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Well, let me tell ya somethin’ about this tractor black tea. Folks always talkin’ fancy ’bout tea, but I just make it plain and simple, the way it oughta be. No fuss, no muss.

First off, ya gotta get yourself some good water. Not that city stuff with all them chemicals, ya know? Good, clean well water is the best, but if ya ain’t got that, just try to find the purest water ya can. Boil it up real good, ’til it’s bubblin’ and steamin’ like a hot summer day.

Now, for the tea itself, I just use them regular black tea bags. Don’t need none of that fancy loose leaf stuff. Just a good ol’ tea bag, the kind ya find at the store. Some folks like it strong, some like it weak. Me? I like it right in the middle, not too weak that it tastes like water, but not too strong that it makes ya jittery.

• Boil the water.
• Put the tea bag in the cup.
• Pour the hot water over the tea bag.

That’s all there is to it. Let it sit for a few minutes, ’til it gets nice and dark. How long? Well, that depends. If ya want it strong, let it sit longer. If ya want it weaker, take the bag out sooner. It ain’t rocket science, ya know? Just use your common sense. My old man always said, “If it looks like tea and smells like tea, it’s probably tea.” He weren’t wrong, that old man.

Now, some folks like to add stuff to their tea. Sugar, milk, lemon… Me? I take it plain, mostly. Sometimes, if I’m feelin’ fancy, I might add a little bit of honey. But that’s about it. Don’t need all that other stuff messin’ with the good tea flavor.

Making iced tractor black tea is just as easy. Just make your tea the same way, but then let it cool down. You can put it in the fridge, or just let it sit on the counter. Once it’s cool, pour it over ice. Some folks like to add a little bit of lemon to their iced tea, makes it real refreshing on a hot day. I sometimes do that too, especially when I’m out working on the tractor and it’s hot as blazes.

Now, I heard some folks talkin’ about growin’ their own tea leaves. Well, I ain’t got time for that. I got too much work to do. But if you’re one of them fancy folks with nothin’ better to do, go ahead and try it. Just remember, tea needs hot water. Real hot. Almost boilin’. That’s the key to gettin’ all the flavor out of them leaves. Don’t be shy with the heat!

And speaking of heat, let’s talk about the water temperature. Some folks get all scientific about it, sayin’ it gotta be exactly this temperature or that temperature. Me? I just boil the water. That’s hot enough. Never had no problems with my tea bein’ too hot or too cold. Just boil the water, and you’ll be fine.

Steepin’ the tea is important too. Like I said before, ya gotta let it sit for a few minutes. But don’t let it sit too long, or it’ll get bitter. And nobody wants bitter tea. Three to five minutes is usually just right. But again, it’s a matter of taste. Experiment a little, find out what you like. It ain’t hard.

So, there ya have it. My way of makin’ tractor black tea. It ain’t fancy, but it’s good. It’s the kind of tea that gets ya goin’ in the mornin’ and keeps ya goin’ all day long. And it’s perfect for sippin’ on while you’re workin’ on the tractor, or sittin’ on the porch, or just about anythin’ else ya can think of. It’s just good, plain tea. And that’s all there is to it.

Remember, the best tea is the tea ya like. Don’t let nobody tell ya different. If ya like it weak, make it weak. If ya like it strong, make it strong. It’s your tea, make it the way ya want it.

And one more thing, don’t ever use dirty cups. Always wash your cups good before you make tea, nobody wants dirt in their drink now, do they? That’s just common sense, but some folks need remindin’ sometimes.

So go on, make yourself a cup of tractor black tea and enjoy. You deserve it.