MRH Blog DEV – Page 2

Uniting for Climate Day: One Step Closer to Sustainability

As the Sustainability Specialist for Mountain Rose Herbs, I am proud to work for an independently-owned company committed to doing better, every day. Liberated from the pressure to cater to financial shareholders, we can join forces with like-minded companies and organizations and work collaboratively on sustainable solutions. An organization leading this initiative is One Step Closer (OSC), a coalition of visionary CEOs committed to advancing sustainable practices in food, agriculture, and the environment. Our own CEO, Cameron Stearns, had the honor of being accepted into the OSC ranks, joining the Packaging Collaborative as well as the J.E.D.I. Collaborative (Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion).

Natural DIY Hair Spray with Rosemary and Mint

I recently spent a night at a hotel with an outdoor saltwater soaking pool. I didn‘t see much of the hotel itself because I could not convince my body that there was even one good reason to leave the buoyant 102å¡F saltwater paradise. I braided my hair ahead of time with theÑin hindsight ridiculousÑidea that maybe I could keep it dry, but by the time I finally conceded I needed to go to bed, it was thoroughly wet. So I toweled it dry-ish, ran a brush through it, and fell into bed for a deep, restful sleep. I woke up in the morning to voluminous hair that had fabulous waves. As I stood in front of the mirror blinking in confusion, it dawned on me that I had inadvertently given my hair a sea salt treatmentÛ? which reminded me that I could do this at home for significantly less money with DIY sea salt hair spray! (more…)

Understanding Aroma Notes for Essential Oil Blending: Base Notes

The art of essential oil blending is a delicate and thoughtful process that I often compare to the individual layers added to a painting. Just as each brush stroke on a canvas gradually builds on the layer of paint underneath to create a harmonious result, crafting essential oil blends applies the same principle. In the world of perfumery and essential oil blending, the three commonly recognized ÛÏpaintÛ layers are known as fragrance notes, which encompass top notes, middle notes, and base notes. At the foundation of these blended layers, you will find base notes.

Salted Earl Grey Caramel Sauce

If there are three things that I love, they are sweets, botanicals, and Star Trek. Did I ever think I would be party to a recipe that would marry those things together? Not really, and to be fair, the Star Trek involvement in this recipe is pretty nonexistent. (However, if any Next Generation fans are reading this, I think you will appreciate the reference.) In all seriousness, we already know that sweets and botanicals go hand in hand, and we are always trying to find creative ways to combine the two. We recently stumbled upon this classic Mountain Rose Herbs caramel sauce recipe and could not resist bringing it back. Earl Grey fans to the front of the class, please! This recipe is for you.

Brightening Berry and Honey Face Mask & Exfoliant

This year, I set out to create a natural skin care treatment for my dull and dry winter skin. So I took to my crafting space to work on a mask and scrub that was brightening and cleansing. After several iterations, I created one that I’m quite excited about, and I think you all are going to enjoy it, too.

Mountain Rose Herbs Releases Its 2023 Impact Report

In a world where every action leaves a mark, the question isn’t whether we make an impact but rather how we make an impact. Enter the realm of ÛÏimpact reportsÛÑ a transparent lens where companies provide a comprehensive overview of their operations, initiatives, and contributions. It’s not just about the triple bottom line Ñ it’s about revealing the full scope of their footprint. This transparency helps bridge the gap between intention and action, ensuring companies build strong relationships by following through with commitments to responsible business practices. (more…)

Herbal Irish Coffee

I love a good Irish coffee. The conundrum, however, is that I generally limit my daily caffeine consumption to a morning espresso and I don’t want whiskey for breakfast, so it’s hard to figure out when to have said Irish coffee. St. Patricks Day is almost here and I’ll be getting together in the afternoon with my coffee-loving friends and family, which will include traditional, festive Irish coffee. Happily, my talented mixologist of a husband recently got inspired by a tin of Mountain Rose Herbs herbal coffee. I wasn’t sure what he was up to tinkering away in the kitchen, and then he came out with this creamy glass of pure ambrosia. Although I am not generally an all-caps kind of woman, this herbal Irish coffee recipe is, OMG SO GOOD. Bonus: I can drink a glass in the evening and still get a good night’s sleep. (more…)

