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links & resources...
Finding information and resources online can be tedious and frustrating; there's a lot more useless debris than valuable information out there.  These links are my way of separating the wheat from the chaff.  With the exception of wildcrafters/growers/medicine makers, all herb links lead to sites with educational content.

 

I know pretty much everybody linked to here and feel real good about steering others their way. 

 

Live in Michigan?

Links to good people and places here in Michigan

Herb Sites...

The best herbs sites online I know of, offering excellent articles and resources for learning cool and useful stuff.

Herbal Listserves and Forums

Online herbal email lists and herb forums can be invaluable means of learning, especially in areas not teeming with herbalists to get varied perspectives from.

Blogs...

Some nice ones worthy of regular browsing... 
Herbal conferences, festivals & events...
an offsite calendar of events offered in the US & Canada.

Identification...

Remarkably good online photos & identification info 

Wildcrafters, Growers, and Medicine Makers

Links to the best sources for obtaining the highest quality fresh & dried herbs and herbal preparations, direct from the people who grew, collected or created them.  This is one of the of the most valuable resources I've put on this site.

Myth & Lore...

A collection of folklore and traditional stories about plants

Henna...

Info on how to delve deeply into dying the skin with henna...  

Totally-Unrelated-To-Herbs-But-Still-Cool...

Other sites I like and get a kick out of linking to 

Poetry...

Purely self indulgent.  Some of my favorite poems.

 

 

Live in Michigan?

The Great Lakes Herb Faire
The Great Lakes Herb Faire is simply awesome.  Held in Chelsea, Michigan (just west of Ann Arbor) each September, we've hosted herbalists from around the Great Lakes BioRegion in a weekend of sharing and learning and reveling in nature.  Please join us!
Golden Hour Herb Farm
Another herbalist, land steward and farmer to support, Scott Townley grows exceptional herbs in Jenison, Michigan, available to plant or for medicine making or to liven your home as cut flowers.  Contact them for a list of what's currently available.

Nature's Products

No website to link to, but Gary Wanttaja has the best selection of dried bulk herbs anywhere around, and is probably one of the wisest plant people I know of, possessed of admirable knowledge and a singular sense of humor... I recollect once asking him what Wahoo was for and he, totally deadpan, answered, "It's for when you're depressed" (Wahoo!).  Nice.  Nature's Products is located in Detroit at 20020 Conant (minutes from I-75 & 8 Mile Road); give him a ring at (313) 891-3900 for current hours.

Jen Green, ND

Jen Green is a Naturopathic Doctor specializing in women's health, pediatrics and cancer care.  I met her ages ago at a Holistic Mom's pot luck, where we started talking 'bout our practices over a bowl of burdock and have more or less kept up the conversation since then... Jen is kick ass, and I jive with her clinical sensibilities enough to feel completely confident referring clients (or any of you all) to her.  She's a real Canadian, too, as evidenced by her saying "herb" with a soft "h" (this is a dead giveaway for brits, aussies, and canadians...). 

Moonlight Mile Herb Farm

My friend Susan Burek's fledgling herb farm, offering certified organic herbs and all manner of feathered things to boot..

Far East Ginseng Herbs and Tea

Far East Ginseng is a Chinese herb store on the northeast corner of 14 Mile and Dequindre (is that Warren or Sterling Heights?).  They've got lots of Chinese herbs available, but if you're gonna go in looking for something in particular, you'd best know at least the Latin and ideally the Chinese name for it.  If you're looking for raspberry leaves or burdock root, you're better off going to Nature's Products, but if you suddenly discover you're on your last zi wan root, this is probably the place to go.  The "shopping" part of the website, by the way, in no way represents what they have in the way of bulk herbs or what the store is like.  It's worth a visit.

Deanne Bednar's Strawbale Studio

Deanne Bednar is a dear friend and wowie-zowie, what a cool, cool things she creates.  If you live within driving distance, you've simply got to check this out... it's literally like walking into a fairytale cottage.  Plus, you'll get to spend some time hanging out with Deanne, which will leave you wondering whether she just isn't the fairy in the fairytale...  Deanne teaches about all sorts of natural building techniques, from making cob to waddle & dob to thatching roofs. 

 

Herb Sites...

From the very start of this site I've had a slew of herb sites listed here; over the years lots of people have closed their sites and changed their sites, and LOTS of new brilliant and diverse herbalists have sprouted up here, there a d everywhere.  I've been whinnying down the sites listed here to not so much be representive of all the herbalists I know of and dig, but of those sites that are most information dense.  Because a slew of great people have largely eschewed websites for Facebook and Instagram (how do you even link to instagram from a website?) where it's easy to "follow" them but harder to find content, it's harder to represent them all on this kind of links page (or, harder for me to figure out how, at least).  But here's some great resources:
Henriette's Herbal Homepage

In my opinion, the best herb site online covering western herbalism.  Has full texts ranging from Salmon's Botanologia to Ellingwood's American Materia Medica, and is fully searchable and excellent for cross referencing plants.  Henriette has made more unstateably valuable herbal information available online (and free, no less...) for our collective benefit than probably anyone else in the world.

