Herbal Radio

This podcast episode comes from Dr. Christopher Hobbs’ presentation for the Fall 2022 Free Herbalism Project. This was a virtual event that took place over Zoom on October 14, 2022. Dr. Hobbs discusses why herbs and herbal medicine is fundamentally different than drugs. Since the pandemic, the popularity of herbal medicine in households has continued to grow rapidly. Dr. Hobbs help us to look closely and practically at how herbal medicine can transform your health and wellness while helping to relieve symptoms and chronic ailments. His presentation also details why choosing herbal medicine as our first line of prevention and treatment in most ailments can not only benefit us—side benefits rather than side effects—while being completely sustainable and beneficial for our beautiful planet and all the inhabitants. Dr. Christopher Hobbs occasionally references slides throughout his presentation. You can find his slides by watching the presentation on our YouTube channel.   SAVE THE DATE! We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Christopher Hobbs will be joining us in person at our upcoming Spring Free Herbalism Project on Sunday, May 7, 2023. Join us at Mount Pisgah to hear Dr. Hobbs’ presentation on The Transformative Power of Medicinal Mushrooms. View the event schedule, presentation topics, and more here.   Dr. Christopher Hobbs is a fourth generation, internationally known herbalist and mycologist, licensed acupuncturist, herbal clinician, research scientist, consultant to the dietary supplement industry, expert witness, botanist, public speaker, and author of over 20 books and numerous articles with over 40 years of experience. He is the author of the recent book “Christopher Hobbs’s Medicinal Mushrooms, the Essential Guide,” with German and English editions. He earned his Ph.D. at UC Berkeley with research and publication in evolutionary biology, biogeography, phylogenetics, the chemistry of plants and fungi, and ethnobotany. Now faculty at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Find Christopher Hobbs at christopherhobbs.com, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.   Join our community! Subscribe to the Mountain Rose Herbs newsletter Subscribe to Mountain Rose Herbs on YouTube Follow on Instagram Like on Facebook Follow on Pinterest Read the Mountain Rose Herbs blog Follow on TikTok

For this week’s Plant Stories podcast, we interview multi-disciplinary artist Julia O. Bianco. Julia was a Deep Ecology Artist Fellow at the United Plant Savers (UpS) Sanctuary, one of our favorite non-profit organizations focused on protecting native medicinal plants, fungi, and their ecosystems. Hear how an online foraging class, the artist in residency program at the UpS Sanctuary, and the plants Julia encountered in the Appalachian foothills, all helped to shape the course of her life and her creative inspiration. Julia closes the show by reading three of her nature-inspired poems. Julia Orquera Bianco was born in Argentina and lived in Mexico before moving to the United States. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in Drawing and Painting from Universidad del Museo Social Argentino (Buenos Aires, Argentina) in 2012. In 2018 she graduated from the MFA program at Roski School of Art and Design, University of Southern California, Los Angeles. In 2020, Bianco earned a Certificate on Sustainability from University of California, Los Angeles. Bianco works through interrogating constructs resulting from Modern Western Culture, collective memory, and the experience of migration and gender. This allows her to speak about an identity constantly being renegotiated and in motion, in deep relation and conversation with the environment. Her explorations use her family legacy of labor as a strategy to connect with worlds that she is foreign to, experiencing them while remembering. She currently teaches at University of Cincinnati, Ohio. Her work has been showcased in Argentina, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and the United States. Visit Julia’s website. View Julia’s drawings. Watch Julia’s performance pieces. Learn more about the Deep Ecology Artists Fellowship. Join our community! Subscribe to the Mountain Rose Herbs newsletter Subscribe to Mountain Rose Herbs on YouTube Follow on Instagram Like on Facebook Follow on Pinterest Read the Mountain Rose Herbs blog Follow on TikTok

