Forever Wild Apothecary

Boundlessly beautiful, Mama winter lays a fresh blanket, Muting all chaos, Holding us close, Letting us glide sweet,... On her wing, Among her finest work: The Tamarack, Old Man’s Beard, And little rabbit track. . . #blessed #love #snow #adk #adirondacks #tamarack #track #ski #xc #xcski #adirondack #lakeplacid #cascadeski #iloveny #pureadks See more

Some thoughts on the rocks I stand on... I believe in medicine that encourages and recognizes our connection to (and of) the natural environment. I do not believe in prescribing herbs for symptoms anymore than I believe systemic illness can be cured in sterile labs. I’m much more curious in the determinants of healthy communities. And I believe sickness is often a manifestation of a disconnection from nature and our own intuitive ability to care for our amazingly beautifu...l bodies. Health care is more than a human right; we all carry the capacity to heal and should be taught how to listen to the immense power of our own body’s knowing. We are not alone in the loss of this power. In fact, we’re all struggling together. Now. During this global pandemic. We are only as healthy as our environment. And if we’re to heal, and build access to clean air, water, and nutrient-rich soil we have to recognize our personal responsibility to reconnect. To live honestly. And try daily to nourish and reject unchecked consumption, pollutants, lies, and the shallow falsehoods of capitalism***. I believe that a symptom of capitalism is the most addicted (and unaware) culture in history. Where addiction = disconnection. Through my own struggles with addiction, I’ve spent years working through the complex layers of my own illness and disembodied relationship with substances, food, self, body image, email checking, social media.. My journey back to self and body is only as charged as my reverence for the natural world. I’ll be ringing in 2021 sober and free as a raven, about to embark on year 2 of my clinical herb studies at VCIH, and building my dream homestead in the mountains. I’m feeling so blessed with the immense privilege of being able to unearth these truths and will make it my life’s work to build access to empowered, ecologically woven & compassionate health care. ***update*** a kind soul asked me to consider my use of the word capitalism. She rightly pointed out that greed and overconsumption are the problem and that it may be dangerous to spread a narrative that broadly condemns capitalism. I agree. I try to imagine how beautiful capitalism could be if scaled back to sustainable proportions. I wonder if that’s possible with our inherent human nature that drifts inevitably toward self-interest. Perhaps we should work harder on imagining a capitalism that works for all humans and the planet, instead of rejecting the system all together..

Christmas came early, Origin LP is here! Serving up the best coffee and hot bevies. Makes my heart happy:) stop in and say hey to this smiling bunch of lovelies!

Harvested from the banks of the Ausable River and just as soothing as the river herself. As a chronic over-committer, I carry a lot of anxiety about getting it all done and showing up fully. I often turn to linden (bass wood), a sweet and gentle nervine, when I feel the dismal spiral of overwhelm and frazzled nerves creeping in. I don’t make very much tincture, because I don’t use it often for myself. I find the delivery harsh and it’s expensive, but there’s no denying the potency of an alcohol tincture. These little beauties were sent off in winter herb shares, but I’m wondering if tinctures are something you’d like to see more of?

It’s fire cider season! This batch and recipe cards went out this week in winter wellness shares. Scoop a bottle @cascadeskicenter. Stay well out there sweet peas! . . #fireciderisfree #firecider #peoplesmedicine #herbs #herbal #herbalmedicine #apothecary #adk #adirondacks #madeintheadk #adkmade #herbshare #herbalism #herbalist

