Explore every episode of the podcast Herbal Radio
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Mycelial Healer | Featuring Christopher Parker | 14 Nov 2025 | 00:59:22 | |
This week on Everything You Didn't Know About Herbalism, we are joined by Christopher Parker, the self-taught mycologist with 30 years of experience in mushroom cultivation, wildharvesting, and herbal medicine making. Join us to explore:
As always, we thank you for joining us on another botanical adventure and are so honored to have you tag along with us on this ride. Remember, we want to hear from you! Your questions, ideas, and who you want to hear from are an invaluable piece to our podcast. Email us at podcast@mountainroseherbs.com to let us know what solutions we should uncover next within the vast world of herbalism.
Learn more about Christopher below! ⬇️ 🍄 Christopher Parker is a farmer, educator, and myco-culture keeper from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. For more than 30 years, he has cultivated gourmet and medicinal mushrooms in the Southern Appalachians, blending Indigenous forest-tending traditions with modern mycology science. As co-founder of The Forest Farmacy, a working farm and applied eco-mycology school, Christopher trains farmers, growers, and land stewards to regenerate soil, restore forests, and build livelihoods based on food sovereignty. His approach combines ancestral wisdom with hands-on cultivation, teaching people to grow mushrooms not just as a crop but as a practice of reciprocity and ecological repair. Christopher maintains one of the most diverse fungal culture libraries suited to the Appalachian bioregion and is dedicated to passing on these living genetic materials, along with the stories and skills that give them meaning. His work champions fungi as both food and medicine, and as partners in creating resilient communities. At the core of his teaching is a simple truth: humans are not separate from the forest—we are keystone species. Through careful tending, mushrooms serve as a bridge connecting people and place, culture and ecology, past and future.
📚 Get your hands on Christopher's new book! 📚 ~ 📓 Find herbal education opportunities at Christopher and Katherine's Eco-Mycology School! 📓 ~ 🍄 Want to learn how to grow your own medicinal mushrooms? 🍄 Check out the Beginner Mushroom Growing Course, by The Forest Farmacy! ~ 🌾 Join Chris for a LIVE webinar on turning farm waste into food, medicine, and profit 🌾 Start your Regenerative Mushroom Farm | Wednesday December 3rd 6pm EST ~ ⬇️ Check out Christopher's video interview below! ⬇️ ~~~ Mountain Rose Herbs is a purveyor of the highest quality organically grown herbs and spices, teas, essential oils, & botanical goods. You can find our organic botanical offerings on MountainRoseHerbs.com. Join our community! 🌿 Strengthening the bonds between people and plants for a healthier world. 🌿
| |||
| The Girl Whose Garden Comes Alive | Featuring Juliet Howard | 07 Nov 2025 | 00:47:04 | |
This week on Everything You Didn't Know About Herbalism, we are joined by Juliet Howard, the herbalist and author who focuses her practice on connecting budding mini herbalists-to-be through creating accessible, reciprocal backyard herbal education for children. Join us to explore:
As always, we thank you for joining us on another botanical adventure and are so honored to have you tag along with us on this ride. Remember, we want to hear from you! Your questions, ideas, and who you want to hear from are an invaluable piece to our podcast. Email us at podcast@mountainroseherbs.com to let us know what solutions we should uncover next within the vast world of herbalism. 🌿 More of a visual learner? Click here to watch Juliet's video interview! Learn more about Juliet below! ⬇️ 🪻Juliet Howard is an herbalist, mother, author of The Girl Whose Garden Comes Alive, musician, medicine-maker, and a lover of all things wild. Her relationship to plant magic began at a very early age living on the wild cliffs of the Oregon coast. Her approach to herbalism comes from a deep reverence for plants and she believes wholeheartedly that plants are a powerful portal into the magic and wonder of being alive and embodied. Check out Juliet's blog! ~ Find Juliet on social media! 📸 Instagram @daymoonbotanicals ~ Mountain Rose Herbs is a purveyor of the highest quality organically grown herbs and spices, teas, essential oils, & botanical goods. You can find our organic botanical offerings on MountainRoseHerbs.com. Join our community! 🌿 Strengthening the bonds between people and plants for a healthier world. 🌿
| |||
| Geekin' Out About Herbs | Featuring Colleen Bingham | 29 Aug 2025 | 00:58:52 | |
This week on Everything You Didn't Know About Herbalism, we are joined by certified herbalist, educator, and nerd for all things herbs, Colleen Bingham. Tag along with us as we explore Colleen's herbalism journey, which began with the one and only Rosemary Gladstar, the river of experiences Colleen has floated through since then, and her views on our uncharted future with AI. As the founder of Herb Nerd, Colleen shares her scientific approach to herbalism, explaining how her methods offer insight into not only the medicinal properties of the plant itself, but also provide a deep understanding of how an herb interacts with the human body. As always, we thank you for joining us on another botanical adventure and are so honored to have you tag along with us on this ride. Remember, we want to hear from you! Your questions, ideas, and who you want to hear from are an invaluable piece to our podcast. Email us at podcast@mountainroseherbs.com to let us know what solutions we should uncover next within the vast world of herbalism. More of a visual learner? 🌿📺 Check out the video interview here! 📺🌿 🌷Colleen Bingham is a lifelong nature-loving nerd and the founder of Herb Nerd, a digital education hub for herbal medicine making and natural product development. She started her herbal journey in 2010 thanks to the writings of Rosemary Gladstar and an introductory herbal program with Jane Bothwell at the Dandelion Herbal Center, later deepening her knowledge at the California School of Herbal Studies, where she became core faculty and taught for a decade. Colleen is a Certified Herbalist, natural product formulator, and educator with 13+ years of experience in the wellness space. She's taught hundreds of students how to make herbal remedies from scratch, combining traditional wisdom with scientific insight. At herbnerd.com, her deep love of solubility, extraction, and phytochemistry culminate in niche courses that deepen her students' understanding of why and how plants heal. Herbal skincare was her gateway into this work. In 2013, she launched Poppy Botanicals, a cult-favorite brand and creative incubator for plant-based beauty before "green beauty" became mainstream. She's also worked behind the scenes as a copywriter, formulator, education strategist, and DSHEA compliance/claims substantiation expert for national brands like Traditional Medicinals, Urban Moonshine, Dr. Morse's, and Herbal Academy. Her students know her for making herbalism accessible, fun, and crystal clear, blending her BFA in theatre with her Virgo moon sensibilities to keep classes engaging and practical. Whether you're curious about making your own face cream or building a home apothecary, she's here to help you nerd out on nature! Hone in your Herb Nerd skills! 🤓🌿 Herb Nerd Classes & Downloads 🌿🤓 Check out Colleen's blog! 📝 Herb Nerd Blog 📝 Peruse Colleen's YouTube channel! 📀 @HerbNerdSchool 📀 ~~~ Mountain Rose Herbs is a purveyor of the highest quality organically grown herbs and spices, teas, essential oils, & botanical goods. You can find our organic botanical offerings on MountainRoseHerbs.com. Join our community! 🌿Strengthening the bonds between people and plants for a healthier world.🌿 | |||
| Interviews on Herbal Radio | Featuring Patricia Cortez (Rerelease) | 29 Sep 2023 | 01:00:11 | |
In this week's Herbal Radio episode, we recount our enthralling and informative conversation with the bilingual-bicultural holistic practitioner, Patricia Cortez. Patricia sits down with Thomas in his studio and looks back on her childhood in El Salvador, her maternal grandmother's role as a "Spiritist" in her community, and the history of Día de Muertos. We hope you enjoy this touching podcast full of storytelling, wisdom, and a deep heart. Patricia Cortez is a bilingual-bicultural holistic practitioner at Eugene Reiki Healing. Mayan-Pipil is her maternal lineage and Aztec-Chorris her paternal lineage. She was trained by Mamá Trini, her maternal grandmother who was a "Spiritist" -the one who talks to Spirits, in the healing arts and in indigenous practices. She is a Sacred Fire tender and performs Sacred Fire Ceremonies on behalf of this community. She graduated from Portland State University as a Clinical Social Worker in 2005 and worked as a mental health clinician for over 15 years. She is currently an Adjourn Professor in Latinx Family and Culture at Pacific University and Administrative Program Coordinator at the Trauma Healing Project a nonprofit organization in town. She leads a small private practice offering Reiki, Energy Medicine, Abdominal Massage, Sound Treatment and other healing arts; for the past 8 years she has offered classes and workshops on Indigenous and Reiki Practices, Self-Healing, Ancestral Healing, Mayan Calendar, Healing of Earth, Reconciliation of Feminine & Masculine, Toltec Numerology, Dream Implantation, Working with Weather Beings and Energies in English and Spanish. She performs Womb Ceremony and works with Invisible Realms, Sacred Fire, the Moon, Copal, Weather Beings and Cacao. You can find Patricia here: www.eugenereikihealing.com Read Patricia's blog "Copal: A Healer, Protector, & Guide for Dia de Muertos" here. Join our community! | |||
| Plant Stories | Featuring Doug Elliot (Rerelease) | 15 Sep 2023 | 00:26:07 | |
There may be no better person that embodies the vision of "Plant Stories" like herbal troubadour and Appalachian naturalist, Doug Elliot. A gifted storyteller, Doug recites both wisdom and whimsical through spoken word and song. We've compiled some of our favorite songs that Doug has recorded with us and are releasing them together, in this delightful and heart-warming episode. Our host, Thomas, gives a brief introduction in between Doug's sets, offering context for each of the four botanical tales & tunes. Today's episode also comes with a special visual bonus! We had the pleasure of visiting with Doug in the summer of 2022 at his Appalachian homestead. Click here to see some of the photos of Doug in his element. Visit the links below to watch the videos of Doug's storytelling serenades on our YouTube channel: Dandelion Tips, Tales, & Tunes Life Lessons Through a Song About an Apple Rural Riddles & Blackberry Boogie A Sweet Strawberry Tale & Tune Want to hear more from Doug? Give "Interviews on Herbal Radio | Featuring Doug Elliot" a listen! Visit Doug Elliot's website here Doug Elliot is a naturalist, herbalist, storyteller, basket maker, back-country guide, philosopher, and harmonica wizard. For many years made his living as a traveling herbalist, gathering and selling herbs, teas, and remedies. He has spent a great deal of time with traditional country folk and indigenous people, learning their stories, folklore and traditional ways of relating to the natural world. In recent years he has performed and presented programs at festivals, museums, botanical gardens, nature centers and schools from Canada to the Caribbean. He has been a featured storyteller at the National Storytelling Festival. He has lectured and performed at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto and conducted workshops for the Smithsonian Institution. He has led ranger training sessions for the National Park Service and guided people on wilderness experiences from down-east Maine to the Florida Everglades. He was named harmonica champion at Fiddler's Grove Festival in Union Grove, N.C. He is the author of five books, many articles in regional and national magazines, has recorded a number of award winning albums of stories and songs, and is occasionally seen on PBS-TV, and the History and National Geographic Channels. In recent years, he has received a variety of honors. The National Storytelling Network (the largest storytelling membership organization in the world) inducted him into their Circle of Excellence for "exceptional commitment and exemplary contribution to the art of storytelling." The International Herb Association presented him with the Otto Richter Award honoring his work with herbs and useful wild plants. The National Association for Interpretation (the professional organization of park rangers, naturalists, museum curators, etc.) gave him the Master Front Line Interpreter Award for his "mastery of interpretive techniques, program development, and design of creative projects" celebrating the natural world and our human connection to nature. Elliot's passion for the natural world developed in early childhood roaming the woods and waters around his home. His dad used to say, "That boy knows what's under every rock between here and town." He still roams the woods today. He has traveled from the Canadian North to the Central American jungles studying plant and animal life and seeking out the traditional wisdom of people with intimate connections to the natural world. And he still looks under rocks. These days he uncovers more than just a few strange critters; he brings to light the human connection to this vibrant world of which we are a part. Join our community! Subscribe to the Mountain Rose Herbs newsletter | |||
