The Herbs That Got Away: Rediscovering Silphium and Other Missing Historical Plants
With a landscape brightened by vivid colors and infused with aromatic scents of ocean and mountains, the ancient Mediterranean region provided a sensational feast for the senses. Many of the historical plants that the various ancient civilizations in this region gathered for food, medicine, and religion remain in use today. Yet, the story of some…
Lavender-Lemon Balm Lemonade
Summer is here and so is the time for long hours of gardening, hiking, picnics, and other outdoor activities and events! So what better way to stay hydrated during the day than with a homemade herbal lemonade? The following herbal lemonade recipe is perfect to cool down on a late afternoon, relax the body, and…
Garlic and Thyme Oxymel
Some of the best herbal preparations are the simplest—made with the ingredients you likely have sitting in your kitchen right now. This Garlic and Thyme Oxymel is one such preparation: easy to make, delicious, and perfect to tuck in the cupboard for just those times you need a little extra respiratory or immune support. What’s…
Strategies for Creating a More Gender-Inclusive Herbal Practice
This post is co-authored by Linden de Voil R.H. You are reading Part 2 of a series on how to make your herbal practice, classes, or books more accessible to transgender clients. In Part 1, we talked about the harms trans people experience in conventional health care and the difficulties in even accessing that care,…
Growing a Gender-Expansive Herbal Practice
This post is co-authored by Linden de Voil R.H. For most trans/non-binary and gender non-conforming folks, medical care is a horror show. It’s hard to overstate the problem, given the long, ugly history of violence done to trans bodies and psyches under the modern medical system. To this day, trans people in need of health…
Summer Solstice Sun Tea Recipes
The clouds make way, the night lessens, and the sun shines brightly as ever. It is the summer solstice—the longest day of the year! On this day, the sunbeams high in the sky, proudly providing warmth and light. A new season is ushered in, with the hope of a successful harvest to follow. The summer…
Cooling Recipes for Managing Pitta Dosha
“The brilliance of a raging fire dragon in the city of sparkling gems—such is the nature of pitta” (Tiwari, 1995, p. 48). Ayurveda teaches that summer is ruled by pitta dosha, and pitta is composed of fire and water. Temperatures are on the rise, as is the need and desire to stay cool. If you…
Herbal Academy Student Feature: Erin Ethier (@earthlyremediesbyerin)
For the twelfth installment of our Student Feature Series, we spoke with herbalist Erin Ethier (@EarthlyRemediesByErin). Erin has completed the Herbal Academy’s Advanced Course. She does herbal consultations and owns Earthly Remedies by Erin, an herbal company that makes plant medicines and botanical skincare. HA: Please tell us a little bit about yourself and…
Rose and Vanilla Honey Recipe
Rose and vanilla honey is a wonderful gift idea for someone you love. Containing ingredients known for their association with romance and love, this simple honey is sure to be a hit to the heart. Rose (Rosa spp.) is such a loving plant and is a wonderful addition to any love potions meant for others…
How to Make a Succus
A succus is the freshly expressed juice of a plant or its fruit. If you aren’t familiar with this kind of herbal preparation, that is probably because it hasn’t been as widely offered by producers in the herbal industry. Home herbalists tend to reserve this type of preparation for fewer plants, or those that will…
Plant Personalities: How Growing Plants Deepened My Relationship With Them
I can proudly shout from the rooftops that I am a giant nerd! I am obsessed with herbalism, plant personalities, and creating deeper connections to the earth. This path is a lifelong study, which is one of the many reasons I am drawn to it. As an herbalist, I can continually read, study, play, and…
Transform Your Land Into a Botanical Sanctuary
Native plants and their habitats are under threat. These threats come from overharvesting caused by the demand of the herbal market, and land development as more housing and other developments pop up around the country. As herbalists and plant enthusiasts, part of our journey is learning how to be stewards to our plant allies with…
Herbal Academy Student Feature: Kendra Payne @the.herbal.scoop
For the eleventh installment of our Student Feature Series, we spoke with herbalist Kendra Payne (@the.herbal.scoop). Kendra writes for the Herbal Academy blog and has completed the Herbal Academy’s Introductory Herbalism Course, Intermediate Herbal Course, Natural Perfumery Course, and Mastering Herbal Formulations Course. She owns The Herbal Scoop, a discovery-based herbal botanical shop where she sells…
DIY Spring Herb Salve With Lavender, Calendula, and Rose
Fresh slow-infused calendula drips through a strainer sending drops of gold liquid splashing to the bottom of the glass. Next to it a jar filled with sweet lavender oil fills the room with a soothing aroma. A glittering of copper paints the wall as the sun hits the lid to my rose-infused oil. This right…
How to Source Sustainable Seaweed
Seaweed has been farmed in Japan since at least the 17th century (“Seaweed Farming”, n.d.), when farmers cast bamboo branches into shallow waters where seaweed spores would collect. But its use as a food source stretches back much further, with archaeologists discovering that the coastal people of Monte Verde, Chile harvested and consumed seaweed as early as 21,000…