DIY Dry Shampoo Recipes for Dark & Light Hair

There has been a lot of buzz lately around DIY and natural hair care. In the previous weeks, we’ve shared no-poo recipes, DIY hair rinses, and fermented rice water treatments. A perfect pairing to all those homemade hair care products is having a dry shampoo to get you in between “washes.”

Organic Rising: Demystifying the Organic Movement

Nowadays, we are all aware of the term ÛÏorganic,Û but what does that really mean in the world of agriculture? Last week, I had the opportunity to attend a film screening of ÛÏOrganic Rising,Û the first feature-length documentary to demystify organic agriculture for the consumer. This event was organized by several Oregon nonprofits, followed by a panel discussion with the film director. I am excited to share groundbreaking insights and community reflections with you. (more…)

Hasselback Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, & More + Herbal Seasoning Recipes

It’s the time of year when I’m working my way through the last of our stored root vegetables and winter squash looking for ways to extend their lifespan and nutrition. With this in mind, I spent an afternoon last weekend hasselbacking. In its simplest form, hasselbacking is a special cutting method for raw vegetables (also some fruits and even bread) before roasting. The most common version is Hasselback potatoes: the Potato ÌÊ la Hasselbacken or, in Swedish, hasselbackspotatis. The glory of this cutting/cooking method is that it allows you to get flavorful fats and your favorite herbs and spices down inside the food so all that deliciousness gets roasted in. Plus, hasselbacking makes your food so pretty! (more…)

Cultivating Change: Insights from the Small Farms Conference

Here at Mountain Rose Herbs, we stand for a future in which domestic, diversely-owned farms thrive, growing organic herbs and becoming more resilient each year by sustainably adapting to changing climates. What’s needed to make this dream come true is a just, regenerative agriculture system that truly supports and values farmers. Last week, I had the opportunity to join 800 farmers and producers at our local university’s Small Farms Conference to learn how to make this future a reality.

DIY Detangler & Anti-Frizz Spray Recipe with Marshmallow Root

Whether your unique mane coils into bouncy ringlets, twists into wild waves, or cascades down as straight as a pin, you’ve undoubtably experienced bad hair days. On too many occasions to count in my life, I’ve stumbled out of bed in the morning and glanced into the mirror to find a sight only explainable by a bird crafting a nest out of my frazzled locks overnight. After reaching for every fancy spritz and spray buried in my cabinets, I’d more often than not be left with relatively tamed frizz, greasy roots, and a wafting heavy perfume fragrance that was less than desirable. Inevitably, I would succumb to the classic slicked-back ponytail or throwing my mop of hair under a big hat on days such as these.

The Oral Tradition of Caribbean Herbalism

The Caribbean islands, scattered between North and South America, are a hotspot of weather, plant biodiversity, and culture. Islands range from tropical rainforests to chilly mountain peaks, some densely saturated with remote mogotes: isolated, steep-sided mounds on otherwise flat plains. The high humidity and rainfall contribute to a lush flora and fauna. There are over 11,000 discovered plant species, 189 amphibian species, and 564 bird species. The Caribbean’s herbal traditions are rooted in this abundance of biodiversity. (more…)

How to Go “No Poo” with Easy Herbal Hair Rinses

Have you heard of “no ‘poo” and scratched your head in wonder about what this means? While the term is definitely not my favorite, the philosophy behind it is worth exploring. It refers to moving away from using expensive commercial shampoos and conditioners, which often contain harsh synthetic fragrances, sodium laureth sulfate, propylene glycol, and other creepy ingredients from mystery labs around the world. Because we trust that such products will make our hair gorgeous, we drench ourselves in weird chemicals without knowing how they affect our overall health. Plus, think of the millions of plastic bottles from all the hair care products we use that end up in recycling bins or landfills.