| Interviews on Herbal Radio | Featuring Tree Knowlton | 01 Sep 2023 | 00:46:37 | |
Accessible herbal education, community outreach, and learning how can we better share herbal medicine are core values of ours at Mountain Rose Herbs. Discussing these topics led us to our guest this week, Tree Knowlton. Tree is one of the coordinators of Herbalists Without Borders Eugene chapter, graduate of Columbines School of Botanical Studies, master medicine maker, urban homesteader, and adored community member. Listen as we delve into the magic of one of Tree's beloved elixirs, the paths she took to be where she is at today, and the ways in which Herbalists Without Borders Eugene operates within our local community. Tree Knowlton is an herbalist, urban homesteader, sustainable landscape architect, and coordinator of the regional grassroots chapter of Herbalists Without Borders International, Herbalists Without Borders Eugene. A longtime resident of Eugene, Tree dedicates much of her time to community-based activism and recently, her adorable and playful puppy. Herbalists Without Borders Eugene is a regional grassroots chapter of Herbalists Without Borders International, coordinating and operating within its values, mission, and vision. Visit Herbalists Without Borders Eugene here. Visit our Events Calendar here for the schedule of upcoming classes with Herbalists Without Borders Eugene at the Mountain Rose Herbs Annex. Join our community! | |||
| Interviews on Herbal Radio With Thomas Dick | Featuring Tyrone Ledford (Rerelease) | 25 Aug 2023 | 00:53:51 | |
We are deeply thankful for today's interview with co-founder of Holistic Divine Innovations and founder of the Ridgecrest Community Garden and Herbal Zen Garden, Tyrone Ledford. This inspiring conversation centers around Tyrone's life growing up in Compton, California, his experiences growing food, his development of the Ridgecrest Community Garden and Herbal Zen Garden, as well as his life's other meaningful pursuits. Holistic Divine Innovations was one of five Grants4Plants winners in 2021 whose organizational mission is to show innovative, holistic ways of living by teaching self-sustainability through gardening and agriculture, herbalism, and maintaining one's connection to nature. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we do! Tyrone Ledford, a native from Compton, CA received his Bachelor's Degree from California State University, Fullerton in Child & Adolescent Development with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education. He later received his Master's Degree from Pacific Oaks College in Human Development/Social Change. Tyrone has almost 15 years of experience in teaching early childhood education and is currently a full-time child development professor for Cerro Coso Community College. Tyrone's background also consists of working in mental health intensive services as a family specialist. Tyrone is an author of the Child, Family, and Community Open Resource Textbook that is used throughout community colleges in California. Tyrone, who is the co-founder of Holistic Divine Innovations, founded and organized the Ridgecrest Community Garden and Herbal Zen Garden. Tyrone has been gardening intentionally for 10 years, and grows a combination of fruits, vegetables, and herbs for both culinary and healing power. Tyrone's experience extends as far as growing herbs to create his own teas, and tinctures, and educating communities on how to grow their own food and how to use plants for its nutritional value and medicinal properties. Tyrone's goal is to introduce individuals to the natural resources our earth provides, and to increase fresh organic food resources throughout communities. Tyrone hopes to help you create a sustainable garden because he believes health is wealth. Visit Holistic Divine Innovations here. Join our community!
| |||
| Plantain the Future | Featuring jim mcdonald (Rerelease) | 18 Aug 2023 | 00:59:27 | |
This week's episode was recorded at the in-person Summer 2022 Free Herbalism Project at Mt. Pisgah Arboretum in Eugene, Oregon. Emcee, Jiling Lin, introduces keynote speaker jim mcdonald – who presents on the many virtues of plantain. It's commonly said in herbalism that "It's far better to know a dozen uses for one herb than one use for a dozen herbs", yet, many people still think of herbs in a "take this for that" sense. To remedy this, jim mcdonald will offer in depth information on the far reaching potential of the common and infinitely sustainable weed plantain, exploring its deep and vital usage for issues throughout the body. From mosquito bites to leaky gut syndrome, this is a plant that can be a foundational part of one's path to wellness. Learn more about the Free Herbalism Project by clicking here. In 1994, jim mcdonald's life changed when he drank tea from a wild plant he harvested from the land he lived upon. Since those first sips of strange tea, his life in the woods and meadows of southeast michigan has been centered on the plants & ecosystems of that land, and how he might share their virtues to restore wellness with those around him. jim's approach to herbcraft is deeply rooted in the land he lives upon, and blends traditional european folk influences with 19th century eclectic and physiomedical vitalism, which he conveys with story, experience, humour, common sense and lore to students, clients, random passersby and readers of his websites www.herbcraft.org & herbcraft.podia.com. He's taught classes throughout north america and is currently (still) alternately writing "Foundational Herbcraft" and the "A Great Lakes Herbal", in addition to articles for journals and other publications. jimis a community herbalist, a manic wildcrafter and medicine maker, and has been an ardent student of the most learned teachers of herbcraft… the plants themselves. Learn more about jim and his educational opportunities by clicking here. Join our community! | |||
| Plant Stories | Featuring Richo Cech & Co-Host Jiling Lin | 11 Aug 2023 | 01:01:42 | |
On this episode of Plant Stories on Herbal Radio, we had the opportunity to speak with the acclaimed and enthralling herbalist, Richo Cech. We dive deep into Richo's life and passions, discussing everything from his seed-seeking adventures in Africa, to captivating stories of how he grew Strictly Medicinal Seeds from the ground up (pun-intended). Richo Cech started his professional work as an archaeologist and ethnobotanist in East Africa. Upon his return to the United States in 1978, he began cultivating and saving the seed of medicinal plants. Over the years, his gardens have become the basis for Strictly Medicinal Seeds, growers of organic, open pollinated and GMO-free seed and plants of medicinal herbs, culinary herbs, succulents, trees, and garden vegetables. Richo and his family produce a popular, bi-yearly, hand-illustrated seed catalog that provides access to this collection of common, quirky, eclectic, and bizarre seeds and plants. Richo is author of "Making Plant Medicine" (2000), "Growing At-Risk Medicinal Herbs" (2002), and "Growing Plant Medicine" (2009). Richo has botanized in China and Africa, resulting in the introduction of many new and exciting medicinal herb species to gardeners throughout the world. Visit Richo Cech at: https://strictlymedicinalseeds.com/ https://www.instagram.com/strictlymedicinalseeds/
Join our community! Strengthening the bonds between people and plants for a healthier world. | |||
| The Nurtured Herbalist | Tea Talks Roundtable | 04 Aug 2023 | 01:19:18 | |
Join herbalists Jiling Lin, Erika Galentin, and Camille Freeman for a lively Tea Talks Roundtable discussion on Nurturing the Herbal Practitioner. We explore: • some of the challenges that come with running an herbal practice • how to create a work cadence that's realistic in the long run • establishing clear boundaries between work and personal life • how to run an herbal practice that feels ethically aligned, aud sustains you • how we can feel supported and connected as herbal practitioners-- and continue growing and evolving as people and clinicians • the role of the herbalist in modern life • …and more! Learn more about these herbalists below: 🌿CAMILLE FREEMAN is a licensed nutritionist and registered herbalist specializing in menstrual health. She runs the Monday Mentoring community, hosts the In the Clinic with Camille podcast, and offers continuing education for advanced practitioners. Camille is a professor at the Maryland University of Integrative Health, where she teaches physiology and pathophysiology. Sign up for her newsletter here. 🌿ERIKA GALENTIN is the Clinical Herbalist and Lead Creatrix at Sovereignty Herbs, and host of the Herbal Practice Connexion and Herbal Sensorium podcast. Erika is a professional member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (UK, MNIMH) and American Herbalists Guild (USA, RH). She offers herbs & wellness coaching, online and in-person classes and workshops, and clinical mentorship programs. Sign up for her newsletter here.🌿JILING LIN is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac) and herbalist in Ventura, CA. A clinician and teacher, Jiling is also a passionate traveler, artist, and adventurer. Visit Jiling at JilingLin.com, Instagram @LinJiling, and Facebook @JilingLAc. Get her free Nourishing Life (養生) template, Five Phases (五行) outline, or sign up for her newsletter here. | |||
| Plant Stories | Featuring Lucretia VanDyke | 28 Jul 2023 | 00:57:48 | |
We are so pleased to feature another interview with our friend Lucretia VanDyke. On Herbal Radio, we have learned about Lucretia's upbringing and what led her to work with plants, but we have never gotten to learn what plants she loves and why. In this Plant Stories episode, Lucretia talks about her favorite edible plants of New Orleans and the significance they played in her upbringing that began her herbalism journey. With a journey that began when she was a little girl mixing herbs, mud, and roots on her grandparents' farm, Lucretia VanDyke has had a lifelong connection to the plants. She has been in the wellness industry for over twenty-five years. Her quest for knowledge and storytelling has led her all over the world to learn about remedies, traditions, and ceremonies from indigenous healers. One of the foremost experts on Southern folk healing arts, Lucretia integrates rituals, plant spirit meditation, holistic food/herbal medicine, and ancestor reverence into people's practices. Lucretia has worked and trained with many internationally known spa and skin care companies. She is a holistic educator, speaker, herbalist, sacred sexologist, ceremonialist, spiritual coach, intuitive energy practitioner, diviner, author, and world traveler. Lucretia brings her vivacious spirit and her message of ancestral connection in herbal practices to inspire others to embrace their unique relationship with the plants. Teaching herbal classes, cooking, storytelling, and foraging in the woods learning native medicine charges her soul. Lucretia's book African American Herbalism: A Practical Guide to Healing Plants and Folk Traditions is now available through Mountain Rose Herbs: https://mountainroseherbs.com/african-american-herbalism Visit Lucretia at: https://www.instagram.com/lucretia.vandyke
Join our community! Strengthening the bonds between people and plants for a healthier world. | |||
| Interviews on Herbal Radio with Thomas Dick | Featuring David Winston | 21 Jul 2023 | 00:57:40 | |
This week's guest on Interviews on Herbal Radio is esteemed herbalist, David Winston. David is well known in the herbal community for his decades of clinical experience, teaching, and medicine making. We hope you enjoy!