Southwest School of Botanical Medicine

Michael Moore's site.  If you like reading off paper, go out and get 30 or so ink cartridges, a hundred and seventy reams of paper, and put that printer to the test.  All the eclectic books you'd like to have, but are either out of print or too expensive.  Herbalists everywhere own Michael a debt of gratitude for the immense amount of work he's put into making such valuable information accessible... though Michael has passed, the info on this site and his teachings are still being offered by Donna Chesner.

Matthew Wood

Matthew Wood is simply an incredibly insightful herbalist.  His Book of Herbal Wisdom was truly a powerful catalyst (or maybe catapult?) in my adventures in learning about herbcraft, and both inspired new understanding and reaffirmed much of what I'd come to sense about working with herbs.  He's a remarkably good writer, and has found a beautiful blend of herbalism, homeopathy, flower essences, alchemy and indigenous herbcraft.  His site is filled with some really wonderful treasures

Columbines School of Botanical Studies

Howie Brounstein & Steven Yeager offer a two year herbal studies course based in Eugene, Oregon, which in 2010 I had the great honor of sitting in (and occasionally butting in) on.  Their approach of stressing the importance of learning the fundamentals of herbalism (the properties and actions of plants) totally jives with my sensibilities.  Plus, more entertaining classes you'll be hard pressed to find.  Howie shares some of his writings here, including the original herbal smoking mixture booklet that was one of the first things I ever found on the internet.  Remember: astringents add body to a smoke mix.  See the way it all goes back to actions?
Larken Bunce
Larken is one of the three teachers facilitating the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism and she's a shining example of the word "integrative".  She possesses a keen scientific knowledge that only enhances a very down to earth, practical wisdom, rooted in traditional herbalism.  And she's a spectacular teacher... I hold a tent up with my bare hands to listen to her teach...  

Paul Bergner's Medical Herbalism

Paul edits Medical Herbalism, an journal for practicing herbalists, and has blessed us with some great links and, even better, a smattering of articles from Medical Herbalism... check out the stuff written by Bloyer... excellent, indeed.  Paul founded the North American Institute of Medical Herbalism.

Kiva Rose

I love Kiva's stuff because I just really jive with where she's coming from; the posts are down to earth and get to the foundational core of grassroots traditional western herbalism.  She's a splendid writer (which is nice) and has a great knack for being able to explain concepts that could be difficult in a very assessable manner.  Kiva and her partner Wolf also host the Herbfolk Gathering in the southwest, and compile the flat out awesome Plant Healer Magazine, which if you don't get you should. 

Rosemary Gladstar

Rosemary is just really cool.  I couldn't state emphatically enough that if you have the opportunity to see her somewhere, you should take it, and if you don't see a readily-had opportunity, you should do your best to find one.  I don't think you could spend a day with her and not be left vigorously inspired by her "viriditas"...  Rosemary is a walking example of the good a green consciousness will do you.  You might ask to hear her story about the woman, the "dying cat", and the valerian...
Rosalee de la Foret
In addition to having a poetically beautiful name, Rosalee offers us a very nice blog, replete with assessable and comprehensive entries that merit regular visitation.  Rosalee also offers an immense quantity of info at herbmentor.com, including a number of "e-books" and video presentations. 

Karyn Sanders

Karyn Sanders is an incredible voice in the herbal world... I say voice both figuratively and literally, as she hosts a radio show in California called Herbal Highway, which you can listen to when your eyes say "no" to reading and a trip out into the wild isn't practical.  I can't say how impressed I am with the perspective and wisdom she offers... I've had the opportunity to sit in on classes of hers at the MidAmerica Herbal Symposium and can say that they are among the best I've ever been in.  Karyn's background is deeply rooted in Native American traditions, which she blends artfully with some western herbalism and decades of clinical experience.  Having her shows available to listen to online is truly a blessing, and one not to be passed up.

David Winston

David Winston's site has some excellent articles he's written, as well as .pdf files of interest to those of us herb nerds who dig on vintage nineteenth century eclectic and physiomedical herbalism.  David's class "Talking Leaves" is among the best I've ever been in.

Wise Woman Healing Ways

Robin Rose Bennett offers classes, walks and apprenticeships in the New York/New Jersey area, and possesses the admirable virtue of being "insightful". I got to know her via Henriette's herblist and in crossing paths at the International Herb Symposium and I really admire her ability to see beyond "this herb for that" and recognize the patterns and energies that give one a greater perspective on what's really at play in a given situation. Her site has some thoughtful articles and presentations available for listening.

7Song

7Song runs the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine in Ithaca, NY, and  his site includes a number of articles and an extensive searchable photo archive... his pictures are really good, owing, no doubt, to his inclination towards botanical meticulosity.  7Song also has a nice sense of wit, which peeps out of his writings like the proper use of spices (nonwitty, or "objective" writing is like bland food).  7Song's commitment towards earthy, pragmatic grassroots herbalism is highly laudable.

CommonWealth Center for Herbal Medicine
Primarily run by Katja Swift and Ryn Midura (with adjunctive teachers to broaden things out), CommonWealth offers open classes, intensive programs and consults in and around Boston, and classes for children (how-oh-so-cool-is-that?). I totally jive with their perspective, and they have some nice articles to peruse here. Ryn's use of brackets (something not in my punctuation heavy repertoire) is particularly worthy of taking in.

Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine

Juliet Blankespoor runs the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine, and is a source of reliable and insightful information on herbs and herbalism.  The Chestnut site has just a ton of articles to peruse in their blog; I especially love the plain english write up on the oft confusing topic of phytoestrogens, and there are recipes galore that extend well beyond teas and tinctures.  Chestnut not only features Juliet's work, but the work of a number of herbalists, and (awesomely!) a number of herbalists of color.

Dale Pendell

Dale Pendell is the author of the incredible “Pharmako-“ trilogy, consisting of Pharmako/Poeia, Pharmakodynamis and Phamako/Gnosis.  These books are explorations into the relationship between people and “power plants”… not simply "psychedelics", but all the plants that affect our consciousness, from Tobacco, Coffee & Marijuana to Tea, Absinthe and Psilocybes.  Pendell’s writing is astounding, a blending together of botany, poetry, alchemy and herbcraft.  These are among my favorite books, and while that’s not an endorsement of the “poison path” they document, I feel they offer a unique wisdom not to be found elsewhere.  The L.A. Times interview is an excellent introduction to this original voice of plant lore.  I'd consider these among my favorite plant books ever written.  Shame he didn't write on Calamus...

Adam Seller's Pacific School of Herbal Medicine

Adam's site for his school is quite valuable in that it has some very nice recipes, capped by the phrase, "Never trust an herbalist who's not a good cook."  Wise words...  He's also got some very admirable info on Horsetail and Ragweed... not the usual stuff you always see under those herbs.  I'm charmed by a clever humor that seems to permeate the writing...

A Modern Herbal Online

Grieve's classic, searchable.  This is an incredibly valuable resource, and one that's not given as much credit as it deserves.  Grieve offers an immense variety of folk uses and folklore not readily found elsewhere.  I'll often print out entries to take a highlighter to, since I wouldn't dare deface a book with one.

Sam Thayer

I came across Sam Thayer's book The Forager's Harvest while teaching out in Duluth, and my utterly delightful hosts gifted me with the copy I picked up every time I sat down at their place (perhaps they thought I wasn't going to put it down when I had to leave).  It's quite simply the absolute best book on edible plants I've ever come across, with no close seconds.  Sam doesn't cover much in the way of medicinal uses, but his writing clearly expresses the deep connection and kinship he has with the plants that he covers.  While it is a regional book, I'd still get it regardless of where you live, just to see how good an edible plant book can be.  Seven thumbs up. 

Ryan Drum

Hmm... Ryan Drum's site is very cool, but there are certainly some "interesting" ideas offered here and there that might make you scratch your head (thinking specifically about a notion offered in "Herbs for Men's Health" about x and y chromosomes...).  Nonetheless, one of the reasons herbalism is so interesting is because we're all such a bunch of characters, (I've got plenty of oddball theories myself, if you'd believe it...), and Ryan's site is exceptional in that several of his articles offer ideas to ponder you'll not readily find elsewhere... that's always a treat. 

Maria Treben

Some of the herbal entries from Maria Treben's Health from God's Pharmacy...

Smoke Plants

Mairi Ross has authored a delightful book on the oft maligned act of smoking dried plants, and covers over 150 in the process.  The book is a real treat, with pages like puffs on a pipe... lots of wisdoms to quietly ponder.  Really, one of the only books of its kind...

United Plant Savers

United Plant Savers is dedicated to protecting and cultivating medicinal plants threatened by habitat loss and commercial overharvest.  As herbs like Goldenseal, Black Cohosh, American Ginseng and Wild Yam are becoming increasingly rare in the wild, UpS works to both preserve and propagate them.  Their website lists their events calendar, offers ways you can help preserve plants in your area, and provides membership info (hint hint).

 

Herbal Listserves and Forums...
These are the herbal email listserves and forums I know of and would recommend checking out.  There are undoubtedly more (Henriette has a list here, and even that probably leaves out lots).  I haven't included lists or forums focused on homeopathy, TCM or ayurveda - I'm just not knowledgeable enough in these areas to pick out the good ones.  The ones I have included here are all, I deem, very nice.  Like all things, though, each has its own flavor and one list or forum may bug one person and be the delight of another.  The best way to find out which are the good ones are to try them out and decide for yourself. 

 

I would also advise those with addictive personalities to consider the impact of numerous forums (and the myriad ways they can teach you something new) on their time management and productivity.  The same considerations one would keep in mind when dealing with heroine or gambling should be remembered when one realizes that they're in the midst of an herblist fit.

 

I'd also like to acknowledge and (namelessly) thank some of the very skilled and gifted herbalists who post on these open lists, rather than avoiding them in favor of "professional-only" lists.  I find their openness and willingness to share highly admirable, and praise them for so freely giving of their time and wisdom.

