Pollinator Gardens 101: Helping Mother Nature
Have you noticed less bees buzzing around or a decrease in monarch butterflies in your area? What about a decrease in hummingbirds or moths? Our earth is in trouble, which puts us in trouble since we depend her pollinators for much of our food. Today, I’d like to share some brief information with you about…
Sweet Violets of Spring
I’m sitting here, looking out the office window over the snow-covered hills and sniffing a wee bottle of violet leaf absolute that arrived a couple months ago in an extravagant birthday basket. It is hard to describe, but Marge Clark of Nature’s Gift has this to say about it: “Intensely green initially, this absolute has…
DIY Herbal Pet Shampoo and Rinse for Healthy Skin & Fur
As the ground begins to thaw, we will be spending more time outdoors with our pets enjoying the warmth of early spring. And, just like us, our pets will be transitioning from the dryness of winter to the freshness of spring. Since different seasons have different effects on skin, pet owners should be aware of…
What Exactly Are “Parts” in Herbal Recipes?
In the sleepy morning hours, I often find myself brewing a warm pot of tea to accompany me through the day. Spoonfuls of beautiful dried herbs, fragrant and colorful, say their hellos to me as I measure them into the pot. Easily measured out with my trusty spoon, it only takes a moment or two…
(Survey) Help Us Choose Our Next Short Course!
Here at the Herbal Academy, we strive to provide intriguing, thought-provoking, and enjoyable content for our students and followers. In addition to our core Introductory, Intermediate, Entrepreneur, and Advanced Herbal Courses, we are constantly developing new content to keep our students and followers engaged with their herbal education, most recently through providing shorter courses on…
10 Herbalists to Acknowledge in 2017
These ten herbalists have sown so many seeds of inspiration for many of us in the herbal community. One thing for certain is that there seems to be a common trait among these herbalists: a consistent drive that keeps them moving, teaching, and forever learning with a deep and evident passion for herbalism. Many have…
3 Easy Herbs to Grow From Seed
Tuning in to the cycle of the seasons is an integral part of wellness, as our connection to the earth roots and nourishes us in myriad ways. I revel in the cozy cocoon and silence of winter after living out loud and hot in the summer and pushing through the ramped up pace of back-to-school…
Cooling Cucumber Mint Limeade For Hot Summer Days
I have to be honest—when I first stumbled upon cucumber mint limeade, I was hesitant but intrigued. I like cucumbers, but have never had a cucumber drink, at least not outside of juicing. I did some research and found that many people really enjoy this drink. In fact, it is a popular agua fresca served…
Find the Perfect Way to Thank An Herbalist on Herbalist Day 2017
Thank an Herbalist Day is just around the corner and is the perfect time to share appreciation for herbalists who have touched your life and influenced your herbal journey. Whether it is the celebration of a teacher, a friend, or just someone who inspires you, giving gratitude is a medicine in itself. Herbalists who have…
How To Use Essential Oils For Hair Care
As you walk down the drugstore aisle, you can be overwhelmed with the number and variety of hair care products. Their costs range from very inexpensive to an amount that would rival the gross national product of some countries. However, if you look closely, you will notice that the ingredients contain some startling similarities. Water…
6 Spring Herbs You Can Forage Now
Spring is just around the corner and foragers everywhere are looking forward to the first spring herbs you can forage as they burst from the earth. For centuries, humans counted on spring’s nutrient rich plants for food and nourishment after a long winter consuming stored foods. While fresh food is now available all year round…
How To Make Herbal Kombucha Champagne
Our new Short Course—The Craft of Herbal Fermentation, is live and we’re thrilled to be welcoming students into the world of herbal fermentation. In fact, we’re getting so much great feedback about this course (including a lot of interest in the Kombucha Unit from class) that we are excited to share another recipe with you….