David Winston is an internationally known lecturer, author, ethnobotanist and the founder of Herbalist & Alchemist. For over 45 years, David has been studying, practicing, teaching and researching Chinese, Western/Eclectic and Southeastern American herbal traditions. David's world-renowned two-year herbal studies program, the David Winston Center for Herbal Studies, has been educating Herbalists, Physicians, Nurses, Naturopathic Physicians, Veterinarians, and Nutritionists in the art and science of clinical herbal medicine since 1980. David has one of the largest private herbal research libraries in the U.S. The Herbal Therapeutics Research Library has over 8000 volumes, from 1550 to present, and over 15,000 articles on file. This library is a working library used for research for the herbal and nutritional industry as well as for his writing and for Herbalist & Alchemist. David was one of the professional herbalists who founded the American Herbalists Guild, the first professional herbalists' organization in the US, which certifies clinical herbalists. He is on the professional membership review committee. David Winston has been on the Review Committee of the Botanical Safety Handbook, which produced a significant information resource, which the entire botanical industry, from manufacturers to researchers, relies upon. He is the clinical herbal consultant to hundreds of prominent physicians (MDs, NDs, DOs, DCs) throughout the US, Canada and Europe. David has authored hundreds of articles and a number of books on herbs. Visit David Winston at: https://www.davidwinston.org https://www.herbalist-alchemist.com/
Join our community! | |||
| Native California Herbs & 5 Elements, with Athene Eisenhardt | Tea Talks with Jiling | 07 Jul 2023 | 00:55:22 | |
Dr. Athene Eisenhardt, Licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist, found her path in life by way of the plant world. Working professionally as a field botanist for Yosemite National Park led her to begin wildcrafting and using native California plants as medicine, and to study the Taoist 5 elements in nature. She maintains a private practice in Oakland, California, offering 5 Element Acupuncture and Integrative Herbalism. Athene is also on the Herbology faculty at the Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine College in Berkeley, CA. Athene and Jiling discuss:
Visit Athene Eisenhardt at AthenEisenhardt.com Jiling Lin is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac) and herbalist in Ventura, CA. Visit Jiling at JilingLin.com, Instagram @LinJiling, and Facebook @JilingLAc. Get her free Nourishing Life (養生) template, Five Phases (五行) outline, or sign up for her newsletter here. Resources:
Join our community! Strengthening the bonds between people and plants for a healthier world. | |||
| The Importance of Trust in the Herbal Industry | Featuring Mark Blumenthal | 25 Aug 2025 | 00:57:16 | |
This week on Everything You Didn't Know About Herbalism, we are joined by a leader in the herbal industry whose dedication to providing accessible and reliable education thrives in just about every corner of the herb world, Mark Blumenthal. Join Tommy and Mark as they dissect the importance of having trust in an herbal product—not only for the herb itself, but more importantly, trust in the company who makes it. Through the Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program (BAPP) by the American Botanical Council (ABC), Mark and his team of experts spend countless hours researching and unmasking deceptive herbal products prevalent in the vast sea that is the herbalism industry today. Mark's work highlights a science-based approach to herbalism while simultaneously recognizing the rich folklore and cultural traditions behind it. 📺 PREFER VISUAL LEARNING? Check out this episode on Youtube! As always, we thank you for joining us on another botanical adventure and are so honored to have you tag along with us on this ride. Remember, we want to hear from you! Your questions, ideas, and who you want to hear from are an invaluable piece to our podcast. Email us at podcast@mountainroseherbs.com to let us know what solutions we should uncover next within the vast world of herbalism. Learn more about Mark and the American Botanical Council below! ⬇️ 🌿 Mark Blumenthal is the Founder and Executive Director of the American Botanical Council (ABC)—a leading, independent, research and educational nonprofit organization dedicated to disseminating accurate, reliable, and responsible information on herbs and medicinal plants, teas, essential oils, phytomedicines, beneficial plants, and edible and medicinal fungi. Blumenthal is Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of HerbalGram, ABC's international peer-reviewed quarterly journal. He is also the founder and director of the ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program (BAPP), a nonprofit international consortium committed to extensively researching and exposing adulteration and fraud in botanical ingredients sold in the global market. In 2010 he received the American Society of Pharmacognosy's Varro E. Tyler Award and in 2018 he was named Outstanding International Ethnopharmacologist by the Indian Society for Ethnopharmacology, and WholeFoods Magazine named Blumenthal Person of the Year in 2023. He has appeared on more than 400 radio and television shows and has written more than 500 articles, reviews, and book chapters and forewords for many publications. He was awarded Natural Health Magazine's Hall of Fame Award for "…opening America's eye to the healing powers of herbs." For more than 50 years, he has been a leader in the global botanical and natural products community, promoting science-based herbal education and respect for scientific and clinical research, ethnobotanical traditions, sustainable and regenerative practices, and authenticity and transparency in the manufacture and marketing of herbs and phytomedicines. 📗 Read The Undisclosed Presence of Excipients and Diluents in Botanical Extracts 🌿 Check out HerbalGram issues! 📺 Tune in to HerbTV -- Mark's free video resource ~~~ Join our community! | |||
| Oregano & St. John's Wort Plant Walk | Featuring Shana Lipner Grover | 30 Jun 2023 | 00:20:56 | |
This podcast episode is a combination of two plant profiles from a pre-recorded garden plant walk with clinical herbalist, field botanist, and nutrition educator, Shana Lipner Grover. Shana introduces us to two common and abundant garden plants: oregano and St. John's wort. Shana teaches us how we can make functional medicine from the culinary and medicinal herbs that grow so easily outside our front (or back) doors. Shana Lipner Grover was a student of award-winning author Michael Moore and also one of Mountain Rose Herbs' favorite herbalists, Howie Brounstein. Today, she is the director and primary educator of Sage Country Herbs School of Botanical Studies in San Diego, CA. You can learn more about Shana at Sage Country Herbs School and by visiting her on Instagram @sagecountryherbs. See the plants and watch the YouTube video of Shana's plant walk on Oregano here as well as her plant walk on St. John's Wort here!
Join our community! Strengthening the bonds between people and plants for a healthier world. | |||
| Plant Stories | Featuring Alex Queathem Payne | 23 Jun 2023 | 00:33:17 | |
Herbalist and educator Alex Queathem Payne joins us for an in-person interview after she toured the Mountain Rose Herbs facilities this past spring. Thomas and Alex discuss her naturalist upbringing, the 'green' lineage in her family, and her educational path, including her studies at the Columbines School of Botanical Studies. Alex tells us about her childhood connection with mint and her adulthood connection with skullcap. Learn some of the virtues of skullcap and how Alex loves to connect with this special plant and others. Alex Queathem Payne is an herbalist and educator with a passion for living a natural and sustainable life. Alex attended a three-year program through the Columbines School of Botanical Studies. In 2016, Alex became the administrator for the school, completed educator training, and became an instructor for the school. Currently, she is the production manager at Cheryl's Herb Shop in St. Louis, Missouri, as well as creating a botanical sanctuary called Tending the Wildflowers Sanctuary in the foothills of the Ozarks. The sanctuary, co-founded with her husband, is recognized through the United Plant Savers Botanical Sanctuary Network. They grow a myriad of medicinal herbs, native and at-risk plants, and are beekeepers. Alex's mission is to inspire others and encourage all to be good stewards of the Earth. Visit Alex at: https://www.instagram.com/tendingthewildflowerssanctuary
Join our community!
| |||
| Interviews on Herbal Radio with Thomas Dick | Featuring 7Song | 16 Jun 2023 | 01:05:11 | |
We had the pleasure of interviewing our good friend and esteemed herbalist, 7Song. This conversation was recorded in the Winter of 2022. Learn about 7Song's upbringing, his path and approach to herbalism, as well as his general advice to up and coming herbalists including practicing in a clinic. Humorous and entertaining, we hope you enjoy this meandering and wonderful conversation. 7Song is an herbal practitioner and Director of Holistic Medicine at the Ithaca Free Clinic and Founder, Director, and main instructor at the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine. 7Song has been studying plants, people, and herbal medicine for over 30 years and currently teaches at schools and conferences throughout the United States. His focus includes herbal practice, free clinic work, first aid, wildcrafting, and botany. He also spends a lot of time taking photographs of things that run, crawl, fly, or photosynthesize. Visit 7song at: In the summer of 2022, our Creative Team traveled to Ithaca, NY to spend a few days with 7Song. Watch the YouTube video here. Listen to 7Song's interview on Tea Talks with Jiling Lin here. Listen to 7Song's Free Herbalism Project presentation on Herbal First Aid for the Home on Herbal Radio here.
Join our community! | |||
| Intro to Chinese Medicine, with Toby Daly | Tea Talks with Jiling | 09 Jun 2023 | 00:38:31 | |
Toby began studying East Asian medicine in 1997 with Sunim Doam, a Korean monk trained in the Saam tradition. In 2016, he completed a PhD in Classical Chinese Medicine under the guidance of 88th generation Daoist priest Jeffrey Yuen. Toby just published his first book this April, "An Introduction to Chinese Medicine: A Patient's Guide to Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Nutrition, & More". It offers a concise overview of the landscape and therapeutic potential of traditional East Asian medicine. Jiling and Toby discuss Chinese herbal medicine, nourishing life (yang sheng 養生) East Asian medicine seasonal considerations for diet and exercise, yin-yang, and more! Visit Toby Daly at FlourishMedicine.com and ChineseNutritionApp.com Jiling Lin is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac) and herbalist in Ventura, CA. Visit Jiling at JilingLin.com, Instagram @LinJiling, and Facebook @JilingLAc. Get her free Nourishing Life (養生) template, Five Phases (五行) outline, or sign up for her newsletter here.