 

Henriette's Herblist
Henriette Kress offers an excellent herbal listserve replete with wise herbfolk who share insights opinions and ideas on herbs and their use. The list's archives are phenomenal; and an incredible resource (though unfortunately not searchable). Henriette's list is very well moderated; which saves its members from spam, two word replies that contain another 80 lines of previous posts, and off-topic chit chat, but does require members who want to post to learn the basics of "netiquette" (snipping unnecessary text from replies, not replying "thanks!" to every individual email recieved, and staying on the topic of herbs). For this bit of effort, the wealth of knowledge it offers is priceless... another reason to value this herb maven who has made more information freely accessible than perhaps anyone else online.  You can subscribe here.
The AHG Herbstudent List
The herbstudent list was begun and few years ago and, like henriette's list, offers an immensity of collective insight. There are less requirements for people who want to post (editing previous replies in posts isn't a requirement), and so in that way perhaps a bit more accessable, but that also means you will occasionally get the short reply with paragraphs and paragraphs of previous posts before it. something that'll make you see red if you're on digest. A big bonus with this group is that members can search the archives.  Nice.

HerbMentor.com
John, Kimberly and Rosalee at HerbMentor have put together an exceptional resource for those looking to learn about herbalism with more structure and guidance than is offered by most (any?) other online email lists and message boards.  It is a subscription service, and is replete with lengthy audio and video lectures (including some by me), comprehensive written resources, a message board and other resources that make it an excellent resource to people who learn in different ways (since you can read, listen and watch the presentations).  While an inevitable question is "Why would I pay fro something online when so much is free?", I'd posit a few answers, one being that HerbMentor is very reasonably priced, another being that I don't know anyone who hasn't really liked it (most a lot) and also that John Gallagher is a really super cool fellow who's committed to providing real, grassroots herbal wisdom in a very assessable way.
 

 

Blogs...

Really, there are more herb blogs than I can keep up with; fortunately Rosalee de la Foret has an impressive array listed here.

 

 

Herbal conferences, festivals & events...

I always pondered putting up a list of herbal conferences and events, but it seemed like it'd be a nightmare to keep up with, go out of date quickly, and end up less than useful.  But (yay!) someone else has made a nice listing, so I can just post a link to that... so here's a list of herbal conferences, festival and events in the US & Canada.

 

 

Identification...

Michigan Flora

Not picture heavy, but rather a botanical key for Michigan with county level distribution maps.  The search by genus option can help you look to see where to look for a given species, or help to reverse ID a plant you've found.
Michigan's Rare Plants
Somewhat dated but (to my knowledge) still our most recent resource, this document identifies Michigan's Endangered and Threatened plants, as well as species of Special Concern. 

USDA Plants Database
This, along with BONAP (below) is one of my go to resources for looking up genus and species ranges while researching plants.

The Biota of North America

A super detailed plant distribution atlas.

MSU Turf Weeds

Is it growing in your lawn?  Check out the MSU Turf Weeds site, which has some nice pics of common lawn weeds...

Virginia Tech's Dendrology Site

ID a tree by leaf or needle(s)... one of the easier to use identification sites with good photos...

Mushrooms...

Mushroom Expert.com

If you're interested in our fungal friends, that might be one of the best resources online.  In addition to excellent pics and descriptions of a lot of species (listed in the box in the top right corner of the page), there's info on easily identified edibles, deadly poisonous species, primers of morel & boletus gatherers, and technical info to help with understanding mushroom field guides, taxonomy, spore microscopy, etc etc; on & on...

 

A Few Very Poisonous Plants & Mushrooms...

These are some, SOME, of the  very toxic plants that can be growing wild (or escaped from cultivation) in Michigan.  Some of them are strong enough to kill a person in one mistaken cup of tea or meal.  Please, if you wildcraft/forage, take as much time to learn how to identify your local poisonous plants as you take to learn to identify the medicinal ones.

 

Hemlock Conium maculatum  botany video pics

Water Hemlock Cicuta maculata  botany video pics

Bulb Bearing Water Hemlock Cicuta bulbifera  botany video pics

 

Destroying Angel Amanita bisporigera

Death Cap Amanita phalloides

I survived the Destroying Angel

"No one with a reasonable understanding of the importance of properly identifying mushrooms – with a serious awareness that some species are fatally toxic – falls victim to the Destroying Angel*. The folks who eat Destroying Angel* do not use field guides: they just pick the damned things and eat them. No trip to the library. No reading. No spore prints. No idea what a “partial veil” is or what “gill attachment” means."
 

Deadly Galerina Galerina autumnalis

Deadly Lawn Galerina Galerina venenata

Tender Nesting Polypore/Cinnamon Bracket Hapalopilus nidulans
↑ a poisonous polypore shelf mushroom; you've probably heard there are none.

Wildcrafters, Growers, and Medicine Makers…
I feel very strongly about the responsibility we take in using herbal medicines.  In doing so, we not only take become responsible for our own well being, but we also take on the responsibility of the plants we use to nourish our bodies and souls.  Ideally, we can honor this by respectfully gathering or growing the medicines we use.  Sometimes, though, practicality (be it of time, convenience or whatever) insists we purchase our herbs.  If this is the case, we must understand that when we buy an herb or herbal preparation, we assume the responsibility for how it has been gathered and prepared. 

If you’re buying drugstore brand herbs, or even herbs produced by supplements companies, you’re most likely financing environmentally destructive practices.  Most convenience stores and supermarkets carry wildcrafted Goldenseal preparations, which people buy under the misguided understanding that it’s a "natural antibiotic" (it is not).  It may be ages old and nearly inert, to boot.  The money that this consumption earns encourages plants and nature to be seen as a commodity, something to bring in a profit.  Again, if you buy these preparations, you’re paying to support and reinforce this view.  I suspect most of us don’t intend to do that… wouldn’t you rather your money go directly to an individual herbalist and their family rather than support a huge profit-oriented corporation?