Three Herbs to Support Digestion After a Long Winter
Human beings are part of the natural environment. We pass through the same natural and seasonal cycles that affect other living beings—animals, plants, and ecosystems. This is reflected in traditional healing systems the world over. Western herbalism has a long history of practices and remedies that are determined by the season, and older systems like…
Vegan Herb And Veggie Stew
Because nothing says warming and comforting winter foods quite like a big, hearty bowl of stew. Yes, even vegan herb and veggie stew! This plant-based soup is nutrient dense and loaded with beans, kale, herbs, and other seasonal winter veggies that will make any belly happy—especially after a long day of trekking around in the…
Now Enrolling: The Craft of Herbal Fermentation
We have been talking a lot about our new Short Course, The Craft of Herbal Fermentation over the last few weeks, and as of today, the course is officially live! If you purchased this course during our pre-registration sale, class is now available for you to log in and begin your studies. If you’ve have…
Nettle Beer: A Delicious, Healthy Herbal Ferment
Registration is open for our new Short Course—The Craft of Herbal Fermentation. Today we want to give you a little sneak peek inside the course so you can get an idea of what to expect. This course teaches you how to make your own herbal beers, mead, kombucha, water kefir, and lacto-fermented foods, and we…
5 Herbal Books For Parents Who Want To Support Their Child’s Health Naturally
As parents, we all want what is best for our children. For those of us who turn to herbs for life’s little ups and downs as well as for supporting a healthy holistic lifestyle, knowing which herbs to use and how to use them safely for our children is of utmost importance. Finding trusted herbal…
The History of Chocolate – Food of the Gods
Delightful, delicious, delectable, decadent. How we describe chocolate varies depending on how much we’re thinking about it! What is the number one food craved by woman? Chocolate! Did you realize that chocolate has only been enjoyed outside of the Americas for about 500 years? The History of Chocolate The cacao (chocolate) tree, or…
How To Make Herbal Homemade Wine and Mead
With the explosion of the DIY movement in recent years, more people seem to be returning to old-school food and drink traditions, many of them involving fermentation. The HuffPost’s hilarious list of “The 22 Most Hipster Foods On The Planet” includes a great many of these, from kombucha to pickles, craft beers to kimchee. But…
3 Herbal Popcorn Seasoning Blends That Friends and Family Will Love
Busy families need healthy snacks and all the better if they offer an easy way to incorporate herbs into your daily diet. Popcorn is low in calories, high in fiber, and with a little healthy oil and seasoning, it’s delicious! It appeals to kids and adults alike, is easy to make, and is much more…
Teacher Feature: Carey Denman
Carey Denman is a community herbalist and associate educator here at the Herbal Academy, and we are excited to share this interview with Carey as a way to introduce another of the wonderful teachers that are hard at work behind the scenes here at the school. Carey lives with her family on a small acreage…
How To Support A Broken Heart With Herbs
Heartbreak spares no one. Sooner or later, we all get to know that particular emotion which, for us, might show up as sadness and despair, or anger, or numbness. Our heartbreak might show up in the body as sleeplessness, a lack of concentration and focus, diminished appetite, or even physical pain. Our herbal forebears were…
3 Herbal Chocolate Recipes To Inspire Love & Passion
For many years, cultures around the world have considered chocolate to be connected to sensual desire. The Aztecs are thought to be the first to link the two, and it is said that Emperor Montezuma was notorious for consuming great amounts of the cocoa bean before, ahem, hopping into bed (O’Connor, 2006). The history…
Rose Petal and Rhodiola Valentine’s Day Herbal Lollipops
Although sugar shouldn’t be a regular feature in a healthy diet, homemade candy making can be a delightful way to celebrate Valentine’s Day without the artificial sweeteners and dyes found in typical store-bought candy. Roses, hawthorn, and Rhodiola are the herbs that take center stage for these special Valentine’s Day herbal lollipops, and they bring…
Love Potions, Charms, and Such (+3 Recipes!)
Back in the days when I co-owned an herb shop at a Renaissance faire, a great many of our sales would be used as components of amulets, talismans, potions, charms, and spells. More often than not, they were used to draw love to the one purchasing the herbs. The only other purpose that even came…
How To Make Essential Oil Solid Perfume to Warm Your Winter Romance
Winter, in many places in the world, means shorter days, longer nights, and cooler temperatures. We tend to stay indoors more and work on different tasks than we did during the longer, sunlit summer days. This can be a time to slow down, have a cup of tea, and nurture your personal relationships with friends…
5 DIY Floral Body Polish Recipes
“The earth laughs in flowers” Ralph Waldo Emerson Flowers are delightful, bringing joy to a weary soul. Savor the beauty of flowers and enjoy a bit of summertime in your self-care routine with a floral body polish. Filled with the goodness of flowers, a floral body polish offers sensuous fragrance and beauty while bringing the…
How To Make and Use Rose Infused Honey
Tranquility, love, and contentment are some of the emotions triggered when inhaling the beautiful aroma of the humble rose. For thousands of years, roses have been powerful symbols associated with love and beauty. Not only are roses an elegant way to say “I love you,” but they offer extraordinary health benefits, both for our bodies…
Free Pages for your Materia Medica
If the concept of creating a materia medica is somewhat new for you, we welcome you to learn more on the blog with our post What is a Materia Medica? The Herbal Academy materia medica is compiled in The Herbarium, our online plant monograph database. If you’re already a member of The Herbarium, you are…
Homemade Marshmallow Root Lip Balm
Whether it’s the parching of the hot summer sun or the blustering cold wind of our Michigan winters, my lips always seem to be in need of some sort of soothing, healing, moisturization all year long. I used to spend money on fancy lip balms and butters at the store until I realized how wonderfully…