Join our community! | |||
| Herbal Action Project, with Jesús Garcia | Tea Talks with Jiling | 02 Jun 2023 | 00:36:13 | |
Jesús Garcia is a Mexican Shaman and Herbalist teaching the traditions of lineage work through botanica practices of curanderia and community spiritual herbalism. Jesús is an early childcare educator focusing on nature school fundamentals through holistic enrichment garden programs and is the founder of the Herbal Action Project, a nature play-school and community garden sanctuary. Jiling and Jesús discuss herbal traditions, family root work, children's botanical practices, and nourishing community connections. Visit Jesús Garcia on Instagram @ShamanJesus and @HerbalActionProject. Visit him online at ShamanJesus.org and HerbalActionProject.com, and on Youtube @ShamanJesus, and Twitter @ShamanJesus Jiling Lin is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac) and herbalist in Ventura, CA. Visit Jiling at JilingLin.com, Instagram @LinJiling, and Facebook @JilingLAc. Get her free Nourishing Life (養生) template, Five Phases (五行) outline, or sign up for her newsletter here. Join our community! | |||
| The Importance of Herbal Events | Featuring Jesse Wolf Hardin | 26 May 2023 | 00:41:51 | |
Jesse Wolf Hardin joins us for a very special podcast episode with Thomas Dick, to discuss the importance of in-person herbal events. The timing couldn't be more perfect as many herbal events are taking place throughout the country. Wolf poetically describes the tradition and range of herbal events as well as how to choose which herbal event is best for you. Perhaps most touching, Wolf reminds us that herbal events are a space of holding community, sharing knowledge, forming support systems, and building your plant loving family. Whether you're new to herbal events or a seasoned veteran, be prepared to be inspired by the potential of attending an in-person herbal event this year. Learn more about the Good Medicine Confluence taking place in Lake George, Colorado, July 18th-22nd, 2023 Herbal Event Resources: Events as the Backbone of the Herbal Community by Kiva Rose
Jesse Wolf Hardin is an impactful author, ecosopher, ecological and societal activist, personal counsel, graphic artist, musician, and historian – a champion of both human and bio diversity, as well as of nature's medicines. Wolf was a leading organizer of and presenter for Earth First!, becoming a featured presenter at hundreds of conferences and universities, and was the creator of cross cultural ecospiritual collaborations appropriately called "Medicine Shows" that melded his powerful spoken word with live music, indigenous presenters, and focused activism. With his wife Kiva Rose, he founded the international Good Medicine Confluence gathering in 2008, along with the in-depth digital magazine for herbalists, healers and folklorists Plant Healer Quarterly. He is the author of over 800 published articles in over 200 different publications, as well as of over 25 books, his work earning the praises of luminaries such as Gary Snyder, Joanna Macy, Ralph Metzner, Starhawk, and Rosemary Gladstar. He has been featured in The Encyclopedia of Nature & Religion (Continuum 2005) and many other compilations. His published works include early titles Full Circle , Kindred Spirit and Gaia Eros, along with The Practice of Herbalism and http://www.planthealer.org/bookstore.html covering the core whys and hows of an herbal practice, The Healing Terrain on sense of place, cultivation, and the healing power of nature... as well as an inspiring historical novel The Medicine Bear, a book of herbs and empowerment for kids I'm a Medicine Woman Too! (Hops Press 2009), and The Traveling Medicine Show: Pitchmen & Plant Healers of Early America. His inspiring book The Enchanted Healer also comes in a version for an audience beyond herbalists titled Wonderments, with both being focused on heightened awareness, the senses, plant spirit and the spiritual heart of healing. His most recent creation is the Hedge Guild Oracle deck and book, iconic art and text bringing clarity to our self exploration and daily options and choices. The Oracle and most of his Ebooks and softbound books are available through PlantHealerBookstore.com. Wolf's work is also featured in the lauded Plant Healer Quarterly as well as the free Herbaria Monthly which you can subscribe to on the Plant Healer website. As Terry Tempest Williams opined, "Wolf's voice inspires our passion to take us further —seeing the world whole — even holy." Visit Wolf at PlantHealer.org Register for the virtual Fall Free Herbalism Project here: https://info.mountainroseherbs.com/free-herbalism-project
Join our community! | |||
| Flowers Inspire Us Together | Featuring Bevin Clare (Rerelease) | 19 May 2023 | 00:11:18 | |
Today's episode is a rerelease of an excerpt from our spring online Free Herbalism Project hosted on April 8, 2021. This presentation was the inspiring and informative intro with our guest emcee Bevin Clare. Bevin covers a few of her favorite spring flowers and notes their traits as well as some lesser known facts. It's a fun, short presentation, but we think you'll have a lot of takeaways from it. Bevin will also be joining us as our guest emcee for the next Free Herbalism Project, a virtual event taking place on Friday, October 20, 2023. Find more information on our website here. Bevin Clare is an herbalist, nutritionist, homeschooling parent, a professor at the Maryland University of Integrative Health and the program director of the MS in Clinical Herbal Medicine program. She holds a MSc in Infectious Disease and has studied herbal medicine around the world. Bevin is the author of Spice Apothecary and a former President of the American Herbalists Guild. You can find her musings at www.bevinclare.com and on Facebook and Instagram @spice.herb.wander. Join our community! | |||
| Interviews on Herbal Radio with Thomas Dick | Featuring Ryland Engelhart of Kiss the Ground | 12 May 2023 | 01:07:15 | |
We first met Ryland Engelhart and Finian Makepeace, co-founders of Kiss the Ground – a nonprofit raising awareness for regeneration through storytelling, education, and advocacy – at Natural Products Expo West in 2022. Since our initial meeting, we knew that we shared foundational values with these inspirational leaders, such as the importance of soil health and sustainable agriculture, sparking our interest to want to get to know them and the organization better. We're thrilled to release today's episode featuring Ryland Engelhart, focused on the importance of farmers, supporting beneficial farming practices, and the task of creating balance where an imbalance has been. Ryland and Thomas discuss Ryland's path of becoming a soil evangelist, along with regenerative, organic, and biodynamic agriculture, what Kiss the Ground has been up to since releasing their groundbreaking film, and the power of storytelling. Ryland's educational, inspirational, and solution-oriented interview has us feeling exponentially motivated and optimistic about supporting local farmers, organic agriculture practices, and continuing to spread these transformational messages. Ryland Engelhart - Chief Mission Officer and Co-founder of Kiss the Ground Ryland Engelhart co-founded Kiss the Ground in 2013 and plays a leadership role in the organization as the Chief Mission Officer; he is a producer of the Kiss the Ground film released on Netflix and host of the Kiss the Ground Podcast. As a 15-year entrepreneur, he is also the co-owner and prior Mission Fulfilment Officer of the nationally recognized plant-based restaurants Cafe Gratitude and Gracias Madre, located in Southern California, and co-creator of the documentary film, May I Be Frank. He is a passionate speaker on the topics of sacred commerce and regenerative agriculture, tools for building community, food is medicine, and the practice of love and gratitude. Ryland is also a dedicated husband and father and lives on a 17-acre regenerative organic farm in Fillmore, CA, where he is learning to practice what he preaches. Watch the Farming in Service to Life short film here Sign the petition to support regenerative agriculture here Visit Kiss the Ground's website here
Join our community! | |||
| Food as Medicine | Tea Talks Roundtable | 05 May 2023 | 01:23:35 | |
In this "Tea Talks Roundtable," Jiling discusses the topic of "Food as Medicine" with herbalists Christa Sinadinos, Rona Leah, Jana Kilgore, and Mary Colvin. With our collective herbal experience as two professional cooks, three book authors, two herb school founders, and five herbalists working with different populations, teaching styles, and botanical expertise-- you can expect a fun and delicious conversation!
We explore: • everyday strategies to integrate Food as Medicine into your average diet and lifestyle • delicious culinary spices • common wild herbs (in different bioregions) to supplement standard kitchen herbs • easy to find foods and herbs that can be used medicinally while traveling • breakfast strategies and considerations • nutritional snacks • different preparations for common wild herbs • specific recipes like Rona's Herb Sauce, Demulcent Waters, Christa's Schug, and Jana's Morning Chai!
Learn more about these herbalists below: 🌿RONA LEAH is a chef, folk herbalist, small farmer and educator at Tend & Flourish School of Botanicals. She focuses on cooking with herbs for everyday wellness and support, especially in regards to skincare and Metabolic Syndrome. Find Rona on Facebook @Rona.Leah.1 and Instagram @CelesteFarmSTL. 🌿JANA KILGORE is certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and postpartum Ayurdoula, clinical nutritionist, herbalist, massage therapist, Yoga teacher, chef and cooking instructor, author of "The Outdoor Adventurers Guide to Yoga", novice gardener, and lifelong student of Nature. Visit Jana at JanaKilgore.com 🌿MARY COLVIN is a clinical herbalist, and the owner of Ancestral Herbology in Wakeman, OH. Mary is a Registered Herbalist through the AHG, formulator for Sprigs Life, mentor, and author. She writes articles for Living Healthy magalog, Sprigs Life, Motherhood magazine— and stay tuned for her upcoming book! 🌿CHRISTA SINADINOS is the founder and director of the Northwest School for Botanical Studies, and author of the textbook, "The Essential Guide to Western Botanical Medicine." She brings over 25 years of clinical expertise in consulting, formulating, teaching, and operating an herbal extract business. 🌿JILING LIN is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac) and herbalist in Ventura, CA. A clinician and teacher, Jiling is also a passionate traveler, artist, and adventurer. Visit Jiling at JilingLin.com, Instagram @LinJiling, and Facebook @JilingLAc. Get her free Nourishing Life (養生) template, Five Phases (五行) outline, or sign up for her newsletter here.
Resources mentioned: • "Schug: A Delicious, Nutrient-Dense Condiment," blog by Christa Sinadinos • "Parsley," blog by Christa Sinadinos • "Cucumber Peach Salad, Medicinal Vinaigrette & Herb Sauce," Facebook post by Rona Leah • "Golden Chai," blog by Jana Kilgore • "Favorite Protein Bars," blog by Jana Kilgore
Join our community! | |||
| Plant Stories | Featuring Michelle Guerrero Denison | 28 Apr 2023 | 00:45:47 | |
This week on Plant Stories, we're releasing our interview with Michelle Guerrero Denison. Michelle is an herbalist, formulator, educator, and the founder of The Twig & Feather. Michelle resides in Southern California and talks about how through her family's own health challenges, she found herbalism and holistic wellness. Refreshing, engaging, and open-minded, Michelle's plant stories are human centric. It's clear her passion resides in listening to and assisting others on their personal wellness paths. Michelle's life experiences and philosophy transfer over to her approach to herbalism as well as the ways she shares her herbal knowledge. We hope you enjoy this wonderful conversation with our friend Michelle! Inspired by the needs of her family, Michelle has been studying herbalism for the past decade or so and opened her online shop in 2019. She practices western herbalism, with a holistic focus. She has had the opportunity to study with several wonderful teachers, and readily admits that she will probably be learning for the rest of her life. Her true passions lie in personal consultations, teaching, and writing. All of these are opportunities to get personal and see how herbs can change a life. Find Michelle's 'Proud Herbling' sticker and more on her website The Twig & Feather Visit Michelle on TikTok
Join our community! | |||
| Herbal Fertility, with Liane Moccia | Tea Talks with Jiling | 01 Aug 2025 | 00:37:16 | |
This week on Tea Talks with Jiling, we are joined by Liane Moccia. Liane is a registered herbalist and author specializing in fertility and preconception planning. Liane is the author of The Herbal Fertility Handbook: Natural Strategies to Increase Your Chances of Getting Pregnant. She combines herbs, nutrition, and lifestyle changes with a clear plan to help optimize fertility. Liane's own infertility diagnosis led her to a career change to help others on similar journeys. She lives outside of Boston and works virtually with clients from all over the country. Liane and Jiling discuss common misconceptions about herbs and other holistic strategies to support fertility, how herbs can support fertility treatments such as IVF and IUI, the importance of sperm health, the role of timing in using herbs and supplements for fertility support — and how can people know when to take what. Visit Liane Moccia at 💻 Website: https://lianemoccia.com/ 📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lianemoccia/ ✏️ Substack: https://lianemoccia.substack.com/ 🍼 Pre-order The Herbal Fertility Handbook: Natural Strategies to Increase Your Chances of Getting Pregnant: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/liane-moccia-rh-ahg/the-herbal-fertility-handbook/9781635868739/ 🪷Jiling Lin is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac) and herbalist in Ventura, CA. A clinician and teacher, Jiling is also a passionate traveler, artist, and adventurer. Visit Jiling at JilingLin.com— and get her free Nourishing Life (養生) template and Five Phases (五行) outline. Visit Jiling at JilingLin.com and join her newsletter for seasonal beauty. ~~~ Join our community! | |||
| The Enchanter's Green: Vervain, Wood Betony, and St. John's Wort | Featuring Kiva Rose Hardin | 21 Apr 2023 | 00:48:42 | |
This podcast episode is the presentation that Kiva Rose Hardin gave for the Fall 2022 Free Herbalism Project. This was a virtual event that took place over Zoom on October 14, 2022. Kiva states, Vervain, Wood Betony, and St. John's Wort were some of my earliest herbal allies when I took my first steps on the plant healer's path. These three herbs are nervines, but so much more! They have a long history as sacred and magical plants across many cultures. Medicinally, all three are often categorized as calming but also have profound tonifying effects and myriad healing actions that are not always as well-known as they should be. In the class, I will cover my personal experiences with the herbs, including specific indications, application, medicine making, dosage, folklore, and more! Watch Kiva's presentation and find her slides and resources on our YouTube channel.