Ahhh this is so beautiful to me. I can’t state enough the benefits of bone broth. It’s a huge part of my health regimen and something I’d recommend to almost everyone. This batch is for winter herb share and was brewed with astragalus, burdock, shiitake, ginger, sage, thyme, bay leaves, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and black pepper. In addition to being a nutrient powerhouse (calcium, iron, selenium, zinc, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous), it’s one of the best ways to i...ncorporate collagen, which supports joint health, fights osteoarthritis, and breaks down to supply the body with much needed amino acids. For healthy joints, eat boiled joints. Really! You’re literally replacing lost nutrients like glucosamine and chondroitin that your joints need to repair themselves. Collagen is also supportive to hair, nails, and skin. Broth’s got vitamin A and K, and supports gut health. The amino acid, glutamine, has been shown to aid in digestion and support leaky gut and IBS. It’s a great source of sustained protein AND healthy fatty acids like omega 3s which target inflammation (and lots of other things). It can help aid in healing bone and tissue injuries and is a must for any athlete. I’m so lucky to have access to beautiful, pasture raised beef bones from @macechasmfarm and would love to share! Winter herb shares will have broth, as well as recipe cards for all the included preparations.. because herbalism is empowerment medicine. Half the healing is in learning to make and listen to your what your body needs.. which is often simple and growing all around. . . #bonebroth #healing #herbs #herbalism #health #guthealth #apothecary #herbalist #herbshare #adk #adirondacks #madeintheadk See more

Tiz the season. Medicine of the people. Deep bow to fire cider. Fierce is beautiful, starring hibiscus. This batch will be for solstice herb share foxes. Link in bio. Side Q: any interest in live demos as I stock up on making winter remedies? . . #firecider #fireciderisfree #herbs #herbalmedicine #slowmedicine #slowfood #healing #health #herbalism #herbalist #communityhealth #communitysupported #herbshare #adk #adirondacks #madeintheadk

Freshly stacked wood and fresh batches of winter remedies, come onnnn momma winter! Still a few seasonal wellness shares left and an online store update scheduled for Dec 7...And how bout that moon?

My favorite offering: winter solstice herb shares. There will be a limited number of these nourishing baskets filled by my hands and mountain harvests from this year: hibiscus fire cider, herbal bone broth, nourishing oxymel, chaga cocoa, linden tincture, candida fighting chai, pine & rugosa rose hydrosol, some art and a letter on what it all is. . . Link in bio to sign up or message here. .... . #herbshare #herbs #apothecary #communitysupported #medicine #herbalist #plantmedicine #heal #local #adk #adirondacks #adkmade #madeintheadks See more

I’ve got lots of news!!! I’m stepping away from having a storefront so that I can step more fully into my garden and herb studies. Creating a welcoming space for the community was everything to me, which is why I couldn’t be more excited to break the news that Origin Coffee will be moving in to deliver on all the levels. Coffee. Community. Good food. I can not think of a more focused and impassioned team to enliven the space and carry out this mission. It’s going to be so so ...good. I poured my heart into renovating a space that I’d hoped would offer this tourist town something more real and lasting. I believe that coffee shops and places of gathering are the backbone of community and democracy. Not everyone who walked through the door got the Starbucks they were looking for, but most got IT. You became family. The women who worked beside me as if the place was their own (it is), have become my rocks. Poems were written, read aloud, inscribed on the walls, clacked on the typewriter, sang, and cried. Bread was baked, burned, and shared among friends. For eating bread and making poetry with me, thank you. There are no words that justly convey the feeling of being held and supported by a ferocious group of locals and strangers. This is just the beginning of a long relationship. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be in the back (literally), working with herbs. Find products at Origin, Cascade Ski Center, the Hub on the Hill, and stay tuned for an online store update and winter herb share offering in the next couple weeks. All the love in the world to my momma @kass_hanford who has been the force keeping me going through it all: the ripping and tearing, rebuilding, baking, packing up, laughing, crying..here’s to 100x more dump runs, dirty clothes, and hardworking hands. I love you. Thank you for sharing in the ride; I can’t wait to drink tea with you at Origin!

Somedays, the sky is too damn big for studying the scientific reasoning behind it all. My body rejects the manufactured world with every ounce of its animal instinct. To ignore the call to get lost in Her magic would be denying my soul life. I’ve never been good at sacrificing now, for later. Why would I?... My spirit is air. The destination shifts with every wind. I don’t think I’ll be a doctor. Not today. To be a healer, I need to heal. To fill my lungs with the sweet death, decay, and living breathe of all things and my pockets full of Tamarack cones. I need to rest my eyes on snow capped peaks and hear the startled grouse, thumping through the woods. I need to feel my voice reverberate against what’s older and wiser than me. The burden of science tries to explain away the magic. And a soul without magic, Is a spirit without wings. Save all your reasons, For the natural rhythm of things. See more