But we HAVE to use shampoo, right?ÑWrong! (more…)

Herb Flavor Profiles for DIY Tea Blending

As herbalists, many of us create infusions (teas) with health and wellness in mind, choosing herbs based on what constituents they can provide us. As tea enthusiasts, we also care about the tea-drinking experience and the synergistic way that the flavors and aromas of different herbs can join together when put in hot water. It is this synergy that comes into play with tasting notes. Tasting notes are the descriptive language that connoisseurs use to help us understand the nuances at play in each cup: a set of terms to describe visual cues, aromas, taste, sensations, and more. I can’t tell you why Û÷tangy, lively, and refreshing’ are the flavor notes in my everyday go-to drink-it-all-day herbal tea, but knowing those terms helps steer me toward other herbs and spices that work well together when making my own herbal tea blends.

Nourishing Herbal Broths

I am a firm believer in broths for their gut-supporting, extremely tasty, and nourishing qualities. You can pack so much nutrition in each little sip. Adding a myriad of herbs to our broth base is the perfect vehicle for incorporating wellness into our modern lives. (more…)

Mountain Rose Herbs Takes Big Steps in Herbal Industry Transparency

In a hyper-connected world full of consumption, how do we make the best choices when purchasing products? How do we determine the impact of our decisions based on our values? Now more than ever, we are faced with businesses greenwashing customers, and as a result, consumers have become detached from where things come from or how they have come to be. Terms like ÛÏnaturalÛ or ÛÏtherapeuticÛ are used with reckless abandon and we are given minimal information to make the best choices for our bodies and our planet. (more…)

For Life: A Tool to Measure Corporate Social Responsibility

For over a decade, Mountain Rose Herbs has worked closely with Fair for Life (FFL), a Switzerland-based, fair trade certification program that seriously ups the ante on fair trade practices, making life-changing improvements in labor relationships both externally and internally. The mission is clear in this program statement: Fair for Life’s vision is a world where trade, through ethical, fair, and respectful partnerships, is a driving force for positive and sustainable change benefiting people and their environment.

Fire Zodiac Perfume Recipe with Essential Oils

Over the past few months, I have been working on an elemental perfume series. I first tapped deep into the soil to find inspiration for an Earth Goddess blend. From there, I dove into the sea to create a whimsical Mermaid Blend made with ÛÏjuicyÛ ylang ylang and brisk bay laurel. Then I soared amongst the clouds to create a blend with ÛÏgo-with-the-flowÛ vibes that was crafted with ravensara and coriander. The last stop on this aromatic journey was to be fire, and I had been waiting patiently for inspiration to strike me. Boy did it ever! My community was hit with a bad ice storm that resulted in hundreds of fallen trees and dangerous conditions. I was stuck at home without electricity or internet for several days and was fully reliant on my wood-burning stove for heat, cooking, and entertainment. During this time, I became deeply reacquainted with fire.

Natural Ways to Support Menstruation + Tea Blend

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When your moontime calls, listen to your body. She’s calling for nourishment and rest. Calling you back to yourself and your wise woman within. Back to the cycle of the moon within youÑyour womb, your hormonal cycle, your psyche. Give yourself permission to find a little quiet time to yourself. Soak in some extra self-care. Sip herbal infusions.
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10 Zero-Waste Swaps for a Sustainable New Year

Welcome to a new year! What are you calling in and saying yes to? What are you letting go of and saying no to? The beginning of the year is always a great time to take stock of what’s working for you (and not working) individually and collectively. As I look back on 2023, I think about the choices I made throughout the year and the impact that resulted from my actions. I understand that every decisionÑno matter how smallÑtruly matters, and our actions create a ripple effect in our interconnected world.