SAVE THE DATES! Good Medicine Confluence: Presenting the 12th Annual Good Medicine Confluence taking place July 18 – 23, 2023 in the spectacular mountains near Lake George, Colorado. Enjoy over 150 fresh, specialized, personalized, and often unique topics for both advanced practitioners and newcomers to herbalism. Find out more information and purchase your tickets here.
Kiva Rose Hardin is an herbalist, mythologist, author, and poet whose work is rooted in her relationship with plants, fungi, and the more than human world. She lectures and writes on the subjects of mythopoetic plant medicine, folk magic, folklore, animism, and psychology with an emphasis on fairy tale motifs, embodied enchantment, and the forest as archetype. She lives off grid in a remote riparian canyon deep in the Gila Forest of southwest New Mexico with her beloved husband, Jesse Wolf Hardin, and their children, Inga Winter and Ælfyn Thorn. Kiva's first book, The Weedwife's Remedy: Folk Herbalism For The Hedgewise was published in December of 2019 and her next book, Thorn & Thicket: Woodland Herbalism For The Hedgewise is forthcoming from Plant Healer Press in Winter of 2022, and more of her writing can be found at The Enchanter's Green http://enchantersgreen.com - She also co-directs the annual Plant Healer's Herbal Confluence in Durango, Colorado, each May and is co-editor of Plant Healer Quarterly with Jesse which you can find at http://planthealer.org Kiva Rose on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kivarosethorn & https://www.instagram.com/planthealer
Join our community! | |||
| Interviews on Herbal Radio with Thomas Dick | Featuring Leah Song and Chloe Smith of Rising Appalachia | 14 Apr 2023 | 00:55:04 | |
Welcome to a very special episode featuring Leah Song and Chloe Smith of Rising Appalachia. We love the soulful tunes from this sister duo and get the feeling that their music resonates with a lot of other folks in the herbal community as well. It was certainly wonderful welcoming Leah and Chloe as our live musical guests for our first virtual Free Herbalism Project (FHP) back in May 2020. After the FHP collaboration, we knew that we wanted to get to know them a little better. Herbal Radio producer, Elise, sits in with Thomas for a lovely conversation with Leah and Chloe. We talk about their upbringing, inspirations, relationship to the herbal community, herbs that support them while on tour and at home, as well as the slow music movement. We hope you enjoy! Rising Appalachia brings to the stage a collection of sounds, stories, and songs steeped in tradition and a devotion to world culture. Intertwining a deep reverence for folk music and a passion for justice, they have made it their life's work to sing songs that speak to something ancient yet surging with relevance. Whether playing at Red Rocks or in rail cars, at Italian street fairs or to Bulgarian herbalists, this fiercely independent band has blazed a unique and colorful path across the globe. 11 years into their movement, Rising Appalachia believes that the roots of all these old songs are vital to our ever evolving soundscape. Visit Rising Appalachia's website: www.risingappalachia.com Rising Appalachia on Facebook: www.facebook.com/risingappalachiamusic Rising Appalachia on YouTube: www.youtube.com/risingappalachiaRA Rising Appalachia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/risingappalachia/ Support Rising Appalachia's work through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/RisingAppalachia
Join us for the Spring Free Herbalism Project at Mount Pisgah Arboretum on Sunday, May 7 featuring presentations by Dr. Christopher Hobbs, Richo Cech, and Jiling Lin. There will be live music, a first aid salve workshop, plant walks, free tea, and local vendors. See the schedule of the day and learn more here. We'd love to hear from you! Send us your suggestions and feedback at podcast@mountainroseherbs.com Join our community! | |||
| Sustainably Foraging So-Cal | Tea Talks Roundtable | 07 Apr 2023 | 01:17:13 | |
In this new "Tea Talks Roundtable" series, Jiling gathers four local Ventura and Santa Barbara county herbal teachers to discuss sustainable foraging in southern California (aka. So-Cal). Learn more about the Ventura area's Mediterranean climate, ethical harvesting considerations, and some of the plants that make this area special. We discuss building relationships with plants, spring nibbles, gardening, white sage, horehound, tasty naturalized plants, warrior plants, and conclude with some of our favorite easy to grow medicinals. Enjoy the chat! Learn more about these Ventura area herbal teachers below:
🌿LANNY KAUFER has been leading "Herb Walks," nature hikes, and workshops in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties since 1976. He is the author of "Medicinal Herbs of California: A Field Guide to Common Healing Plants." Visit Lanny at HerbWalks.com and OjaiHerbal.org
🌿EMILY SANDERS is a Certified Clinical Herbalist, Nutritionist, Holistic Entrepreneur Coach, and Director of theArtemisia Academy, where she teaches live online herbal courses to help healers make a bigger impact in their community. Visit Emily at ArtemisiaAcademy.com
🌿CAROL WADE has been a practicing herbalist since 1993. She does ecotours of the Earth Island Medicinal Herb Garden, which she founded along with the Ojai School of Herbal Studies in Ojai, California. Visit Carol at EarthIslandHerbs.com
🌿LINDSAY KOLASA is a practicing Community Herbalist who specializes in digestion, mental health, and trauma. She previously created and ran Sweet Gum Springs Apothecary, in Mississippi. She now lives in Santa Barbara. Visit Lindsay at LindsayKolasa.com
🌿JILING LIN is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac) and herbalist in Ventura, CA. Visit Jiling at JilingLin.com, Instagram @LinJiling, and Facebook @JilingLAc. Get her free Nourishing Life (養生) template, Five Phases (五行) outline, or sign up for her newsletter here.
🌿RESOURCES: · Lanny's Resource page on his website · Want to learn more about medicinal herbs of California? Get Lanny's book here · United Plant Savers Species-At-Risk List
Join our community! | |||
| Herbs Are Not Pharmaceuticals | Featuring Dr. Christopher Hobbs | 31 Mar 2023 | 01:06:09 | |
This podcast episode comes from Dr. Christopher Hobbs' presentation for the Fall 2022 Free Herbalism Project. This was a virtual event that took place over Zoom on October 14, 2022. Dr. Hobbs discusses why herbs and herbal medicine is fundamentally different than drugs. Since the pandemic, the popularity of herbal medicine in households has continued to grow rapidly. Dr. Hobbs help us to look closely and practically at how herbal medicine can transform your health and wellness while helping to relieve symptoms and chronic ailments. His presentation also details why choosing herbal medicine as our first line of prevention and treatment in most ailments can not only benefit us—side benefits rather than side effects—while being completely sustainable and beneficial for our beautiful planet and all the inhabitants. Dr. Christopher Hobbs occasionally references slides throughout his presentation. You can find his slides by watching the presentation on our YouTube channel.
SAVE THE DATE! We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Christopher Hobbs will be joining us in person at our upcoming Spring Free Herbalism Project on Sunday, May 7, 2023. Join us at Mount Pisgah to hear Dr. Hobbs' presentation on The Transformative Power of Medicinal Mushrooms. View the event schedule, presentation topics, and more here.
Dr. Christopher Hobbs is a fourth generation, internationally known herbalist and mycologist, licensed acupuncturist, herbal clinician, research scientist, consultant to the dietary supplement industry, expert witness, botanist, public speaker, and author of over 20 books and numerous articles with over 40 years of experience. He is the author of the recent book "Christopher Hobbs's Medicinal Mushrooms, the Essential Guide," with German and English editions. He earned his Ph.D. at UC Berkeley with research and publication in evolutionary biology, biogeography, phylogenetics, the chemistry of plants and fungi, and ethnobotany. Now faculty at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Find Christopher Hobbs at christopherhobbs.com, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Join our community! | |||
| Plant Stories | Featuring Julia O. Bianco | 24 Mar 2023 | 00:46:38 | |
For this week's Plant Stories podcast, we interview multi-disciplinary artist Julia O. Bianco. Julia was a Deep Ecology Artist Fellow at the United Plant Savers (UpS) Sanctuary, one of our favorite non-profit organizations focused on protecting native medicinal plants, fungi, and their ecosystems. Hear how an online foraging class, the artist in residency program at the UpS Sanctuary, and the plants Julia encountered in the Appalachian foothills, all helped to shape the course of her life and her creative inspiration. Julia closes the show by reading three of her nature-inspired poems. Julia Orquera Bianco was born in Argentina and lived in Mexico before moving to the United States. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in Drawing and Painting from Universidad del Museo Social Argentino (Buenos Aires, Argentina) in 2012. In 2018 she graduated from the MFA program at Roski School of Art and Design, University of Southern California, Los Angeles. In 2020, Bianco earned a Certificate on Sustainability from University of California, Los Angeles. Bianco works through interrogating constructs resulting from Modern Western Culture, collective memory, and the experience of migration and gender. This allows her to speak about an identity constantly being renegotiated and in motion, in deep relation and conversation with the environment. Her explorations use her family legacy of labor as a strategy to connect with worlds that she is foreign to, experiencing them while remembering. She currently teaches at University of Cincinnati, Ohio. Her work has been showcased in Argentina, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and the United States. Visit Julia's website. Learn more about the Deep Ecology Artists Fellowship. Join our community! | |||
| Body into Balance, with Maria Noël Groves | Tea Talks with Jiling | 17 Mar 2023 | 00:49:51 | |
Maria Noël Groves, clinical herbalist, runs Wintergreen Botanicals, nestled in the pine forests of New Hampshire. Mariais devoted to education and empowerment via online and in person classes, health consultations, and writing with the foundational belief that good health grows in nature. She is the author of "Body into Balance: An Herbal Guide to Holistic Self Care" and "Grow Your Own Herbal Remedies." Her introductory and advanced herbalist training programs will begin this spring and summer— live streamed online and in person! Find a wealth of free information about herbs on Maria's website at WintergreenBotanicals.com Jiling and Maria discuss favorite easy-to-grow herbs for a medicinal herb garden, "remedy gardens," favorite herbs for delicious teas, increasing access for herbal classes within a for-profit business model, and more. We hope this conversation inspires your spring planting, growing, learning, and harvesting projects! Sign up for Maria Noël Groves' newsletter at WintergreenBotanicals.com, and visit her at Instagram@marianoelgroves and Facebook@wintergreenbotanicals Jiling Lin is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac), herbalist, and yoga teacher in Ventura, CA. Visit Jiling at JilingLin.com, Instagram @LinJiling, and Facebook @JilingLAc. Get her free Nourishing Life (養生) template, Five Elements (五行) outline, or sign up for her newsletter here. | |||
| Interviews on Herbal Radio with Thomas Dick | Featuring Rosemary Gladstar | 10 Mar 2023 | 00:56:40 | |
This week, we had the absolute honor of speaking with our friend, culture shaper, voice of the plants, and esteemed herbalist and author, Rosemary Gladstar. Rosemary is an inspiring figure in the herbal community and is a catalyst of plant powered action. Rosemary had founded schools, businesses (including Mountain Rose Herbs), herbal conferences (one of which is the upcoming International Herb Symposium), and organizations focused on the preservation of at-risk and endangered plants – such as Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary and United Plant Savers. We hope you enjoy this week's episode as we chat about Rosemary's upbringing, the importance of bringing community together towards action, her current favorite simple tea blend (listed below), and so much more. Rosemary's Heartful Joy Tea Blend for lifting spirits: Mix ingredients together and enjoy! Rosemary Gladstar is, literally, a star figure in the field of modern herbalism, internationally renowned for her technical knowledge and stewardship in the global herbalist community. She has been learning, teaching and writing about herbs for over 40 years and is the author of eleven books. Her work includes Medicinal Herbs: a Beginners Guide, Herbal Healing for Women, Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health, and The Science and Art of Herbalism, an extensive in depth home study course. She is the Founding President of United Plant Savers and founder and past director of the International Herb Symposium. Follow Rosemary on Instagram If you'd like to listen to more of Rosemary, check out the podcast links below: Watch Rosemary on our YouTube channel:
Join our community!