I’ve made it a top priority that if I can’t gather an herb myself, I do my damnedest to get it directly from the person that did, or, if that’s not possible, from a source that I know puts as much emphasis on wildcrafting ethics and integrity as I do.  This effort ensures a number of things:  That the plants are being gathered respectfully and sensitively, that the ingredients you use to make your own preparations are top quality, and that your money and support goes to people who care passionately about the plants they grow and collect.  Our money is a form of energy, and I think that supporting small scale family growers, wildcrafters and medicine makers is an excellent place to send that energy.  I take great pride in the fact that I know whose hands unearthed the Black Cohosh I use, and whose prayers were offered to the bitterroot I chew.

So here’s a list of people I rely on to obtain the highest quality herbs and preparations that can be had, who I know care as deeply about these herbs as I do.  I hope you all will find this information useful, and support these plant people as the herbs they collect support us.

Michigan…

Black Locust Gardens

Herbalist Alex Crowfoot and farmer/tinkerer Ben Hicks are cultivating a number of species of medicinal plants, from nutritive staples like nettle and oats to medicinals like black cohosh and boneset.  As a herbalist, Alex has a wealth of knowledge and understanding of herbs and what quality herbs possess, and the plants they offer shine with vitality.  Supporting this local resource will ensure it thrives and can give back to us all.
Golden Hour Herb Farm
Another herbalist, land steward and farmer to support, Scott Townley grows exceptional herbs in Jenison, Michigan, available to plant or for medicine making or to liven your home as cut flowers.  Contact them for a list of what's currently available.
Linden Tree Herbals
Ginny Denton makes teas, tinctures, elixirs & balms, using mostly local herbs and honey.  Everything I've tried of hers has been wondrous, but do check out all the crabapple formulae because she's got that plant down; the crabapple bitters, olwyn's heart... just awesome.  You'll also find some less common dried herbs of superb quality.

Herbal Lodge

Nathan Wright's Native owned business offers us Michigan harvested plants from Anishiinabek tradition, collected with deep regard of stewardship and interdependence.  Along with herbs well known in western herbalism, we'll find things like tamarack bark I've never seen used in western practice.  Nathan's also a dedicated Water Protector and works in support of our bioregion's environment.

 

Northeast United States…

Zack Woods Herb Farm

I’ve been ordering herbs through Zack Woods for years upon years, and can’t recommend them enough.  They grow exceptional Black Cohosh, which you can get shipped fresh out of the ground to you, as well as many other at risk and otherwise useful herbs.  Both Melanie and Jeff have been a pleasure to work with every time I’ve ordered, and their commitment and integrity shines through the herbs they offer us.

Healing Spirits Herb Farm

Matthias and Andrea Reisen's herb farm and education center.  They'll teach you about how to grow the herbs, how to gather the herbs, and do so with prayerful intent.  Beautiful, beautiful herbs.  If you don't see something on their list, it's worth asking about, sometimes they have or can get other things you might be looking for.
Blue Lake Botanicals
Lynn Abbey Zukowski offers a slew of small batch salves, tinctures, lotions, oils, sprays, soaps, scrubs and teas, and bulk poplar buds to boot.  Lynn vends all over; you can check out her schedule here.
Herbal Revolution
Kathi offers a diverse array of teas, tinctures, elixirs, lotions, oils, and other beguiling botanicals; unique blends that tell you your getting something put together with a sense of knowledge, creativity and taste.  Top off all that with sound ecological responsibility; she writes of her chaga chai: "I use Chaga from trees that are destined for harvest in Northern Maine, otherwise I would not be making this blend. Chaga is a very slow growing mushroom and is becoming over harvested... as Chaga becomes more and more popular (for good reasons) it's important to keep in mind where and how it's harvested... It's always best to learn from someone that has a solid understanding on what to harvest and how to harvest."   That's what we want to see in medicine makers.

Woodland Essence

Kate Gilday and Don Babineau have created a line of flower essences made from native North American trees, shrubs and herbs, as well as tinctures, oils, salves, creams and, of special merit, just awesome chaga mushrooms (a truly exquisite tea, chaga is…).  They also host classes and Kate offers apprenticeships.  I first met Kate at the International Herb Symposium years ago, and she was every bit as cool as she comes across (and knows really good songs, too).  Excellent results with her essences, as well...

Avena Botanicals

Avena Botanicals was founded by Deb Soule, and many of the herbs are grown there on their farm.  Avena is among the few sources of awesome solomon's seal I'm aware of, and also makes an infused oil of it that rocks.  In addition to the obvious quality of the products they offer, Avena's stuff just reeks of intention and integrity.  There's a really great interview with Deb by Ann Armbrecht here.  They also host classes and events.

Urban Moonshine
Bitters.  Really quite spectacular bitters.  I met Jovial at the AHG conference in Pennsylvania in 2012 and got to taste these bitters I'd heard such good things about, and was super impressed.  I love bitters, and I have a deep appreciation for the craft of formulating bitters; sampling the many different bitter blends people make makes me really quite happy and appreciative of the literally infinite possibilities out there.  This is one of the best I've had.  They also make other goodies worth slucking up.