2023: A Year In Review for Mountain Rose Herbs

2023 was quite a year! While we worked hard to ensure access to pure, organic ingredients to support health and wellness, the Mountain Rose Herbs team also completed some exciting goals. As we reflect on the last year, we want to share our most notable accomplishments and extend our gratitude to you. We could not have accomplished these things without your incredible support. Here are some of our favorite initiatives from 2023 and a peek at what’s coming up in 2024.

Mountain Rose Herbs: Organic Sourcing from Pacific Northwest Farms

In 2001, we moved Mountain Rose Herbs from California to Oregon to be closer to our farm operations, wild harvesters, and processors. We are proud of the fact that we have nurtured relationships with our Pacific Northwest farm partners for 30-plus years. Today, we source about 75% of our American-grown organic herbs from Pacific Northwest farmers here in the bioregion we call home.

“Sea Moss” Benefits + Irish Moss Gel Recipe

There are over 12,000 species of seaweed drifting in synchrony with our ocean currents, but one type of these uniquely diverse sea botanicals has taken wellness communities by storm in recent years. Recipes and advertisements highlighting the nutritional benefits of ÛÏsea moss gelÛ have been buzzing around just about every corner of the wellness world, and for good reason! I first encountered sea moss on a Pinterest blog detailing a vegan ÛÏbone brothÛ recipe, which instantly hooked my attention. As a vegan with over a decade of my life spent experimenting with plant-based foods, replicating a vegan version of such an animal-oriented fare was not something I had considered to be a possibility before. This recipe sparked my interest in uncovering the endless array of creative uses and nutritional benefits the ocean provides for us in the form of aquatic grassy tangles: seaweed!

Guide to Evergreen Essential Oils

Many of us associate certain smells with the holiday seasonÑfrom the sweet smells of spiced cookies to minty diffuser blends, to the most characteristic winter aroma: evergreens! Even for those who don’t celebrate Christmas, the bright woodland scents are welcomed by many this time of year. One of the questions most often asked of Mountain Rose Herbs this time of year is the difference between evergreen essential oils. We pride ourselves on our wide selection of organic essential oils, but so many options can make it harder to choose.

Bee Balm Monograph + Herbal Steam Recipe

There is always happy anticipation around Mountain Rose Herbs when we get the opportunity to bring in a new herbal ally. And when that botanical is grown by one of our passionate, conscientious farm partners right here in Oregon, our excitement is tinged with some home-state pride. So, we are pleased to announce that we are now carrying organic bee balm (Monarda fistulosa) grown at Oregon’s own Oshala Farm! (more…)

Homemade Hot Cocoa Lip Balm Recipe

If you’ve been perusing the Mountain Rose Herbs blog for awhile, you’ll know that you can expect a new lip balm recipe from me this time of year. It’s my annual tradition as we approach the holidays to create a fun new lip balm recipe to add to my DIY gift list, and I of course share it with my Mountain Rose Herbs ÛÏfam.Û It’s one of my favorite traditions and my friends and family are always excited to see what blend I come up with to celebrate the year. This holiday season, my household is all about hot cocoa, so I was inspired to craft a hot chocolate recipe with ÛÏmarshmallows.Û (more…)

Holiday Scents: 3 Essential Oil Blends for the Winter Season

The winter holidays are such a feast for the senses: not just our tastebuds, but also our eyes, ears, and olfactory system. This time of year, our public spaces are full of bright lights, festive music, and perfumed everything. Unfortunately, those expensive store-bought candles, diffuser oils, and room sprays are often made with synthetic ingredients that aren’t a healthy choice, no matter how much they promise to imbue us with the spirit of evergreen forests, candy canes, and homemade pumpkin pie. Diffusing natural essential oilsÑat home, at work, or in your carÑis a wonderful alternative to scent your space with seasonal aromas. We love these three time-tested, holiday-inspired, DIY essential oil blends! (more…)

Tea Tasting Terminology + Printable Tasting Cards

In the worlds of fine wine or artisanal cheese, you’re likely to encounter terminology that can seem foreign to those who are not waist-deep in the art of vinification or caseiculture. Tea-tasting is similar in that tea connoisseurs use a unique language to describe the subtle nuances that you can find in a quality cup of tea. Fear not tea-enthusiast friendsÑI’m here to help you decode the descriptive terminology used in professional tea-tasting!