| |||
| Botany Everyday, with Marc Williams | Tea Talks with Jiling | 03 Mar 2023 | 00:58:10 | |
Ethnobiologist Marc Williams has taught hundreds of classes to thousands of people about the interface between plants, humans, and other life forms. His training includes a B.A. in Environmental Studies/Sustainable Agriculture from Warren Wilson College with a minor in Business and a M.A. in Appalachian Studies/Sustainable Development from Appalachian State University with a minor in Planning/Geography. He has over 20 years of experience working at restaurants and farms while traveling through over 30 countries in Central/North/South America, Europe and all 50 states in the USA. Visit Marc Williams at BotanyEveryday.com , PlantsAndHealers.org , and UnitedPlantSavers.org Marc and Jiling discuss one of Marc's previous keynote conference topics, "Weaving and Mending: Herbalism from the past, in the present, for the future." Learn about empowerment through weeds, heart-songs, ancestral honoring practices, global healing traditions, and more. Jiling Lin is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac) and herbalist in Ventura, CA. Visit Jiling at JilingLin.com, Instagram @LinJiling, and Facebook @JilingLAc. Get her free Nourishing Life (養生) template, Five Elements (五行) outline, or sign up for her newsletter here.
Join our community! | |||
| Plant Stories | Featuring Doug Elliot | 24 Feb 2023 | 00:26:07 | |
Welcome to the second episode of "Plant Stories" on Herbal Radio. Our hope is for this show to be entertaining and fun – and maybe we'll learn a little something along the way too. There may be no better person that embodies the vision of "Plant Stories" like herbal troubadour and Appalachian naturalist, Doug Elliot. A gifted storyteller, Doug recites both wisdom and whimsical through spoken word and song. We've compiled some of our favorite songs that Doug has recorded with us and are releasing them together, in this delightful and heart-warming episode. Our host, Thomas, gives a brief introduction in between Doug's sets, offering context for each of the four botanical tales & tunes. Today's episode also comes with a special visual bonus! We had the pleasure of visiting with Doug in the summer of 2022 at his Appalachian homestead. Click here to see some of the photos of Doug in his element. Visit the links below to watch the videos of Doug's storytelling serenades on our YouTube channel: Dandelion Tips, Tales, & Tunes Life Lessons Through a Song About an Apple Rural Riddles & Blackberry Boogie A Sweet Strawberry Tale & Tune Want to hear more from Doug? Give "Interviews on Herbal Radio | Featuring Doug Elliot" a listen! Visit Doug Elliot's website here
Doug Elliot is a naturalist, herbalist, storyteller, basket maker, back-country guide, philosopher, and harmonica wizard. For many years made his living as a traveling herbalist, gathering and selling herbs, teas, and remedies. He has spent a great deal of time with traditional country folk and indigenous people, learning their stories, folklore and traditional ways of relating to the natural world. In recent years he has performed and presented programs at festivals, museums, botanical gardens, nature centers and schools from Canada to the Caribbean. He has been a featured storyteller at the National Storytelling Festival. He has lectured and performed at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto and conducted workshops for the Smithsonian Institution. He has led ranger training sessions for the National Park Service and guided people on wilderness experiences from down-east Maine to the Florida Everglades. He was named harmonica champion at Fiddler's Grove Festival in Union Grove, N.C. He is the author of five books, many articles in regional and national magazines, has recorded a number of award winning albums of stories and songs, and is occasionally seen on PBS-TV, and the History and National Geographic Channels. In recent years, he has received a variety of honors. The National Storytelling Network (the largest storytelling membership organization in the world) inducted him into their Circle of Excellence for "exceptional commitment and exemplary contribution to the art of storytelling." The International Herb Association presented him with the Otto Richter Award honoring his work with herbs and useful wild plants. The National Association for Interpretation (the professional organization of park rangers, naturalists, museum curators, etc.) gave him the Master Front Line Interpreter Award for his "mastery of interpretive techniques, program development, and design of creative projects" celebrating the natural world and our human connection to nature. Elliot's passion for the natural world developed in early childhood roaming the woods and waters around his home. His dad used to say, "That boy knows what's under every rock between here and town." He still roams the woods today. He has traveled from the Canadian North to the Central American jungles studying plant and animal life and seeking out the traditional wisdom of people with intimate connections to the natural world. And he still looks under rocks. These days he uncovers more than just a few strange critters; he brings to light the human connection to this vibrant world of which we are a part. On a side note, we're so excited for the upcoming International Herb Symposium, June 9 – 11, 2023. Are you interested in attending? Buy your early bird tickets before Feb. 28, 2023 for discounted pricing. Join our community! | |||
| Meet the Herbalist with Bevin Clare | Featuring Lucretia VanDyke (Rerelease) | 17 Feb 2023 | 00:50:45 | |
This week we are rereleasing Bevin Clare's "Meet the Herbalist" interview with Lucretia VanDyke. Lucretia will be one of the keynote speakers at the upcoming Florida Herbal Conference taking place March 10 – 12, 2023. Use code MOUNTAINROSE to receive $50 off the event ticket price. Learn more about the Florida Herbal Conference and get your virtual or in-person tickets here. We hope you enjoy this conversation between these two esteemed herbalists! Did you know both of these herbalists are also authors? We highly recommend adding Lucretia's book African American Herbalism and Bevin's book Spice Apothecary to your bookshelf. Lucretia and Bevin were also guest speakers at our in-person Summer 2022 Free Herbalism Project. Listen to Lucretia's presentation "Zen Esthetics" here and Bevin's presentation "Spice Up Your Life!" here. With a journey that began when she was a little girl mixing herbs, mud, and roots on her grandparents' farm, Lucretia VanDyke has had a lifelong connection to the plants. She has been in the wellness industry for over twenty-five years. Her quest for knowledge and storytelling has led her all over the world to learn about remedies, traditions, and ceremonies from indigenous healers. One of the foremost experts on Southern folk healing arts, Lucretia integrates rituals, plant spirit meditation, holistic food/herbal medicine, and ancestor reverence into people's practices. Lucretia has worked and trained with many internationally known spa and skin care companies. She is a holistic educator, speaker, herbalist, sacred sexologist, ceremonialist, spiritual coach, intuitive energy practitioner, diviner, author, and world traveler. Lucretia brings her vivacious spirit and her message of ancestral connection in herbal practices to inspire others to embrace their unique relationship with the plants. Teaching herbal classes, cooking, storytelling, and foraging in the woods learning native medicine charges her soul. Bevin Clare is an herbalist, nutritionist, world-wanderer, spice-gobbler, and is a professor at the Maryland University of Integrative Health and the program director of the MS in Clinical Herbal Medicine program. She holds a MSc in Infectious Disease from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and has studied herbal medicine around the world, blending her knowledge of traditional uses of plants with modern science and contemporary healthcare strategies. She is the author of Spice Apothecary (Storey Books, 2020). Bevin a board member and former Chair of the Board of the American Herbalists Guild where she works to promote clinical herbalism accessibility and professionalism and she is a long term board member of the United Plant Savers. You can find her musings at www.bevinclare.com and on Facebook and Instagram @spice.herb.wander
Join our community! | |||
| Saving the Ancient Puglian Olive Tree | Featuring Ryan Neil | 25 Jul 2025 | 01:19:26 | |
"Mirai in Japanese means 'future'. It refers not to the immediate future, but to a distant dream, a romantic thought, the future yet to come, ever out of reach, unobtainable, and always evolving. It is the foreshadowing of the perpetual stewardship and unknown future that guides this very special relationship with the tree." This week on Everything You Didn't Know About Herbalism, we are joined by the botanical artist who is on a mission to weave ancient Japanese bonsai traditions with the native species of North America, Ryan Neil. Tune in with us as Ryan and Tommy dive into Ryan's journey through the world of bonsai, how trees offer a reflection into ourselves, and the commendable mission to save the at-risk ancient olive trees of Puglia, Italy. As always, we thank you for joining us on another botanical adventure and are so honored to have you tag along with us on this ride. Remember, we want to hear from you! Your questions, ideas, and who you want to hear from are an invaluable piece to our podcast. Email us at podcast@mountainroseherbs.com to let us know what solutions we should uncover next within the vast world of herbalism. Learn more about Ryan and Bonsai Mirai below! ⬇️ Ryan Neil is an artist and entrepreneur who single-handedly carved a new space in the contemporary art canon—deemed American Bonsai. This style seeks to capture the essence of America's wild spaces, utilizing native species and calling on ancient, asymmetrical forms. Based outside Portland, Oregon—Neil is at the helm of two companies, Bonsai Mirai and Mirai Live, while constantly seeking to expand and perfect his creative endeavors. Neil's work is a culmination of awe, grit and transience—an enigmatic representation of humans, trees, and our interdependent spaces in a steady, primordial flux. Mirai is a bonsai studio, garden and creative ecosystem based outside of Portland, Oregon. Founded in 2010 by artist and bonsai professional, Ryan Neil, to explore the dialogue between humans and the living tree after becoming the first western person to complete a 6-year apprenticeship under bonsai master, Masahiko Kimura, in Japan's Saitama prefecture. As a horticultural incubator and creative facility, Mirai's mission is to explore the boundaries and identity of bonsai in the western world through the context of the tree–where compositions reflect the vast array of native landscapes and cultures that are formed in their midst. 🪴Seeking some botanical bonsai inspiration?🪴 Peruse the Bonsai Mirai gallery! 🎙️Tune in to Ryan's very own podcast!🎙️ 🫒Learn how you can help save the Puglia ancient olive trees! 🫒 Ancient Olives – Bonsai Mirai Blog 📱Follow Bonsai Mirai on social media!📱 Instagram @bonsaimirai Facebook @Bonsai Mirai 💿 Consider yourself more of a visual creature? 💿 Check out the video interview on our YouTube Channel! ~~~ Join our community!
