Listening to Nature's Whisper

There is something truly magical about being out with the plants, in their wild habitats. I was fortunate to have grown up in Oregon, camping and hiking, which ignited my love for all the beautiful naturescapes that surround us. Being out in nature is something that fully fills my spirit in a way nothing else quite can. 

Having a business that is so closely tied to Nature's rhythm brings ample opportunity for practicing patience and flexibility. Ever since Rooted Remedies was founded in Nov. 2020, wild harvesting, in a responsible and sustainable way, has been an integrative part of where I have sourced a lot of the herbs I work with. At the start of the wild harvesting season, I felt a quiet, yet deep, resistance to going out and harvesting from wild places. At first, I thought it was a symptom of feeling burnt out, so I continued with my usual routine. Cottonwood is always the one to start off the season. Typically, there are plenty of fallen branches to harvest (the only way I harvest tree and lichen medicines), but this year was different. Not many fallen branches.

But that quiet resistance became louder and more persistent.

As the year unfolded, it makes sense where that resistance came from. The popularity of wild harvesting within the herbal, fungi, and floral industries has been steadily increasing, without the education/awareness/approach of practicing in an ethical, reciprocal way. It seems like each year I encounter more and more wild spaces that have been pillaged and trampled. This, paired with the fragility of our public lands’ protections, is why things are shifting at Rooted Remedies Apothecary. It's time to adapt our approaches and focuses to continue to ensure our core values at Rooted Remedies' are front and center.

I don't think that wild harvesting, in and of itself, is damaging to wild spaces when done with reverence and on a small scale, or following ancestral traditions (NOT whitewashing or appropriating them). The way I have harvested is with sustainability and fostering future vitality at the forefront, having minimal negative impact. Being a steward of the land is a responsibility I take seriously. As Rooted Remedies Apothecary grows, and the reasons I mention above, I don't think it would be responsible to continue wild harvesting. I am deeply grateful for the time I have been able to spend, building relationship with the land. And I am equally overjoyed to explore a new layer of that relationship. 

Cottonwood was the first and last of my wild harvesting this year. Instead of primarily sourcing herbs through wild harvesting, we will be cultivating them, while also supporting other small herb growers, with an emphasis on Oregon-based farms. Focusing our energy on growing herbs will give us the opportunity to give back to the wild spaces in a much bigger way, like donating native plants we grow to restoration projects. It will also allow us to dive deeper with the plants through every stage of their life, enriching the formulas and products you can come to love and trust. 

I'm excited for what this next chapter will bring for Rooted Remedies Apothecary, and how it will make space for us to grow and expand in a more sustainable, intentional way. Make sure to stay tuned for updates and check ins along the way!