SOURCING YOUR HERBS
Where To Get Your Herbs
Local Farms & Gardeners
If your community has local farmers or gardeners that are easily accessible, they can be a great resource for many of the herbs that you need for your practice. However, most of these resources specifically grow plants that benefit their business. Finding a local herb gardener that carries all of the herbs and plants your seeking may not be available - but it’s worth seeing if there are any. Supporting local is the best and most ethical approach, outside of cultivating and safely wildcrafting.
Store Bought
Fortunately, if you aren’t already growing your herbs, they are easily accessible in most grocery and holistic stores. You can purchase herbs dried or in small growing pots to tend to at home. If you’re just getting into herbalism and haven’t started your own garden, you can easily stop by your store to grab what you need. We highly recommend seeking organic herbs and plants. Edible ones will usually cost a little more than some dried plants that are sold primarily for product making, like bath salts or candles.
Wild Crafting
Another great option if you don’t have the opportunity or time to grow your own herb garden. Wildcrafting is foraging for native plants in your local wild habitats. Finding native plants to eat or for medicinal purposes is a great way to hone in your knowledge of what is available where you live. It’s a great way to practice identifying plants in the wild. Sadly, our wilderness is shrinking on a daily basis. It’s important to ensure that when you practice wild crafting, you do so ethically. Seek to harvest plants that grow abundantly. Any invasive plant to your local area is also great for harvesting. Try to harvest only what you need so you aren’t completely depriving the land from the plant’s resource. Avoid areas where chemical treatments are sprayed. And most importantly, always be very careful that you know the plant you are harvesting before eating it. There are a lot of look-alike plants, where one version can be extremely deadly. And last but not least, do your best not to harvest endangered plants from the wild. If you’re interested in using endangered plants in your craft, it’s best to grow it in your own garden for use.
Cultivation
Cultivation is simply growing your own herbs. It’s a sustainable approach and much better for the environment if you have small wild spaces without much native plants to go around. Growing an outdoor garden isn’t accessible to everyone, but quite a few herbs can be grown in pots in your home with enough natural light. If these options aren’t available to you, you can always reach out to local farms or gardeners and purchase from them. It’s much better to support local farms then large grocery chains, regardless.
Processing and Storage
Fresh herbs are a great commodity to have on hand, however, it’s not generally available year round. Preserving herbs is a a simple method of drying them and storing them in a room-temperature environment. You can use a dehydrator or your oven to dry herbs. The best way to know that your herb is properly dried is it’s brittleness. You don’t want any moisture. However, over drying can turn your herb brown and not keep it’s nutrients. Your herbs should maintain some of their coloring. Store your dried herbs in containers that keep out insects, dust, or the possibility of molding. It’s best to store away from direct sunlight - dried herbs do have expiration dates. They do not last a lifetime.
Safety & Regulations
If you’re purchasing herbs, try to find a local trusted source. The only FDA regulations around herbal products are for dietary supplements. If you’re not growing your own, purchase from people you trust or reputable businesses.
Medicinal Concerns
It’s quite rare for herbs to have a negative impact on medication, however, it can occur. Before consuming any herbs, be sure to do thorough research on the herb and how it may interact with any medication you take on a daily basis. There are some herbs that can lower the efficacy of over-the-counter drugs. It’s important to consult with a professional herbalist or your doctor about any herbs you take while on daily medication. Although most will be a non-issue, it’s worth taking the time for some research before adding herbal remedies to your diet.
In fact, plants, herbs, mushrooms, etc. - it’s always important to put a little research into what you put into your body before doing so. Appreciating the art of becoming an herbalist is understanding not only it’s positive traits, but any negative traits it may carry as well. Not all plants and herbs are edible, and some are edible in limited amounts.