| |||
| Interviews on Herbal Radio with Thomas Dick | Featuring Jiling Lin | 10 Feb 2023 | 00:47:43 | |
Thomas sat down with our good friend and talented herbalist, Jiling Lin, over Zoom this past fall to get to know her a little better. We've had the great fortune of partnering with Jiling on numerous projects including filming instructional videos, writing poetic blogs and journal articles, emceeing Free Herbalism Projects, and of course hosting Tea Talks on Herbal Radio. We're so grateful for the opportunity to get to know Jiling even more as Thomas and Jiling chat about her upbringing, the sharing of plants and stories, and the pivotal herbal plot points in her life. We hope you enjoy our conversation with Jiling as much as we did! Jiling Lin is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac) and herbalist in Ventura, CA. Visit Jiling at JilingLin.com, Instagram @LinJiling, and Facebook @JilingLAc. Get her free Nourishing Life (養生) template, Five Elements (五行) outline, or sign up for her newsletter here. Join our community! | |||
| Centering BIPOC Traditions, with Khetnu Nefer | Tea Talks with Jiling | 03 Feb 2023 | 00:48:41 | |
Khetnu Nefer is the founder of the Gullah Geechee Herbal Gathering, an herbal conference for Black and Indigenous herbalists and community that takes place in Charleston, SC. Khetnu is a Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, Educator, Massage Therapist, Herbalist, Reiki Master, Author, Vibrational Sound Therapist, African Dance Professor, and founder of A Soulful Touch Wellness. Learn about the origins of the Gullah Geechee Herbal Gathering, Khetnu's "country grandma," and practical tips for centering and preserving Black and Indigenous herbal wisdom and traditions. Visit Khetnu Nefer at www.ASoulfulTouch.com and @asoulfultouchwellness. Learn more about the Gullah Geechee Herbal Gathering at www.GullahGeecheeHerbalGathering.com and @gullahgeecheeherbs. Jiling Lin is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac) and herbalist in Ventura, CA. Visit Jiling at JilingLin.com, Instagram @LinJiling, and Facebook @JilingLAc. Get her free Nourishing Life (養生) template, Five Elements (五行) outline, or sign up for her newsletter here. Other resources:
Join our community! | |||
| Plant Stories | Featuring Howie Brounstein & Steven Yeager | 27 Jan 2023 | 00:58:57 | |
Mountain Rose Herbs is excited to present our brand-new show on Herbal Radio called "Plant Stories". This series is all about the heartfelt, fun, entertaining, educational, inspiring, and personal plant stories that stand out to our guests. Tune in each week to hear from esteemed herbalists, nature-based artists, and plant-lovers to learn about a specific plant, hear a touching tale, bask in a poem, or possibly dive into some folklore. Our good friends, Howie Brounstein and Steven Yeager, stopped by our podcast studio to record the inaugural episode. Having taught together for decades at the Columbines School of Botanical Studies, Howie & Steven showcase their unique teaching style, philosophy, and humor as they banter about their personal and professional plant connections. Always entertaining, we hope you enjoy the many plant stories and botanical song beats brought to you by Howie & Steven. Howie Brounstein has taught botany, herbalism, and wildcrafting extensively for nearly four decades, including at such herbal establishments as the Michael Moore's Southwest School of Botanical Medicine. He is the co-owner and a primary instructor of the Columbines School of Botanical Studies and has a clinical practice in Eugene, Oregon. He is well known for his inspiring in-depth teaching style and his passionate love of plants. Steven Yeager is Director of Quality and Regulatory Affairs at Mountain Rose Herbs where he oversees laboratory operations including their identity program as well as assuring GMP compliance. He is also trained as a field botanist and wild harvester. He serves on the following board of directors: the American Herbal Products Association, AHPA's Foundation for Education and Research on Botanicals, United Plant Savers, and the Native Plant Society of Oregon. Steven is the former co-owner of the Columbines School of Botanical Studies in Eugene, Oregon where he was a co-instructor for over 20 years. Visit the Columbines School of Botanical Studies website. Follow the Columbines School of Botanical Studies on Instagram. Join our community! | |||
| Atabey medicine, with lara pacheco | Tea Talks with Jiling | 20 Jan 2023 | 00:48:07 | |
lara pacheco (they/them, /she/her) is a Taíno, Latinx mamita that believes part of our collective liberation is accessed through decolonizing ourselves and weaving into the web of ancestral medicine. lara directly works through this realm with plants, fungi, puppets, music and dance. When not caring for their family, land and creatures, lara runs Atabey Medicine of Seed and Thistle Apothecary, an educational resource that centers Queer, Trans and Gender fluid Black and Indigenous voices within herbalism (now transitioning into Moon & Mirror BIPOC Apprenticeship). lara is a Qigong student with the Ling Gui International Healing Qigong School and a third year student with POCA Tech Liberation Acupuncture program to further help bring access to care for everyone. Visit lara pacheco at seedandthistle.com and on Instagram @laritapacheco More resources: Jiling Lin is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac) and herbalist in Ventura, CA. Visit Jiling at JilingLin.com, Instagram @LinJiling, and Facebook @JilingLAc. Get her free Nourishing Life (養生) template, Five Elements (五行) outline, or sign up for her newsletter here.
Join our community! | |||
| Interviews on Herbal Radio with Thomas Dick | Featuring Doug Elliott | 13 Jan 2023 | 00:49:29 | |
Today's episode was recorded in late summer of 2022 at Doug Elliott's home in Appalachia. You'll hear a symphony of crickets and other wildlife in the background as Thomas and Doug discuss his childhood, learning folk methods from 'old timers', as well as the path of learning about and connecting with medicinal plants. We hope you enjoy the wonderful and entertaining stories from our dear and magical friend, Doug Elliott. Introduction song "Dandelion Tips" sung by Doug Elliott. Doug Elliott is a naturalist, herbalist, storyteller, basket maker, back-country guide, philosopher, and harmonica wizard. For many years made his living as a traveling herbalist, gathering and selling herbs, teas, and remedies. He has spent a great deal of time with traditional country folk and indigenous people, learning their stories, folklore and traditional ways of relating to the natural world. In recent years he has performed and presented programs at festivals, museums, botanical gardens, nature centers and schools from Canada to the Caribbean. He has been a featured storyteller at the National Storytelling Festival. He has lectured and performed at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto and conducted workshops for the Smithsonian Institution. He has led ranger training sessions for the National Park Service and guided people on wilderness experiences from down-east Maine to the Florida Everglades. He was named harmonica champion at Fiddler's Grove Festival in Union Grove, N.C. He is the author of five books, many articles in regional and national magazines, has recorded a number of award winning albums of stories and songs, and is occasionally seen on PBS-TV, and the History and National Geographic Channels. In recent years he has received a variety of honors. The National Storytelling Network (the largest storytelling membership organization in the world) inducted him into their Circle of Excellence for "exceptional commitment and exemplary contribution to the art of storytelling." The International Herb Association presented him with the Otto Richter Award honoring his work with herbs and useful wild plants. The National Association for Interpretation (the professional organization of park rangers, naturalists, museum curators, etc.) gave him the Master Front Line Interpreter Award for his "mastery of interpretive techniques, program development, and design of creative projects" celebrating the natural world and our human connection to nature. Elliott's passion for the natural world developed in early childhood roaming the woods and waters around his home. His dad used to say, "That boy knows what's under every rock between here and town." He still roams the woods today. He has traveled from the Canadian North to the Central American jungles studying plant and animal life and seeking out the traditional wisdom of people with intimate connections to the natural world. And he still looks under rocks. These days he uncovers more than just a few strange critters; he brings to light the human connection to this vibrant world of which we are a part. Visit Doug Elliott's website here. Watch Doug Elliott's videos on the Mountain Rose Herbs YouTube channel:
Join our community! | |||
| Herbal Astrology, with Adriana Ayales | Tea Talks with Jiling | 06 Jan 2023 | 00:48:07 | |
Adriana Ayales is the herbalist, medicine maker, educator and founder of Anima Mundi Apothecary. Originally from Costa Rica, Adriana started Anima Mundi to bridge ancient remedies to the modern world. Visit Adriana Ayales at AnimaMundiHerbals.com and @animamundiherbals Learn more about Herbal Astrology on the Anima Mundi blog. Get the Herbal Astrology Oracle Deck at the Anima Mundi store. Jiling Lin is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac) and herbalist in Ventura, CA. Visit Jiling at JilingLin.com, Instagram @LinJiling, and Facebook @JilingLAc. Get her free Nourishing Life (養生) template, Five Elements (五行) outline, or sign up for her newsletter here.
