Herbalism

When I started to work in agriculture, my least favorite job was weeding . It just seemed to be such a waste of resources as it took many hours of labor, and at the end, the plant materials were often taken away from the garden bed. Even though we can use these pulled out plants to make compost, or to cover the soil’s surface, it still seemed like there was more to be learned from these unwanted plants. These feelings made  me  want to understand “weeds” on a deeper level, and eventually led me to the amazing field of herbalism. 

Wild plants can teach us a lot about the land. The many different species all fulfill different roles in tending for the soil through processes like decompaction and nutrient balancing, signaling us what’s going on beneath the surface in the process. Aside from that,  they often contain a density of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals which most fruits and vegetables can not keep up with. By participating in the ancient art of herbalism we can rediscover how plants can enrich our lives by keeping us healthy, happy and connected.