Mulled Acai Berry Tea for the Holidays

Ready for a superfood twist on traditional spiced drinks this winter? Try a cup of mulled acai berry tea! Cinnamon, citrus, allspice, ginger, clove, and anise: Can you almost feel the warmth of these herbs and spices? They heat us from within throughout the season of cold and dark. Spiced wine is a family favorite at our winter celebrations, and mulled cider is another seasonal treat. (more…)

United Plant Savers: Protecting At-Risk Native Medicinal Plants

If you’ve spent time reading Mountain Rose Herbs blogs, you know that one of our primary concerns is the alarming and increasing loss of native plants. Because of overharvesting, climate change, and habitat destruction, some of the most important medicinal herbs in North America are at risk or endangered, and several are already critically imperiled. We are passionate about finding solutions for these precious botanicals, but like so many important causes on our planet, it takes a village. We need researchers, scientists, data collectors, herbalists, farmers, wildharvesters, state and federal lawmakers, herb suppliers, gardeners, and the list goes on. In addition to all of these essential roles, we need to build connections around the world with other dedicated plant people who may be seeing the same things in their part of the world. We need to understand what plants are at risk and what alternatives we can access. This is where our allies at United Plant Savers (UpS) step in. (more…)

What is Inulin and How it Supports Digestion + Herbal Recipes

What do dandelion, burdock, chicory, and garlic have in common? They all contain inulin. Inulin is a naturally occurring polysaccharide made up of chains of fructose molecules that are not digested in the small intestine and belong to a class of dietary fibers known as fructans. (more…)

Could Cutting-Edge Farming Practices Be the Answer to Ginseng’s Survival?

For more than ten years, Mountain Rose Herbs has been working with United Plant Savers (UpS) and other conservation organizations to address the alarming decline in wild ginseng populations in North America. Despite concerted efforts and the support of federal and state governments, as well as ethical ginseng forest farmers and wildcrafters, the state of this precious botanical in the wild remains precarious due to overharvesting and habitat destruction. With that in mind, we are delighted to say that a new way of farming ginseng is providing hope for the future of Panax quinquefolius!
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Warming Lotion Bars for Autumn & Winter

We all love a temperate and cozy home, but turning the heater on or lighting up the wood stove can be drying to our skin. Enter lotion bars! These delightful little skin-supporters add moisture and act as an emollient to protect the skin from the seasonal drying that happens this time of year. (more…)

A Sustainable Company Culture Starts With Employee Wellness

If you’re at all familiar with Mountain Rose Herbs, chances are you’ve heard us proudly shout from the rooftops that sustainability is always on the brain here. The idea that all life can harmoniously co-exist alongside our planetÑabsent of imbalance between what is taken and what is providedÑis a concept woven deeply into our company’s seams. Whether that be our commitment to organic agriculture, fair trade relationships, zero-waste innovation, plant and river conservation, or community support, we truly keep sustainability at the forefront of our minds. (more…)

The Value of Fair for Life Certification: A Cacao Case Study

Among the stellar organizations that Mountain Rose Herbs works with, our Fair for Life partnership is one that we are particularly proud of due to the demonstrable good that it does. Its principles impact people and the environments they live and work in around the world, as well as our community here in Eugene, Oregon.

Pinwheel Cookies with Herbal Powders (4 Ways)

Pinwheel cookies (also called spiral cookies) have been a holiday tradition for decades. Often made with vanilla and chocolate or red and green food color, they show up on cookie plates throughout the season. I like traditions like thisÛ? and I also like to see how far I can push those traditional recipes to accommodate more flavors and spices.