Join our community! | |||
| Aroma, Psyche, and Body: Creating New Narratives | Featuring Erika Galentin (Rerelease) | 30 Dec 2022 | 00:56:05 | |
This episode of Herbal Radio is a rerelease from December 2021 and comes from Mountain Rose Herbs' Free Herbalism Project recorded November 12, 2021 and presented as a webinar for thousands of herbalism enthusiasts. Join Erika Galentin, MNIMH, RH (AHG), for an exploration of aromatic plants as useful tools for supporting our minds and bodies on our journeys to wellness. We will take a brief tour of the inner workings of our sense of smell, how aromas are perceived, and their influence on our memories and emotions. This will be followed by a discussion on how emotions such as grief and shame can have significant impacts on how our bodies function. We will also explore how we can use aroma from plants to create new emotions and memories through the power of the myths, metaphors, and stories they can carry to the psyche. Erika Galentin is a Clinical Herbalist and Aromatherapist, consulting from Sovereignty Herbs in Athens and Columbus, OH. She holds a degree in Herbal Medicine from the University of Wales and the Scottish School of Herbal Medicine and is a professional member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (UK) and the American Herbalists Guild (USA). With over 15 years of clinical practice, Erika seeks to encourage positive, learned relationships between plants and people as well as people and their bodies. CLICK HERE to watch the entire Online Free Herbalism Project 11.12.21 featuring Erika's presentation. You will also hear from four other herbalists and a musical performance that will get you on your feet! Visit Erika Galentin at:
Join our community! | |||
| Hawthorn & Bilberry Apple Cider Reduction Syrup | Featuring jim mcdonald | 16 Dec 2022 | 00:17:24 | |
Learn how to make a delicious and healthful apple cider reduction syrup using hawthorn and bilberry with jim mcdonald! This episode is the audio recording from a video jim filmed with us earlier this year. Listen in as jim gives us step-by-step instructions on how to make this wellness-supporting herbal treat as well as how to use it and tips for storage. Watch jim making bilberry & hawthorn berry syrup on our YouTube channel. In 1994, jim mcdonald's life changed when he drank tea from a wild plant he harvested from the land he lived upon. Since those first sips of strange tea, his life in the woods and meadows of southeast michigan has been centered on the plants & ecosystems of that land, and how he might share their virtues to restore wellness with those around him. jim's approach to herbcraft is deeply rooted in the land he lives upon, and blends traditional european folk influences with 19th century eclectic and physiomedical vitalism, which he conveys with story, experience, humour, common sense and lore to students, clients, random passersby and readers of his websites www.herbcraft.org & herbcraft.podia.com. He's taught classes throughout north america and is currently (still) alternately writing "Foundational Herbcraft" and the "A Great Lakes Herbal", in addition to articles for journals and other publications. jimis a community herbalist, a manic wildcrafter and medicine maker, and has been an ardent student of the most learned teachers of herbcraft… the plants themselves. Learn more about jim and his educational opportunities by clicking here. Join our community! | |||
| Interviews on Herbal Radio with Thomas Dick | Featuring Tieraona Low Dog, M.D.,R.H. | 09 Dec 2022 | 00:58:47 | |
This week, Thomas interviews our inspiring friend Dr. Tieraona Low Dog. Thomas talks to Tieraona about her upbringing, her love of the outdoors, coping with life's challenges and acknowledging that they inherently bring gifts, and attending taekwondo school early in life. A true holistic healer dedicated to enhancing empowered wellbeing, Tieraona speaks about the sage advice she received from her grandmother, being a community herbalist, and her journey in becoming a doctor. We hope you enjoy this honest, grounded, and truly beautiful episode. Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., R.H., began exploring the natural world more than 35 years ago as she studied midwifery, herbalism, massage therapy, and martial arts, before earning her medical degree from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. An internationally recognized expert in the fields of integrative medicine, dietary supplements, and women's health, Dr. Low Dog was appointed by President Bill Clinton to the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy, served as the elected Chair of the US Pharmacopeia Dietary Supplements and Botanicals Expert Information Panel, and was appointed to the Scientific Advisory Council for the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Dr. Low Dog shares her loves of plants and natural healing with students who come from all over the world to study with her at her ranch in Pecos, New Mexico and online at MedicineLodgeRanch.com. Access Dr. Tieraona Low Dog's blog posts, books, upcoming events, and more by visiting her website. Dr. Tieraona Low Dog on Instagram
Join our community! | |||
| How to Grow Your Own Herbal Teas, with Juliet Blankespoor | Tea Talks with Jiling | 02 Dec 2022 | 00:51:01 | |
Juliet and Jiling chat about growing medicinal herbs in containers, making your own herbal fertilizer, and preventative garden practices to minimize diseases and pest problems. Juliet shares about her journey founding the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine, some of her "best plant friends," and three homegrown teas to nourish winter wellness. We conclude with a reflection on kinship from the introduction to The Healing Garden, "When we grow and harvest our own medicine, the remedy is full spectrum— it contains the intangible and unquantifiable medicine of kinship." Find Juliet's new book The Healing Garden at mountainroseherbs.com or at the Healing Garden Gateway. Juliet Blankespoor is the founder of the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine (an online school serving thousands of students from around the globe) and the author of the bestselling book, The Healing Garden: Cultivating and Handcrafting Herbal Remedies. She's a bonafide plant geek, with a degree in botany and over 30 years of experience teaching and writing about herbalism, medicine making, and organic herb gardening. Juliet and her family reside in a home overrun with houseplants and books in Asheville, NC. Visit Juliet Blankespoor online: Jiling Lin is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac) and herbalist in Ventura, CA. Visit Jiling at JilingLin.com, Instagram @LinJiling, and Facebook @JilingLAc. Get her free Nourishing Life (養生) template, Five Elements (五行) outline, or sign up for her newsletter here. Join our community! | |||
| Weaving Ancestral Spirituality into Herbalism | Featuring Sabrina Peraza | 18 Jul 2025 | 01:08:27 | |
This week on Everything You Didn't Know About Herbalism, we are thrilled to welcome Sabrina Peraza, a spiritually-connected mestiza folk herbalist whose practice weaves the rich traditions of herbalism with ancestral energetics. Join Tommy and Sabrina as they delve into her medicinal herb farm and apothecary, Flora Farm, where she embraces an all-encompassing approach to herbal medicine making. Together, they explore how Sabrina's unique perspective fosters deep elemental relationships with plants, drawing from her multicultural lineage and traditional healing practices to create meaningful connections and healing within her community. As always, we thank you for joining us on another botanical adventure and are so honored to have you tag along with us on this ride. Remember, we want to hear from you! Your questions, ideas, and who you want to hear from are an invaluable piece to our podcast. Email us at podcast@mountainroseherbs.com to let us know what solutions we should uncover next within the vast world of herbalism. Learn more about Sabrina and Flora Farm below! ⬇️ Sabrina Peraza is a mestiza folk herbalist, farmer, ceremonialist, and founder of Flora Farm, a medicinal herb farm and herbal apothecary in Port Angeles, Washington. Flora Farm provides a CSA program, herbal and energetic medicine preparations, medicinal plants and seeds, as well as in-person and online community education opportunities around herbalism, farming, ceremony, and land stewardship. Sabrina centers the wisdom and healing traditions of her mixed-race ancestry to enculturate and enrich her farming, medicine-making, and ceremonial practices as a way of honoring her heritage while creating something meaningful to share with her community as a result of her efforts. She offers custom herbal medicine formulation and 1:1 intuitive healing sessions where she specializes in facilitating ancestral mediation and sharing bespoke rituals that create bridges to personal guides, nature spirits, and plants for personal, familial, and ecological healing. Check out the upcoming and ongoing offerings at Flora Farm! 🪸 Seaweed Medicine Online Course 🪸 *Coming winter 2025 🌿 Flora Farm 2025 CSA Program 🌿 💫 Custom Herbal and Energetic Medicine Formulation 💫 🌸 1:1 Intuitive Healing Sessions 🌸 🌻 Visit the Flora Farm website and sign up for the Flora Farm Newsletter!🌻 📱Follow along with Flora Farm on social media! 📱 Instagram ~ @florafarmandforage Facebook ~ Flora Farm ~ 💿 Consider yourself more of a visual creature? 💿 Check out the video interview on our YouTube Channel! ~ Join our community! | |||
| Interviews on Herbal Radio with Thomas Dick | Featuring Tyrone Ledford | 25 Nov 2022 | 00:53:51 | |
We are deeply thankful for today's interview with co-founder of Holistic Divine Innovations and founder of the Ridgecrest Community Garden and Herbal Zen Garden, Tyrone Ledford. This inspiring conversation centers around Tyrone's life growing up in Compton, California, his experiences growing food, his development of the Ridgecrest Community Garden and Herbal Zen Garden, as well as his life's other meaningful pursuits. Holistic Divine Innovations was one of five Grants4Plants winners in 2021 whose organizational mission is to show innovative, holistic ways of living by teaching self-sustainability through gardening and agriculture, herbalism, and maintaining one's connection to nature. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we do! Tyrone Ledford, a native from Compton, CA received his Bachelor's Degree from California State University, Fullerton in Child & Adolescent Development with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education. He later received his Master's Degree from Pacific Oaks College in Human Development/Social Change. Tyrone has almost 15 years of experience in teaching early childhood education and is currently a full-time child development professor for Cerro Coso Community College. Tyrone's background also consists of working in mental health intensive services as a family specialist. Tyrone is an author of the Child, Family, and Community Open Resource Textbook that is used throughout community colleges in California. Tyrone, who is the co-founder of Holistic Divine Innovations, founded and organized the Ridgecrest Community Garden and Herbal Zen Garden. Tyrone has been gardening intentionally for 10 years, and grows a combination of fruits, vegetables, and herbs for both culinary and healing power. Tyrone's experience extends as far as growing herbs to create his own teas, and tinctures, and educating communities on how to grow their own food and how to use plants for its nutritional value and medicinal properties. Tyrone's goal is to introduce individuals to the natural resources our earth provides, and to increase fresh organic food resources throughout communities. Tyrone hopes to help you create a sustainable garden because he believes health is wealth. Visit Holistic Divine Innovations here. Join our community! | |||
| Homemade Immune Root Beer | Featuring Dr. Glen Nagel (Rerelease) | 17 Nov 2022 | 00:19:39 | |
This week's Herbal Radio episode is a rerelease from August 2020. Our friend, herbalist and naturopathic physician, Dr. Glen Nagel, joined us in Eugene for an afternoon of making homemade root beer with immune-supporting herbs. We are what we eat (and drink), so why not move beyond the highly processed, high-sugar, artificially flavored imitations and try making your own delicious and healthy root beer? While enjoyable all year long, this recipe is especially supportive during seasonal shifts because of its wellness boosting ingredients. We'll be making Dr. Nagel's homemade root beer for our community this holiday season, and hope you enjoy making it for your loved ones too! This recording is also available to watch on our YouTube channel here. Dr. Glen Nagel, ND (aka The Herbal Wiseguy) is an experienced herbalist, Naturopathic physician and all-around herbal expert. With 35 years of experience, Glen has excelled as a naturalist, herbalist, naturopathic physician, naturopathic medical school professor of botanical medicine, and herbal mixologist. He believes that plants are our teachers and utilizes nature for health and healing. Find more information on Dr. Glen Nagel, The Herbal Wiseguy here! Shop our 50% Abundance Sale now! Join our community! | |||
| Chinese Herb Cultivation in the US, with Thomas Avery Garran | Tea Talks with Jiling | 04 Nov 2022 | 00:52:28 | |
Jiling and Thomas discuss what "daodi" means, Thomas' current botanical farming projects, and some easy Chinese herbs for everyday home herbalists to cultivate. Learn about some of the Chinese herbs that Thomas is growing in the US, gain insight into two different Leonurus species that Thomas focused on for his dissertation, and learn more about considerations for Chinese herb cultivation in the US. This podcast was recorded from an international call and sound quality may fluctuate. Thomas Avery Garran, PhD is an herbalist, author, translator, and scholar who has been studying botanical medicine for over 30 years. He holds a PhD in Chinese Materia Medica Studies from the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences in Beijing, China where he currently resides. Dr. Garran is widely published, and is the author and/or translator of four books including "Western Herbs in Chinese Medicine," "Western Herbs according to Chinese Medicine: A Practitioner's Guide," and "Chinese Herb Cultivation: Daodi Practices for Growing and Processing Chinese Herbs." His recent work focuses on daodi 道地 (local) herbs and agriculture, and bringing his nearly 16 years of living, farming, and studying in China back to the United States. Visit Thomas Avery Garran at Passiflora-Press.com, Herb-Whisperer.com (forthcoming), and Facebook @HerbWhispererPhD. Jiling Lin is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac) and herbalist in Ventura, CA. Visit Jiling at JilingLin.com, Instagram @LinJiling, and Facebook @JilingLAc. Get her free Nourishing Life (養生) template, Five Elements (五行) outline, or sign up for her newsletter here. Join our community!
| |||