Maria Noël Groves, clinical herbalist, runs Wintergreen Botanicals, nestled in the pine forests of New Hampshire. Mariais devoted to education and empowerment via online and in person classes, health consultations, and writing with the foundational belief that good health grows in nature. She is the author of “Body into Balance: An Herbal Guide to Holistic Self Care” and “Grow Your Own Herbal Remedies.” Her introductory and advanced herbalist training programs will begin this spring and summer— live streamed online and in person! Find a wealth of free information about herbs on Maria’s website at WintergreenBotanicals.com Jiling and Maria discuss favorite easy-to-grow herbs for a medicinal herb garden, “remedy gardens,” favorite herbs for delicious teas, increasing access for herbal classes within a for-profit business model, and more. We hope this conversation inspires your spring planting, growing, learning, and harvesting projects!  Sign up for Maria Noël Groves’ newsletter at WintergreenBotanicals.com, and visit her at Instagram@marianoelgroves and Facebook@wintergreenbotanicals Jiling Lin is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac), herbalist, and yoga teacher in Ventura, CA. Visit Jiling at JilingLin.com, Instagram @LinJiling, and Facebook @JilingLAc. Get her free Nourishing Life (養生) template, Five Elements (五行) outline, or sign up for her newsletter here. 

This week, we had the absolute honor of speaking with our friend, culture shaper, voice of the plants, and esteemed herbalist and author, Rosemary Gladstar. Rosemary is an inspiring figure in the herbal community and is a catalyst of plant powered action. Rosemary had founded schools, businesses (including Mountain Rose Herbs), herbal conferences (one of which is the upcoming International Herb Symposium), and organizations focused on the preservation of at-risk and endangered plants – such as Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary and United Plant Savers. We hope you enjoy this week’s episode as we chat about Rosemary’s upbringing, the importance of bringing community together towards action, her current favorite simple tea blend (listed below), and so much more. Rosemary’s Heartful Joy Tea Blend for lifting spirits: Hawthorn Lemon Balm St. John’s Wort Oats Roses Mix ingredients together and enjoy! Rosemary Gladstar is, literally, a star figure in the field of modern herbalism, internationally renowned for her technical knowledge and stewardship in the global herbalist community. She has been learning, teaching and writing about herbs for over 40 years and is the author of eleven books.  Her work includes Medicinal Herbs: a Beginners Guide, Herbal Healing for Women, Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health, and The Science and Art of Herbalism, an extensive in depth home study course. She is the Founding President of United Plant Savers and founder and past director of the International Herb Symposium. Follow Rosemary on Instagram Visit Rosemary’s website The Science and Art of Herbalism If you’d like to listen to more of Rosemary, check out the podcast links below: Community Herbalism: Cultivating Connections Pt. 1 | Rosemary Gladstar (Rerelease) Community Herbalism: Cultivating Connections Pt. 2 | Rosemary Gladstar (Rerelease) Watch Rosemary on our YouTube channel: Rosemary Gladstar’s Garden Wisdoms: Elderberry Medicine Rosemary Galdstar’s Garden Wisdoms: Shiitake Mushrooms Rosemary Gladstar’s Garden Wisdoms: Yarrow   Join our community! Subscribe to the Mountain Rose Herbs newsletter Subscribe to Mountain Rose Herbs on YouTube Follow on Instagram Like on Facebook Follow on Pinterest Read the Mountain Rose Herbs blog Follow on TikTok Strengthening the bonds between people and plants for a healthier world. Mountain Rose Herbs www.mountainroseherbs.com  