This classic ÛÏiceboxÛ cookie recipe (modern world translation: refrigerator cookie) is essentially the same one my great grandmotherÑand thousands of other peopleÑused to make in the 1930s and it’s remained a standard ever since. It’s a dough you can easily change into a variety of different cookies with small additions like spices, nuts, dried fruit, crushed candies, etc. And it’s also an accommodating dough for rolling and cutting. These two qualities make it an ideal choice for delicious pinwheel cookies infused with herbal powders! (more…)

Herbal Simmer Pots + Stovetop Potpourri Recipes

This time of year, scent is an important part of my home. Seasonal aromas make autumn feel more alive and more celebrated. It makes coming home all the more enjoyable and brings added seasonal awareness to the two teens in my household. To achieve this, many of us DIY folks craft up our favorite diffuser blends, wax melts, and DIY candle recipes. While I like to make all of those things, I have recently added simmer pots to my repertoire. I have really enjoyed this new avenue of bringing fresh and fragrant smells to my home, so I thought I would share some of my family’s favorite combinations.

Homemade Caramel Apple Slices with Herbal Chocolate Glaze

Caramel apples have always been one of those mixed-feelings food experiences for me. I love good caramel and I love apples, and when the two things come together in a perfect synergy, it is one of my favorite flavor combinations. Unfortunately, a typical caramel apple falls short. First, the caramel is often too sweet rather than buttery-delicious. Second, I want caramel and apple in every bite, and once I work my way around the caramel-y outside, I’m left with a lot of apple and no more caramel. Finally, I don’t like that I end up with caramel all over my face and in my hair every time I eat a caramel apple on a stick. Recently, however, I found the solution: caramel apple slices! So, of course, down the caramel apple rabbit hole I went and I’m so glad I did! (more…)

Elderberry Gummies Made with Agar

There are a number of effective and delicious ways to bring the nutrition and immune benefits of elderberries into our diets.* Tincture, tonic, syrup, tea, and culinary recipes abound. And, of course, there are gummies! I’m a big believer in putting fun into our lives when and where we can, and an elderberry gummy is a morsel of fun that also provides support for our immune systems. Most gummies, however, contain gelatin, which is a hard no for vegans and followers of some religious faiths. We set out to create an elderberry gummy that anyone can enjoy. How do you get a gelatin-type gummy without the gelatin? It all comes down to agar-agar powder. (more…)

Taco Bowl with Roasted Butternut Squash and Black Beans

I love taco bowls. These deconstructed tacos are packed with nutrition, big on flavor, and easy to customize for a variety of palates, even on a weeknight when you don’t have much time. I generally look to my garden for what to include, so they change by the seasons in our home. This autumn-inspired taco bowl is an annual favorite, combining winter squash or sweet potatoes with black beans for a hearty protein- and fiber-rich bowl that pleases everyone in the family. (more…)

Elderberry Shrub + Mocktail Recipe for Immune Support

Herbal beverages are among the easiest ways to enjoy the power of plants. The combinations of herbs are virtually limitless, and you have the flexibility of adding a pinch of this or a dash of that depending on your flavor and wellness goals. I love that they aren’t a big-time commitment like other herbal preparations and when you pair them with a menstruum like apple cider vinegar, you get the added benefit of gut support. (more…)

DIY Foaming Hand Soap: Fall ScentåÊåÊåÊåÊ

I‘m a sucker for seasonal scents. As soon as fall arrives, I begin making homemade wax melts, diffuser blends, roll-on perfumes, and natural skincare recipes to match the seasonal shift. I was recently inspired by my dear colleague Heidi’s autumn spice lotion recipe and I thought a foaming hand soap would make a great compliment. (more…)

Chia Seed Pudding Recipe With Pumpkin Spice

I will admit that I was a latecomer to the pumpkin pie spice trend. I still have not had a pumpkin spice latte, for instance. I have been starting to come around though. My turning point came after I tried one of our very own blog recipes, pumpkin pie spice roasted mixed nuts. Ever since that day, I have felt the undeniable pull towards this seasonal favorite. As the days grow shorter and cooler, the warming spices seem to offer the perfect comfort and sense of wellbeing. Naturally, I wanted to celebrate the arrival of pumpkin spice season this year with a recipe variation! (more…)