Meet Hawaiian Ethnobotanist Dr. Isabella Aiona Abbott “The Seaweed Lady”
Isabella Aiona Abbott—the seaweed lady, First Lady of Limu, Izzy, or we might even call her Abottella after a seaweed that was named after her—is one of many remarkable people whose story absolutely calls to herbalists. Her story is less often told than other famous names of botany or herbalism. She was a botanist and…
All-Natural Pest Control Treatments
This excerpt is from Tammi Hartung’s book Homegrown Herbs and is reprinted with permission from the publisher. There are numerous methods for controlling insect pests in the garden, field, or greenhouse. Prevention will always be your best approach, but if that fails, consider beneficial insects or nonchemical pest controls. Do your best to address problems…
Moon Cycle Tea for Painful Period Cramps
Many people have experienced painful period cramps at some point. Period cramps may be anywhere from mild to debilitating, making someone want to stay in bed all day long. Severe period pain is not normal and warrants a professional assessment as it can be a sign of conditions such as endometriosis. Mild to moderate pain…
Love Your Liver Herbal Tincture
Urban dwellers should consider an herbal liver tincture as part of their daily routine. When living in an environment where air quality, pollutants, and water quality are more of a daily challenge, it’s vital to ensure that your liver is functioning in tip-top shape. The liver carries over 500 functions in the body and is…
5 Easy to Grow Perennial Herbs for Busy Gardeners
For anyone who has attempted gardening, it can be hugely disappointing to spend an entire weekend setting up your garden and then watch your garden plants decline or wither because you were wrapped up in work and life responsibilities and didn’t have time to take care of it. On the other hand, having a garden…
Moon-Inspired Herbal Pancakes and Cookies
It was a full moon day, so I decided to create herbal pancakes and cookies inspired by the moon. This is how I often start my kitchen creations. Intuitively, I choose from my collection of natural ingredients. I am inspired by nature and I like to create from feeling. I rarely follow recipes. Colors are…
Vining Herbs: Take Gardening to New Heights
Vining plants do so much for a garden. Vertical climbing plants take up minimal ground space and add height and texture to the garden scape. They will hide unsightly garden walls or become a whimsical focal point when grown on an arched trellis or pergola. Trellised vining plants grown on porches and patios can provide…
Bedtime Herbal Bitters Recipe
Making your own herbal remedies feels empowering in a cultural climate that seems increasingly disconnected from nature. There’s a beauty to the process, and a sense of simplicity, too. One of the most accessible remedies for new herbalists is a tincture of bitter herbs. It’s easy to make, and it gives you a little freedom…
California Poppy Benefits + Recipe
California poppy (Eschscholzia californica), the state flower of California, is a beautiful wildflower that has been an ally to western-dwelling Indigenous peoples for long before there was a United States, let alone a United States Pharmacopeia. In this post, I will share with you a materia medica on the beneficial California poppy benefits, which should…
Essential Oils in Pregnancy
What makes an essential oil safe to use during pregnancy? Essential oils are potent extractions of the most volatile components found in plant matter. Thus, each botanical species should be carefully considered before use. Further, essential oils should be more heavily diluted for use during this time—one important aspect of safe essential oils for pregnancy. …
How to Schedule Your Day Based on Energy Levels
Ayurveda teaches that one of the root causes of health imbalances is living out of harmony with nature. However, living in harmony with nature is no small feat, especially in the modern day. Furthermore, what exactly does it mean to “live in harmony?” Fortunately, Ayurveda offers a rich perspective on this. Your constitution, the seasons,…
Bee Propolis: The Honey Bee’s Secret To Hive Health
We all know that honey bees create delicious honey and beautiful wax, but they also make a fantastic substance called bee propolis. Like honey, propolis offers a myriad of scientifically researched benefits. Propolis is a sticky “bee glue” that is used inside honey bee colonies. Composed of tree resins, wax, essential oils, pollen, and other…
How and Why To Start an Herb Garden
As a kid growing up in Ohio, I really looked forward to the growing season. My father always had a love for plants (mainly flowers) and would take us to the local garden centers to grab the flowers for that year’s gardens. However, when our family first moved into our house there were no plants…
Herbal Soap Recipe for Eczema
If you’re living with eczema, bathing may cause more pain than pleasure. However, there is hope! Switching from commercial soaps to an herb-infused soap recipe for eczema may be all you need to start to feel some relief. A few months back we walked through how to create herbal oils that could be used in…
A Floral Craft Project to Celebrate Herbalist Day
Herbalist Day is right around the corner (April 17!), and it’s the perfect opportunity to thank the herbalists in your life for the positive impact they’ve made on you. Whether they crafted a nourishing recipe just for you, shared their herbal know-how, helped you find greater wellness, inspired you to connect with the plants around…