Ethnobiologist Marc Williams has taught hundreds of classes to thousands of people about the interface between plants, humans, and other life forms. His training includes a B.A. in Environmental Studies/Sustainable Agriculture from Warren Wilson College with a minor in Business and a M.A. in Appalachian Studies/Sustainable Development from Appalachian State University with a minor in Planning/Geography. He has over 20 years of experience working at restaurants and farms while traveling through over 30 countries in Central/North/South America, Europe and all 50 states in the USA. Visit Marc Williams at BotanyEveryday.com , PlantsAndHealers.org , and UnitedPlantSavers.org Marc and Jiling discuss one of Marc’s previous keynote conference topics, “Weaving and Mending: Herbalism from the past, in the present, for the future.” Learn about empowerment through weeds, heart-songs, ancestral honoring practices, global healing traditions, and more.  Jiling Lin is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac) and herbalist in Ventura, CA. Visit Jiling at JilingLin.com, Instagram @LinJiling, and Facebook @JilingLAc. Get her free Nourishing Life (養生) template, Five Elements (五行) outline, or sign up for her newsletter here.    Join our community! Subscribe to the Mountain Rose Herbs newsletter Subscribe to Mountain Rose Herbs on YouTube Follow on Instagram Like on Facebook Follow on Pinterest Read the Mountain Rose Herbs blog Follow on TikTok Strengthening the bonds between people and plants for a healthier world. Mountain Rose Herbs www.mountainroseherbs.com

Welcome to the second episode of “Plant Stories” on Herbal Radio. Our hope is for this show to be entertaining and fun – and maybe we’ll learn a little something along the way too.  There may be no better person that embodies the vision of “Plant Stories” like herbal troubadour and Appalachian naturalist, Doug Elliot. A gifted storyteller, Doug recites both wisdom and whimsical through spoken word and song. We’ve compiled some of our favorite songs that Doug has recorded with us and are releasing them together, in this delightful and heart-warming episode. Our host, Thomas, gives a brief introduction in between Doug’s sets, offering context for each of the four botanical tales & tunes.  Today’s episode also comes with a special visual bonus! We had the pleasure of visiting with Doug in the summer of 2022 at his Appalachian homestead. Click here to see some of the photos of Doug in his element.  Visit the links below to watch the videos of Doug’s storytelling serenades on our YouTube channel: Dandelion Tips, Tales, & Tunes Life Lessons Through a Song About an Apple Rural Riddles & Blackberry Boogie A Sweet Strawberry Tale & Tune Want to hear more from Doug? Give “Interviews on Herbal Radio | Featuring Doug Elliot” a listen! Visit Doug Elliot’s website here   Doug Elliot is a naturalist, herbalist, storyteller, basket maker, back-country guide, philosopher, and harmonica wizard. For many years made his living as a traveling herbalist, gathering and selling herbs, teas, and remedies. He has spent a great deal of time with traditional country folk and indigenous people, learning their stories, folklore and traditional ways of relating to the natural world. In recent years he has performed and presented programs at festivals, museums, botanical gardens, nature centers and schools from Canada to the Caribbean. He has been a featured storyteller at the National Storytelling Festival. He has lectured and performed at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto and conducted workshops for the Smithsonian Institution. He has led ranger training sessions for the National Park Service and guided people on wilderness experiences from down-east Maine to the Florida Everglades. He was named harmonica champion at Fiddler’s Grove Festival in Union Grove, N.C. He is the author of five books, many articles in regional and national magazines, has recorded a number of award winning albums of stories and songs, and is occasionally seen on PBS-TV, and the History and National Geographic Channels. In recent years, he has received a variety of honors. The National Storytelling Network (the largest storytelling membership organization in the world) inducted him into their Circle of Excellence for “exceptional commitment and exemplary contribution to the art of storytelling.” The International Herb Association presented him with the Otto Richter Award honoring his work with herbs and useful wild plants. The National Association for Interpretation (the professional organization of park rangers, naturalists, museum curators, etc.) gave him the Master Front Line Interpreter Award for his “mastery of interpretive techniques, program development, and design of creative projects” celebrating the natural world and our human connection to nature.  Elliot’s passion for the natural world developed in early childhood roaming the woods and waters around his home. His dad used to say, “That boy knows what’s under every rock between here and town.” He still roams the woods today. He has traveled from the Canadian North to the Central American jungles studying plant and animal life and seeking out the traditional wisdom of people with intimate connections to the natural world. And he still looks under rocks. These days he uncovers more than just a few strange critters; he brings to light the human connection to this vibrant world of which we are a part. On a side note, we’re so excited for the upcoming International Herb Symposium, June 9 – 11, 2023. Are you interested in attending? Buy your early bird tickets before Feb. 28, 2023 for discounted pricing. Join our community! Subscribe to the Mountain Rose Herbs newsletter Subscribe to Mountain Rose Herbs on YouTube Follow on Instagram Like on Facebook Follow on Pinterest Read the Mountain Rose Herbs blog Follow on TikTok

