Herbal Academy Student Feature: Jess Bergeron (@jkb.journal)
Welcome to another installment of our Student Feature series! We interviewed Jess Bergeron (@jkb.journal), graduate of Herbal Academy’s Mastering Herbal Formulation Course. Jess is a home herbalist and focuses on educational and inspirational content on her Instagram page. You can also find her on her web page, JKB Journal. HA: Please tell us a little…
Let Your Winter Cares Melt Away With These Chai Spice Bath Melts
While many are familiar with the comforting experience of sipping a warm cup of chai, here at the Herbal Academy we have concocted another way to engage the properties of these herbs— chai spice bath melts. In this exploration, we will delve into masala chai herbs and learn how to create chai spice bath melts…
In Bloom: Floral Tea Recipe for the Full Moon
For those who pay special attention to the lunar cycles, the Full Moon is commonly recognized as a time for manifestation and fruition. If the New Moon is auspicious for intention setting, rest, and reflection, the Full Moon is the time when our intentions and dreams flower into full form. As author and astrologer, Demetra…
An Herbal Peanut Butter Cup Recipe That Supports the Nervous System
We’re deep into that time of the year when fall’s golden glow gives way to winter’s short, dark days. During this transition and into the months ahead, we may find ourselves craving warmth, be it in the form of a heavy, comforting blanket, a warm cup of tea, or sweet treats from our kitchen countertops…
How to Make Herbal Electuaries + 2 Recipes to Get You Started
As far as homemade herbal preparations go, it doesn’t get much easier than herbal electuaries. This beginner-friendly herbal concoction is quick to make and use in a variety of ways, and you may already have the ingredients sitting in the kitchen to whip up your own blends right away! What is an herbal electuary, anyway?…
Lesser-Known Uses of Sunflower: National Geographic Herbal
In National Geographic Herbal, herbalist and author Mimi Prunella Hernandez, RH(AHG), shares her passion for discovering both global traditions and local wisdom surrounding various herbs and spices and is the perfect guide through a worldwide spectrum of perspectives in herbalism. Exploring the benefits of common weeds like dandelion and red clover, as well as little-appreciated…
Supporting Creativity and Activity: Herbs for the Waxing Moon
If the New Moon is the time for planting seeds and intentions, the Waxing Moon is the time when we move from intention-setting to bringing our hopes, dreams, visions, and goals into form and action. The waxing phase of the Moon is a time characterized by heightened extroversion, activity, and creativity. During this time, we…
Cheesecloth Ghosts: A Halloween Craft for the Whole Family
Who remembers this spooktacular craft from their own childhood? A fun tradition that we very much want to pass along to all our herbalist friends, Halloween cheesecloth ghosts are cute, easy, and customizable. As an herbalist, you may just have everything you need on hand to create these adorable seasonal crafts. Plus, this gives you…
A Simple Incense Recipe Using Ethically Sourced Herbs
In Earth Medicines: Ancestral Wisdom, Healing Recipes, and Wellness Rituals from a Curandera, traditional healer, storyteller, and Indigenous foods activist Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz invites readers to connect with the the elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water that are so deeply integral to her curanderismo tradition. Felicia shares many aspects that shape her own personal practice,…
A Must Try Fire Cider Recipe Using Unexpected Herbs
Fire cider, the renowned vinegar-based infusion of pungent plants, is an altogether invigorating concoction with a real spicy history in traditional folk herbalism. In this article, we have a creative spin on the traditional fire cider with a Cranberries and Cardamom Fire Cider recipe we are sharing below! The story of fire cider recipe’s rise…
New Moon Herbal Mix Recipe for New Beginnings
The New Moon, the time in which the moon is occluded from our earthly vision due to its position in the sky between the Sun and Earth, is commonly understood as a time for new beginnings. If the Full Moon is a time for fruition and manifestation, the New Moon is the time to light…
Herbal Academy Student Feature: Dave Achula (@achula__)
In this installment of our Student Feature series, we interviewed Dave Achula (@achula_). Dave is the owner of Achula, an immersive experience that invites individuals to explore the healing power of nature, directly in nature. He has completed Herbal Academy’s Intermediate Herbal Course, Business Herbal Course, and Mastering Herbal Formulation Course. HA: Please tell us…
Homemade Pumpkin Sugar and Spice Body Scrub
It’s August in Ohio as I write this and while the weather is still decidedly summery, I can’t help but look forward to the autumnal change that is right around the corner. The burst of colors from the trees, warm fuzzy sweaters, and pumpkin everything is already on my mind. While I delight at every…
Preserving the Summer Garden With Bouquet Garni de Provence Ice Cubes
It’s already late summer, which means that herbs that we planted in our summer garden have been in full bloom for a while, and we have been using them in all kinds of ways: herbal infusions, tinctures, decorations, herbal salts, adding them to meals and salads, and making other herbal preparations of all kinds… but…
Matcha-Lemon Balm Homemade Gummies for Back-to-School
Whether you are an educator, a student, or a parent of students, sometimes it’s helpful to have a little herbal support to transition from summer mode into back-to-school season! While we may let our brains go on vacation over the leisurely summer months, the start of August reminds us that fall (and school, for some)…
