the tea, so we are hoping to bring more plants ... to expand the herbal teas that we are going to be making,” Stawara said.
Both, Stawara and Tomich-Baylis agree that Bailey’s Blend can have success among the MSU community.
“I envision trying to make a tea team too for this project and ... forming a solid relationship with Kellogg and having them offer in the dining room,” Tomich-Baylis said.
Tomich-Baylis has already met with executives of The State Room at Kellogg Center.