This week we are rereleasing Bevin Clare’s “Meet the Herbalist” interview with Lucretia VanDyke. Lucretia will be one of the keynote speakers at the upcoming Florida Herbal Conference taking place March 10 – 12, 2023. Use code MOUNTAINROSE to receive $50 off the event ticket price. Learn more about the Florida Herbal Conference and get your virtual or in-person tickets here. We hope you enjoy this conversation between these two esteemed herbalists! Did you know both of these herbalists are also authors? We highly recommend adding Lucretia’s book African American Herbalism and Bevin’s book Spice Apothecary to your bookshelf. Lucretia and Bevin were also guest speakers at our in-person Summer 2022 Free Herbalism Project. Listen to Lucretia’s presentation “Zen Esthetics” here and Bevin’s presentation “Spice Up Your Life!” here. With a journey that began when she was a little girl mixing herbs, mud, and roots on her grandparents’ farm, Lucretia VanDyke has had a lifelong connection to the plants. She has been in the wellness industry for over twenty-five years. Her quest for knowledge and storytelling has led her all over the world to learn about remedies, traditions, and ceremonies from indigenous healers.  One of the foremost experts on Southern folk healing arts, Lucretia integrates rituals, plant spirit meditation, holistic food/herbal medicine, and ancestor reverence into people’s practices. Lucretia has worked and trained with many internationally known spa and skin care companies. She is a holistic educator, speaker, herbalist, sacred sexologist, ceremonialist, spiritual coach, intuitive energy practitioner, diviner, author, and world traveler. Lucretia brings her vivacious spirit and her message of ancestral connection in herbal practices to inspire others to embrace their unique relationship with the plants. Teaching herbal classes, cooking, storytelling, and foraging in the woods learning native medicine charges her soul. Visit Lucretia here! Bevin Clare is an herbalist, nutritionist, world-wanderer, spice-gobbler, and is a professor at the Maryland University of Integrative Health and the program director of the MS in Clinical Herbal Medicine program. She holds a MSc in Infectious Disease from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and has studied herbal medicine around the world, blending her knowledge of traditional uses of plants with modern science and contemporary healthcare strategies. She is the author of Spice Apothecary (Storey Books, 2020). Bevin a board member and former Chair of the Board of the American Herbalists Guild where she works to promote clinical herbalism accessibility and professionalism and she is a long term board member of the United Plant Savers.  You can find her musings at www.bevinclare.com and on Facebook and Instagram @spice.herb.wander   Join our community! Subscribe to the Mountain Rose Herbs newsletter Subscribe to Mountain Rose Herbs on YouTube Follow on Instagram Like on Facebook Follow on Pinterest Follow on Twitter Read the Mountain Rose Herbs blog Follow on TikTok Strengthening the bonds between people and plants for a healthier world. Mountain Rose Herbs www.mountainroseherbs.com

Thomas sat down with our good friend and talented herbalist, Jiling Lin, over Zoom this past fall to get to know her a little better. We’ve had the great fortune of partnering with Jiling on numerous projects including filming instructional videos, writing poetic blogs and journal articles, emceeing Free Herbalism Projects, and of course hosting Tea Talks on Herbal Radio. We’re so grateful for the opportunity to get to know Jiling even more as Thomas and Jiling chat about her upbringing, the sharing of plants and stories, and the pivotal herbal plot points in her life. We hope you enjoy our conversation with Jiling as much as we did! Jiling Lin is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac) and herbalist in Ventura, CA. Visit Jiling at JilingLin.com, Instagram @LinJiling, and Facebook @JilingLAc. Get her free Nourishing Life (養生) template, Five Elements (五行) outline, or sign up for her newsletter here.  Join our community! Subscribe to the Mountain Rose Herbs newsletter Subscribe to Mountain Rose Herbs on YouTube Follow on Instagram Like on Facebook Follow on Pinterest Read the Mountain Rose Herbs blog Follow on TikTok Strengthening the bonds between people and plants for a healthier world. Mountain Rose Herbs www.mountainroseherbs.com