Flack Family Farm

They offer a number of organically grown medicinals, and are one of the only places I've seen that offers Solomon's Seal roots.  Their codonopsis is astounding.

Ironbound Island Seaweeds
North Atlantic dulse, kelp, kombu, wakame, and nori hand gathered in Maine.

 

Appalachia…

Moonbranch Botanicals

Robin Suggs at Moonbranch Botanicals offers wildcrafted and organically grown herbs endemic to the eastern forests of Appalachia.  He's gone beyond simple organic cultivation, and is replicating the natural habitat ecologies the plants he grows would naturally exist in (in other words, the plants that naturally prefer poor soil to grow in aren't cultivated in rich, well composted topsoil.  One of the few places I know that offers fresh or recent dried Wild Indigo, Solomon's Seal and Stone Root.

Harding's Ginseng Farm

Larry Harding grows exceptional Ginseng, organically cultivating the plant in wild, unamended forest soil so that it grows in potency as it competes with other plants in the wild Appalachian soil.  The resultant roots are much stronger and medicinally endowed than Ginseng given cushy, well composted and manured garden soil (under a shade cloth) could approximate.  Harding's also offers organic wild cultivated Goldenseal, Bloodroot, Black Cohosh and other at risk herbs.
Blue Ridge Aromatics
A small scale essential oil distiller providing oils from plants they're grown or wildcrafted.  If you're into essential oils, THIS is where it's at.  I mean, seriously, they make spicebush essential oil.  Amazing.

Mountain Gardens

Joe Hollis grows gazillions of herbs and makes myriad herbal preparations to offer, with lots of unusual medicinals and formulae.  He’ll custom harvest herbs for you, and has plants and seeds for sale.  He also offers apprenticeships & classes… And, his site is beautiful and makes me want to visit… check out the pictures… wow.

Equinox Botanicals

Founded by Paul Strauss, Equinox offers a small but exceptional line of extracts and their damn good "golden salve".  Paul is also the steward of the United Plant Savers Botanical Sanctuary in Rutland Ohio, and damn, does that guy know the land he walks on.  His knowledge of the sanctuary is astounding, and one shouldn't pass up an opportunity to join him on a plant walk (just don't believe him when he says you'll only be 45 minutes...). 

Pine's Herbals

Corey Pine Shane offers an exquisite line of really high quality tincture and such.  I've ordered stuff from him a number of times when I was out of something and wanted to get a ready made tincture from an impeccable source.  Corey Pine also runs the Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine in Asheville, NC and offers consults.  Every time I call to order something from him we always get into a long, green conversation... he's a cool cat.

 
Heartland…

Loess Roots

One of my students turned me onto Rod Angeroth at Loess Roots, passing along some extra goldenseal and black cohosh to me.  The roots looked and smelled and felt and worked beautiful, and I subsequently got some other things from Rod, including some absolutely gorgeous american ginseng root.  Everything about Loess Roots rocks, and it's I think the only place I know to get virginia snakeroot.  Purchasing roots from Rod, who's in Nebraska, will get a lot of what are considered eastern woodlands plants to people who live out west faster than getting them from several states farther eastwards.  Highly recommended. 

 

Northwest United States…

Naturespirit Herbs & Sea Vegetables

James Jungwirth and Kari Rein offer hand harvested seaweeds and custom wildcrafted herbs that grow in the Pacific Northwest.  They don’t stock bulk herbs and such, but rather if there’s something you need that grows out that way you can give them a call and they’ll gather for you and ship it to you.  They also carry tinctures, salves and oils, and a look through their catalog shows some really nice stuff… one of the only places I know to get fresh Cactus grandiflorus, or fresh Ragweed tincture if you didn’t get around to harvesting your own..
Understory Apothecary
I heard about Sean Croke through Sean Donahue as a good source for poplar buds; a few months later I can vouch for Understory being a great source of herbs and Sean as being an easy and cool person to get stuff from.  He offers a nice selection of bioregionally wildcrafted herbs, as well as tinctures (in dropper bottles or bulk).  His blog entry on early spring tree medicines gives a nice taste of his relationship with the herbs he gathers...

Mushroom Harvest

Mushroom Harvest offers all the mushroom varieties we that herbalists crave, and then some: Reishi, shiitakes, lion's mane, chaga, turkey tails, and many others, as powders or kits so you can grow your own.  I met George at the 8th International Herb Symposium and was blessed to get some of his cordyceps... divine.  He's an awesome course to get mushrooms to amend your bone broth.
Methow Medicinal Herb Farm

Tyler McGrath grows and collects a multitude of herbs from their farm and the wildlands of Washington State, including not only many herbs native to that habitat, but several other less commonly associated with the Northwest.  They offer contract farming services, will produce tinctures, oils, or other preparations to your specs, offer seeds of virtually all the herbs they produce, and most importantly the quality of herbs they offer shows their commitment to both the plants and the people they serve.
Ring Botanicals
I met Jessica Ring a number of years ago in Portland, and she was the first person I met offering essential oils made from regionally grown and wildcrafted plants, showing that essential oils aren't beyond the scope of small scale herbalists to produce.  She offers a small selection of oils (gadzooks, the black poplar oil is incredible), perfumes and hydrosols, all of which are infused by her awesomeness.
Wildroot Botanicals
Leslie and Orion at Wildroot Botanicals offer small scale distilled hydrosols, essential oils and creams, made from such wonderful plants as cedar, yarrow, juniper and cottonwood... they also offer courses and classes (including occasionally mine) and are a great resource for herbal learning in the very northwest united states...