How to Make Lavender Shower Steamers
Shower steamers are like a bath bomb for the shower, and they will elevate your showering experience in the same way a bath bomb levels up your bathing experience. A small scented puck you can put in the bottom of your shower to envelop yourself in scent and transform your bathroom into an aromatherapeutic experience,…
A Refreshing Basil & Thyme Coconut Water Limeade
If you are reading this in mid to late summer, depending on the part of the globe where you reside, the summer heat may be as strong as it gets. This means that staying hydrated during this time is more important than ever. But we hear you—drinking plain water in the necessary amount of 2-3…
3 Ways to Use Your Summer Rose Harvest
Roses are red, violets are blue, we’ve got three herbal rose (Rosa spp.) recipes for you! This ever-so-classic flower is a staple in Valentine’s Day bouquets. It’s a gesture of love and serves as a universal symbol of romance for good reason. This is a heart-opening, uplifting, and aphrodisiac herb – and it’s also a…
5 Common Spices to Use for Everyday Health
The following excerpt, 5 Common Spices to Use for Everyday Health, is taken from Spice Apothecary© by Bevin Clare. Used with permission from Storey Publishing. HEALTHY CONNECTIONS: SKIN, BONES, AND JOINTS Our skin is the organ that interacts most with the world. A dynamic and responsive organ, it contends with all kinds of impacts and…
Vegan Herbalism: How to Find Alternatives to Honey, Beeswax, and More
From infusions to tinctures, salves, syrups, electuaries, fire ciders, and more, there’s no shortage of accessible herbal preparations to integrate into daily life. For those who adhere to a vegan lifestyle, the practice of vegan herbalism means understanding the options for animal-free ingredients to use in common herbal preparations. A vegan lifestyle is one that…
Herbal Academy Courses Migrate to Lifetime Access – Everything you Need to Know
Over the past decade, through the ebbs and flows, in times of uncertainty and transitions, and in seasons of abundance and growth, the Herbal Academy has always prioritized meeting our community where you are in your herbal journey. This evolution has involved listening and responding to the needs of our students. We’ve grown right along…
Top Supports for Anxiety: Herbs, Lifestyle, and Traditional Wisdom
On the rare occasion when I meet someone who reports that they never get stressed or anxious, I typically raise an eyebrow. Some level of stress, worry, and even fearfulness is a natural and normal part of life. We have evolved to have a negativity bias as a means of survival, meaning we scan our…
How to Make a Rose, Grapefruit, and Ginger Mocktail
The whole second half of summer is ours to celebrate! Let’s make sure that we squeeze the most out of the hot sunny days and enjoy the expansive energy that comes with summer and the season’s extended daylight hours by making an herbal deliciousness like this Rose, Grapefruit, and Ginger Mocktail. The higher sun and…
The Three Aspects of Taste in Ayurveda
In our new Ayurveda and Digestive Health Intensive in The Herbarium, Ayurvedic practitioner and Certified Iyengar Yoga teacher Greta Kent-Stoll, delves into the foundational concepts of ayurvedic eating, such as the six tastes, and the role that each of the three doshas plays in digestive health. You will learn how to recognize vata-, pitta-, or kapha-type digestive…
9 BIPOC-Owned Herb Shops to Support
We herbalists know that curating our home herbal supply is a labor of love that doesn’t exactly happen overnight. It takes time to line our cabinets with plants and products, whether homegrown, foraged, made, or gifted. And oh, how sweet it is to take our time with the plants! While there are many places you…
Herbal Academy Student Feature: Dagny Kream (@thecottagepeach)
We recently spoke with Dagny Kream (@thecottagepeach) as part of our Student Feature Series. Dagny is the owner of The Cottage Peach, where she shares slow-living inspiration: seasonal farm-to-table vegetarian recipes, gardening tips, seasonal crafts, traditional skills, and more. Dagny has completed Herbal Academy’s Foraging Herbal Course and the Botanical Skin Care Course. HA: Please…
Strawberry-Thyme Shortcake Recipe With Whipped Crème Fraîche
The following Strawberry-Thyme Shortcake recipe excerpt is eprinted with permission from The Prairie Kitchen Cookbook by Kayla Lobermeier. Page Street Publishing Co. 2023. Photo credit: Kayla Lobermeier. Kayla Lobermeier is the creator of Under A Tin Roof, an organization focused on gardening, preserving, and cooking food with real ingredients. Kayla has been featured in Willow and…
How Does Scent Affect Mood?
On an intuitive and experiential level, many of us are aware of the connection between scent and mood. Though some may tune into the significance of scent more consciously than others, our sense of smell is intimately related to our emotions and even cognitive function and spatial awareness (Fifth Sense, 2021). Furthermore, appealing scents enhance…
Delicious Elderberry and Blueberry Jam With No Pectin
Who’s ready for a burst of berry botanical flavor? Warmer days call for a special picnic companion—homemade jam. You can spread this blueberry and elderberry jam on toast, crackers, bagels, or waffles—the possibilities are infinite. What’s even better than a homemade jam? One that you can make without needing pectin, and one that is free…
Anise vs. Anise Hyssop: What’s the Difference?
It is easy to make the mistake of thinking that the name anise is just an abbreviation for the anise hyssop plant. Many people assume that they are the same thing, when in fact, they are actually two completely different plants. Both plants share one major characteristic–a rich licorice aroma and flavor–but the fresh plants…