Khetnu Nefer is the founder of the Gullah Geechee Herbal Gathering, an herbal conference for Black and Indigenous herbalists and community that takes place in Charleston, SC. Khetnu is a Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, Educator, Massage Therapist, Herbalist, Reiki Master, Author, Vibrational Sound Therapist, African Dance Professor, and founder of A Soulful Touch Wellness.  Learn about the origins of the Gullah Geechee Herbal Gathering, Khetnu’s “country grandma,” and practical tips for centering and preserving Black and Indigenous herbal wisdom and traditions.  Visit Khetnu Nefer at www.ASoulfulTouch.com and @asoulfultouchwellness. Learn more about the Gullah Geechee Herbal Gathering at www.GullahGeecheeHerbalGathering.com and @gullahgeecheeherbs. Jiling Lin is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac) and herbalist in Ventura, CA. Visit Jiling at JilingLin.com, Instagram @LinJiling, and Facebook @JilingLAc. Get her free Nourishing Life (養生) template, Five Elements (五行) outline, or sign up for her newsletter here.  Other resources: Sponsor the Gullah Geechee Herbal Gathering NOLA Herb Gathering Chesapeake Herb Gathering   Join our community! Subscribe to the Mountain Rose Herbs newsletter Subscribe to Mountain Rose Herbs on YouTube Follow on Instagram Like on Facebook Follow on Pinterest Read the Mountain Rose Herbs blog Follow on TikTok Strengthening the bonds between people and plants for a healthier world. Mountain Rose Herbs www.mountainroseherbs.com

Mountain Rose Herbs is excited to present our brand-new show on Herbal Radio called “Plant Stories”. This series is all about the heartfelt, fun, entertaining, educational, inspiring, and personal plant stories that stand out to our guests. Tune in each week to hear from esteemed herbalists, nature-based artists, and plant-lovers to learn about a specific plant, hear a touching tale, bask in a poem, or possibly dive into some folklore. Our good friends, Howie Brounstein and Steven Yeager, stopped by our podcast studio to record the inaugural episode. Having taught together for decades at the Columbines School of Botanical Studies, Howie & Steven showcase their unique teaching style, philosophy, and humor as they banter about their personal and professional plant connections. Always entertaining, we hope you enjoy the many plant stories and botanical song beats brought to you by Howie & Steven.  Howie Brounstein has taught botany, herbalism, and wildcrafting extensively for nearly four decades, including at such herbal establishments as the Michael Moore’s Southwest School of Botanical Medicine. He is the co-owner and a primary instructor of the Columbines School of Botanical Studies and has a clinical practice in Eugene, Oregon. He is well known for his inspiring in-depth teaching style and his passionate love of plants. Steven Yeager is Director of Quality and Regulatory Affairs at Mountain Rose Herbs where he oversees laboratory operations including their identity program as well as assuring GMP compliance. He is also trained as a field botanist and wild harvester. He serves on the following board of directors: the American Herbal Products Association, AHPA’s Foundation for Education and Research on Botanicals, United Plant Savers, and the Native Plant Society of Oregon. Steven is the former co-owner of the Columbines School of Botanical Studies in Eugene, Oregon where he was a co-instructor for over 20 years. Visit the Columbines School of Botanical Studies website. Follow the Columbines School of Botanical Studies on Instagram. Join our community! Subscribe to the Mountain Rose Herbs newsletter Subscribe to Mountain Rose Herbs on YouTube Follow on Instagram Like on Facebook Follow on Pinterest Read the Mountain Rose Herbs blog Follow on TikTok