Sourcing your herbs

One of the overwhelming things about herbalism, when you are still new to it, is seeing a description of a recipe that looks lovely, looks perfect for your situation… and then wondering how the heck you are going to get the ingredients. Most grocery stores don’t carry Solomon’s Seal root, Bladderwrack, Centaury, Schisandra, California Poppy… etcetera!

Most people’s first instincts are probably to type “purchase Goldenseal” into Google, and click the first link that looks like a product they can buy. There are so many problems with this approach, unfortunately. We all know that companies basically pay to put their products at the top of search engine results, regardless of whether these products are actually of high quality.

Goals

When purchasing herbs, we need to keep a few principles in mind:

1. Sustainibility. Sadly, there are many companies out there willing to over-harvest endangered or at-risk plants, just to make a buck. I refuse to purchase herbs that are at-risk, unless I know for sure they have been sustainably cultivated and farmed. The whole point of herbalism is to live more in harmony with nature. Using herbs from sketchy sources that contribute to ecological collapse really defeats the purpose!

2. Fair Trade. Companies that don’t care about making sure the environment remains in balance, also do not care if their exploitation of natural resources causes economic catastrophes for the human cultures who live with these plants. I don’t want to contribute to that horror either.

3. Purity. Cultivated herbs may have been treated with pesticides, herbicides, or other chemicals that may damage your body when you ingest them. Additionally, because there is such loose regulation on the supplement industry, some companies who make supplements actually replace the supposed ingredients with fillers. Tests have been done that found sand, grass, rice, and other non-related materials in herbal supplements sold at big-box stores. Another study showed 30 of 44 supplements tested contained ingredients not listed on the label. Boo.

4. Potency. Even if the plant in that capsule actually is what the box says it is, how do you know if it is still potent? The plant could have been sitting in a jar for years before being encapsulated. Or it could have been exposed to harsh lighting, dehydrated at too-high temperatures, or other environmental factors that decayed the constituents we want.

So our goals are sustainability, fair trade, purity, and potency. The first step is to avoid supplements altogether, except for a small minority of cases. Just don’t support that rotten industry. If your naturopathic doctor has a source of supplements that is rigorously and ethically produced (these companies do exist!), and they tailor their supplements to your specific situation, that’s a different story. But don’t get your herbs from Walmart, people!

In herbalism we generally work with loose herbs, purchased in bulk, not capsules. (There are a few herbs that truly work best in capsules, such as milk thistle, but these are pretty rare.) From these loose herbs we usually make tea or tinctures.

This brings us back to the original question: where do I get these herbs??!!

1) Shop local

I strongly recommend starting your search by seeing if you can find an herb store in your area. Shop local whenever possible! Herb stores are usually small, “mom-and-pop” type places, with lovely and interesting owners who know a lot and have fabulous stories to tell. The store may be completely dedicated to herbs, or they may sell other products as well. For example, Whispers in Des Moines, IA, sells metaphysical supplies. SW Herb Shop in Mesa, AZ, is dedicated to herbs. The Merc in Lawrence, KS, sells some herbs in bulk as part of their co-operative grocery store. These are just a few examples that I know personally from having lived in those places. Shopping a local store allows you to ask the owners about their sourcing. You can see the vivid-colored herbs and smell them yourself. Herbs that are still medicinally potent usually have rich colors and distinctive smells. Try your local farmer’s market as well, to see if anyone nearby is growing herbs.

2) Reputable online sellers

Maybe you don’t have a store near you, and your farmer’s market doesn’t have an herb vendor. There are many sellers online that offer herbs in bulk. Some of these are shady or evil, who just want to make a buck and don’t care whom they hurt in the process. But some of them are really great! I do not know all the good ones out there, so this will not be a complete list. But here are a few that I trust to have good products that are also ethically sourced:

• Mountain Rose Herbs

• SW Herb Store

• Starwest Botanicals

(These are all in the US. I do not know about sources in other countries, I’m sorry!) If you know of any other great companies dedicated to ecological and social justice, let me know, and I’ll add them to the list!

Remember, when shopping for herbs, if the price looks too good to be true, it probably is.

3) Grow your own

Many herbs with powerful medicinal value are considered “weeds.” Whenever I see the word “weed,” think two things: 1) easy to grow, and 2) prolific. Two things you want for your medicinal herbs! I don’t have a green thumb, sadly. I love gardening, but, to be completely honest, I suck at it. But weeds? I can do weeds!

Once you discover an herb that really jives with your body, the most sustainable, cheap, interesting, and rewarding way to continue ingesting that herb might be growing it yourself! Even if you don’t have a yard, many plants can be successfully grown indoors. I got a string of grow lights and put them on a timer, so I don’t have to remember to turn them on and off every day. This way, I know my indoor plants are getting enough light.

Start by finding the herbs your body loves. A temperament reading by me can help you get a head start on that. I will show you a few recommended plants that work well with your constitution, based on your astrological birth chart.

Then head over to Strictly Medicinal Seeds, and see if they have the ones you want. Some herbs only grow in certain parts of the world and/or have difficult requirements. But some are quite easy to grow, so check it out!

4) Build a network

Over time, you will come to know the handful of herbs that you love best and call on the most. Most likely, you won’t be able to grow all of them yourself, unless you have a lot of land. But maybe you have friends who can grow some of the ones you aren’t. Maybe there’s a stall at the farmer’s market that has fantastic marshmallow root and elderberries, and a different one that specializes in cleavers and boneset. (Or whatever! :)) Maybe your neighbor has a ton of dandelions in their yard, and they’d love to let you harvest them. It takes time, but it is worthwhile to build relationships with other growers. This lets you source your herbs as locally as possible. Additionally, building these types of relationships ensures that you have a “social safety net.” You would surely help your friends if you knew they were in need, and likewise they will also be willing to help you if you need it. Social health is part of wellness, just as much as physical health!

5) Do not forage, except maybe prolific weeds

Foraging has become more popular lately, and it may seem like a good way to find herbs. However, I strongly urge you not to forage your own herbs in most cases. In addition to the obvious concerns about chemical sprays and other unknown environmental toxins, we need to consider ecological sustainability. Unless a plant is “invasive,” you may be contributing to over-harvesting. Plants need a certain level of growth in order to reproduce adequately year to year. You might be saying, “but I’ll only take some of the plants, and leave the rest for it to reproduce.” But what if you are the 4th person this month who has come by and said they would only take “some”? Generally, foraging is not a great idea in this day and age.

If you really want to, though, here are a few herbs that are considered “invasive,” or “weeds” that reproduce so quickly and prolifically, they are currently in no danger of over-harvesting:

• dandelions

• mallow

• nettle

• queen anne’s lace

• borage

• butterbur

• elecampane

This is not a complete list! It’s just to give you an idea of a few things out there. That said, even if you find a patch of a plant that is considered invasive, it is still a good idea to take only a few leaves or roots from the patch you may have found in the wild, not the entire patch.

I hope this gives you an idea of how to get started, when you want to find the herbs for your wellness journey!