Friends of the Trees

You've got to love when you find a resource that states of their offerings, "We grow or wildcraft all of them personally".  Michael Pilarski offers a large array of botanicals native to or naturalized in the Pacific Northwest (along with a smattering of others here & there), primarily to be collected from their gardens or wildcrafted by order.  This ensures you the highest possible quality, and you get to know that the herbs you receive were specifically gathered for you.  Michael offers large volumes of fresh herb infused oils.

Pacific Botanicals

This is a big organic farm in Oregon that grows and stocks a wide range of high quality herbs; recently they've been distributing a lot more plants from various parts of the world, but their site clearly lists sources and often says "our farm".  You can order fresh herbs here and they’ll ship them out to you for extraction, or obtain dried herbs that have been harvested that season. 
Organic Unity
Sajah and Whitney offer alchemically produced spagyric tinctures and essences.  These are an entirely different type of preparation than herbal tinctures, and generally taken in drop doses.  I'm currently (at the time of this writing) totally digging on their hawthorne essence...

 

Southwest United States…

Texas Medicinals

Ginger Webb offers a number of tinctures and teas made from both bioregional and commonly used herbs, and her stuff rocks.  She's a great source for midwives looking for cotton root bark tincture, as well as those looking for a source of traditional southwest & mexican herbs seldom seen available elsewhere.  Ginger also does consults...


Southeast United States…

Coyote Moon Herb Company

I met Theresa Finkbeiner while teaching down in Ocean Springs, Mississippi; she rather saved a ravenously hungry me with some fresh crawfish. We swapped some Kava tincture, gabbed about plants and in her photo album I saw the most insanely tall joe pye weed... it must've been ten feet? Perhaps more? Theresa makes tinctures, oils, offers herbal birthing goodies and teaches throughout the southeast. If you cross paths with her, do ask to see that joe pye picture...
 
Hawaii…

Adaptations

Tana Datta offers fresh and dried Kava and other medicinals and will ship to the mainland...  I've had his mahakea, and it's excellent.  Tane has, though, grown Isa, a non-noble Tudei kava variety that I don't recommend due to the flavokavain B content, and, well, because it's a non-noble kava and can cause an unpleasant hangover on some.  When I order, I specifically ask which varieties are being harvested and be clear that I don't want Isa.

 

Canada…

Algonquin Tea Company

The Algonquin Tea Company offers a number of unique and tasty teas formulated with only plants growing in the Algonquin bioregion, like sweet fern, myrica gale, labrador tea, mountain mint and more... their formulas are unique and unlike any you're likely to find elsewhere, infused with the spirit of that land.  Their sister site, The Sacred Gardener, offers classes and workshops on herbs, permaculture and traditional skills.

Dakini Tidal Wilds

Someone online tuned me onto this company; they're the only one listed here where I haven't actually used their stuff, but a look over their (well, actually "her") site at what they had to offer showed them to be of immense grassroots integrity.  Amanda collects and offers wildcrafted seaweeds (including the exceptionally delicious bull kelp) off the coast of Vancouver Island and a line of salves made from regional herbs, including things like sword fern and fireweed... not your average thrown together formulas.  She also offers consults, tours and classes.   

 

From all the heck over the place…

Mountain Rose Herbs

Mountain Rose Herbs is the place to buy bulk dried herbs if you can’t get them directly from the source, or you need stuff from all over the place and shipping costs from each would cost more than the herbs you're getting.  They have all kinds of other stuff, too… essential oils, tea blends, tinctures, salves, stuff for pets, books, bottles, and really good organic teas.  I should probably have up one of those banner things that you can click on and then I get some kind of kickback because you got to their site through mine, but I'm idealistic.  They have great business ethics.

 

Tobacco…

Leaf Only

While much can be said to the offense of tobacco, it should be remembered that it is considered the most sacred of plants by virtually every native tribe in the western hemisphere.  Tobacco abuse has little to do with Tobacco itself, but as the term implies, our abuse of tobacco.  For those of us who can truly treat this plant teacher as a sacrament, with all the reverence that it deserves, Leaf Only offers whole, organic tobacco leaves that provide a clear contrast to mass processed tobacco products, even the well known organic ones.

 

Oils and Butters and Such…

Organic Creations

Organic Creations is a supplier for soap makers, and has a lot of nice organic fixed oils at good prices.  A good place to get coconut oil, cocoa butter,  jojoba oil and other things that are just too expensive when purchased in 8-16 ounce sizes.
Soapers Choice
Another soap maker's supplier and great place for bulk oils and butters at better prices than resources marketing to herbalists.
Fannie and Flo
For those of you who use lard and tallow for medicine making, this Michigan based etsy shop should be at the top of your source list.  Their stuff is *awesome*.

 
Seeds & Plants...

