What is a Weed? Finding Appreciation
By Kerry Maegan Hughes-Rico, M.Sc. – Herbalist and Ethnobotanist What is a weed? There was a time in my life when weeds were simply generic plants, unnamed and unknown. I used to drive down the street and hardly notice the “green carpet” that would buzz by me. The world consisted of people, animals, objects, and…
Hawthorn Tea for the Winter Heart
The trees are bare, the leaves are raked, and the gardens are tucked in for a long winter’s nap. But the pink rose in my front yard, with its deceptively delicate looking petals, still gives its sweet fragrance to the chilled air. Around the corner in my urban neighborhood, there are other bright gems —…
Buckwheat Pasta with Spinach Pesto
Take your fresh pesto (from this recipe) and make it into a tasty dish with buckwheat pasta, cooked greens and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese! This recipe is surprisingly simply and very good for you. See below!
Delicious Beet Greens and Spinach Pesto Recipe
This is one recipe we can’t help but visit time and time again! We introduced the Spinach Pesto recipe at one of our free cooking classes earlier this year, with much enthusiasm from the class. Now we are bringing the recipe to you so you can make anytime from your very own kitchen. It’s not…
Holiday Gift Guide: Natural Gifts for Kids
We are wrapping up our Holiday Gift Guide Marathon with natural gifts for kids, a whimsical selection of outdoor and play things for the little ones, infants to elementary. This year, forget the electronics and find a gift that challenges the imagination. From handcrafted masks and kitchen play sets to small herbal gardens and gardening…
Holiday Gift Guide: Hostess Gift Ideas
Looking for a creative gift to bring to your next holiday get together? We have a lovely display of hostess gift ideas for the party planner, from housewarming smudge sticks to vegan candles. See below for our Holiday Gift Guide: Hostess Gift Ideas for some of our favorite items that make excellent presents for the…
Holiday Gift Guide for Him: Herbalist Gifts
When it comes to finding gifts for men, isn’t that where everyone gets stuck? So this year, we’ve gathered some of the best gift ideas for the nature lover in your life. See below for some of our favorite manly herbalist gifts, ranging from cycling gear to organic shaving creams to local foodie items. …
Holiday Gift Guide for Her
For the all-natural woman on your holiday list this year, shop local, shop organic, but above all, shop smart. She’ll appreciate a thoughtful gift that is also functional–one that she may use out in the garden, for preparing meals, or on the go! See below for our favorite picks from vegetarian accessories to beautiful, handmade bags!…
Homemade Pumpkin Soup Recipe
This weekend, the students and staff cozied up at the Herbal Cottage with tea and soup as we talked through the nervous system, incense, flower essences, and so much more. Everyone enjoyed the soup so much that we thought we’d share Marlene’s very own Pumpkin Soup Recipe with you here, a delicious concoction that tastes…
Urban Moonshine on Finding Joy
This last week Jovial King, founder and CEO of Urban Moonshine, came to visit the Herbal Academy of New England to teach us about bitters and tonics. Learning about her journey was a delight, to say the least! While she shared with us a wealth of information, from history to benefits of bitters, perhaps the…
