Biography

Carey Denman hails from the beautiful Black Hills, where she lives on a little acreage with her husband and four children. Here, she keeps a few chickens and a sprawling garden, which has become a living classroom for her and her family. Carey had the benefit of a “free-range” childhood, rambling all over the hills and valleys that surrounded her family home, picking wild strawberries and munching on wood sorrel and wild onions. Thanks to her father, the unofficial family naturalist, she learned to name many of the plants growing around her house. By nurturing her early enthusiasm for the natural world, Carey has become a burgeoning family herbalist. With self-study and hands-on practice, she has learned how the beautiful, yet humble, weeds and flowers in her world are a boon to her family’s health. In particular, she has witnessed the efficacy of herbs in treating her son’s eczema and in dealing with his MRSA. Her passion for digging in the dirt and making herbal self-care products is only outmatched by her zeal for teaching others. She holds frequent gardening and herbal workshops for people interested in taking small steps toward improving their health. A public herb and tea garden that she designed and manages has become the perfect place for sharing her experience with others. Carey holds a Master’s Degree in English Rhetoric from South Dakota State University and has taught a variety of university classes over the last fifteen years, including researched writing, creative writing, and composition. She gets the opportunity to cultivate her own love of language by writing a weekly column for her local newspaper.