Companion Plants

Based in Ohio, Companion Plants offers a diverse (and just really cool) array of medicinal herbs and seeds, including a number of less common ethnobotanicals.  I've purchased plants from them a number of times, and they're exceptional.

Strictly Medicinal Seeds

The Cech family offers one of the widest selection of medicinal herb seeds available, and some good books on growing plants and making stuff out of them… if you’re looking for seeds, this is a good place to start.
Oikos Tree Crops
Oikos's catalog is a total droolfest.  Focused on low maintenance food plants, it highlights resilient fruit and nut trees and an nice assortment of berries.  They also offer plant starts of interest to herbalists like solomon's seal, spikenard, and schisandra.  Perhaps the biggest consideration when deciding what to get is how much space you actually have to row everything you want to order...

...I’ve only listed sources that I’ve personally worked with… but there are numerous growers and collectors that share our common ethics. 

I encourage you to talk with the people and ask questions about them, the herbs they collect and their philosophy… they should all be able to tell you the fine details about the plant… specifically when they collected it and where it came from, or if it was grown whether its organic.

Myth & Lore...

the origins of disease an medicine ~ cherokee

poison ivy (my telling...)

how blossoms came to the heather

the oak tree and the reeds

the marsh king's daughter

little elder tree mother

the elf of the rose

the nettle spinner

hummingbird brings back tobacco ~ cherokee

the origin of strawberries ~ cherokee

the legend of the trailing arbutus ~ iroquois

the legend of the violet ~ iroquios

the meadow dandelion ~ chippewa

why wild roses have thorns ~ salteaux

how maple sugar came ~ salteaux

the star and the water lilies ~ chippewa

the birth of wek-wek (elderberry) ~  hool-poom'-ne

Goddess is Alive in Every Woman (susun weed)

 

Totally-Unrelated-To-Herbs-But-Still-Cool..

Woodsong

If you ever cross paths with me, I'll likely have one of Rob Yard's flutes in hand.  These are the best bamboo flutes you can come by.

 

listening...

ZBS

Podcasts have become so popular.  ZBS is one of the original serialized story creators, offering stories that blend exciting stories, natural wisdom, insightful views of society, and bad puns... an excellent combination.  Check out Jack Flanders in The Fourth Tower of Inverness, or, if you like sci-fi, The Adventures of Ruby.

This American Life

One of my all time favorite public radio shows, offering all of their past episodes for online enjoyment; episodes range from clear headed journalism to emotionally moving to quirky hilarious.  Ira Glass probably constitutes a personal hero.  If you're reading this, be sure to listen to this.  And this (part 2)...

Radiolab

Incredible listening.  I think everyone should be required to listen to some of these episodes; this being an excellent example.

 

music...

Rising Appalachia

Leah & Chloe totally rock.  I've had the good fortune of hearing their sing & play once or twice a year at herb conferences, which I hope is a phenomenon that extends into decades.  Just awesome, cool, sweet voices and souls. Listen to this this this and this.

Owain Phyfe

I've enjoyed Owain's music since I first walked past his stage at the Michigan Renaissance Festival, and like many, miss hearing his singing as I approach the jewel stage.  He performed period music from several countries and sung in several languages; but all of it is universally beautiful.  Owain's singing is excellent, and best of all, this recordings are excellent too... Where Beauty Moves and Wit Delights is a great place to start... his version of "in a garden so green" is unbelievably beautiful.  This is especially nice.

 

artisans...

SkyRavenWolf

Chris made my oak leaf belt pouch.  Her leatherwork reeks of goodness & beauty.  Chris is an awesome human.  I love my pouch.

Drakonaria

Probably the most beautiful metalwork I've ever seen; clearly elfwrought.

Cedarlore Forge

If anyone really really likes what I do and offer, and wants to gift me with something I'd totally love but probably won't ever be able to buy for myself, a gift certificate for something from these guys would make my day... I mean, gadzooks...

 

art...

Andy Goldsworthy

Andy Goldsworthy's art is incredible.  This guy is a true wildcrafter; making medicine to be imbibed by the eyes...

 

writings...

Sacred Text Archive

Sacred writings of myriad spiritual traditions and paths.  Divine.

 

 

Poetry...

Words are just as much medicine as plants; here are some poems I so deeply resonate with...

 

Theodore Roethke

e. e. cummings

Kathleen Raine

Dale Pendell
Martha Postlewaite
John O'Donahue

Tom Hirons

Mary Oliver
Federico García Lorca
Robin Skelton

Simon Ortiz
Derek Walcott
Robert Frost

Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Percy Bysshe Shelley

Wendell Berry

David Whyte

Anne Sexton

A. R. Ammons

John Haines

Ted Hughes
Ross Gay
David Wagoner  
 

 

Maureen Dorrington

Maureen was a friend of mine, if only briefly and seen on far too rare an occasion to say we were good friends... though nonetheless we were.  It was one of those instances where you meet someone and it's as if you just hadn't seen them in a long while... she was a kindred spirit.  Maureen wrote this poem when her father died, though no one seemed to know she wrote poetry till after her rather sudden and untimely death on July 19th, 2002.   If you like the poem and wish to thank her in some way for it, simply take in a stray cat.  You'll earn a blessing from her for sure... 


offering michigan herb classes, workshops, weed walks,

and other opportunities to infuse one's self in the medicine of plants

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