Indigenous Burning Practices in Wildfire Management & Native Plant Propagation

On a warm October afternoon in 2021, roughly 40 personnel from Oregon forest agencies, area tribes, and conservation groups, including the Long Tom Watershed Council, gathered on the Andrew Reasoner Wildlife Preserve outside Eugene. Among them were a dozen Native American firefighter trainees who had spent the week learning the essentials of wildfire suppression. That the culmination of their training would be the deliberate burning of an eight-acre parcel of land might strike some as contrary, even outrageous. As a former National Park Ranger who served as a firefighter in the early 90s, this certainly flew in the face of the training I’d received. (more…)

Are My Herbs Irradiated?! Learn About Irradiation in Our Food System & How to Avoid It

Irradiation of food is a topic that is increasingly showing up as a point of concern for Mountain Rose customers, so I want to take a minute to talk about this timely subject. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of food irradiation in 1963 to kill bacteria, molds, insects, etc. in wheat and flour. Today, the FDA has approved irradiation for fruits, vegetables, eggs in the shell, spices and seasonings, sprouting seeds, poultry, crustaceans and shellfish, and red meats. Food irradiation involves exposing foods to one of three different types of ionizing radiation: gamma rays from cobalt-60, x-rays, or electron beams. The FDA uses this technology to improve food safety and extend storage and shelf life. Meanwhile, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organics Program (NOP), which oversees the nation’s organics labeling, prohibits the use of irradiation to treat organic products because the process alters the natural state of food. These two opposing views present consumers with something of a conundrum. (more…)

Herbal Bath Vinegar with Juniper & Rosemary

If I told you there’s a pantry staple that can soothe sore muscles and calm irritated skin, would you guess it’s vinegar? It’s true! From minor aches to dry or itchy skin, I turn to herbal vinegar baths. On its own, a cup or two of vinegar in the tub will leave skin soft and rejuvenated with a healthful glow. But herb-infused vinegars take this concept a step further, using plant constituents to boost the already impressive benefits of a vinegar bath. (more…)

Blue Moon Milk for Clarity & Reflection

On August 30,2023, we will experience a super blue moon. Astronomers say it will be the closest, biggest, brightest full moon of the year. To me, this super full moon holds the potential to illuminate stagnant thoughts and emotions, both of which are good self-work for me right now. I am planning to spend the evening seeking clarity from these ÛÏperipheralÛ thoughts so I can move into them or on from them healthily and productively. (more…)

Wind Element Perfume Recipe with Essential Oils: Head in the Clouds Blend

Welcome to part three of my Elemental Perfume Blend series. What started as a journey to create fun DIY party favors for my upcoming wedding has turned into a rabbit hole of perfume recipe development. So far, I have shared an Earth Goddess perfume, an Aquatic Mermaid perfume, and now this wind-themed blend for my air sign friends.

With just three essential oils, this blend is made of top and middle notes to keep it as light as air.

7 Best Herbs for Natural Hair Care

Since time immemorial, people have looked to herbs to support healthy, beautiful hair. In the modern world, however, mainstream haircare products are typically made from chemicals: including sulfates, parabens, synthetic fragrances, formaldehyde, phthalates like DEHP, and other toxic ingredients. When we use these products, we increase our exposure to potentially harmful chemicals every time we wash and/or style our hair. It behooves us to take a look at natural herbal haircare practices. As well as being chemical-free, the best haircare herbs are time-tested; they have been used by humans for thousands of years. Herbal blends, infusions, extracts, and other botanical formulations bring the power of nature to nourish and stimulate the scalp, strengthen and moisturize follicles, soften hair, restore shine and bounce, help with manageability, and more.

Homemade Lotion with Organic Sweetgrass Hydrosol

Perhaps every herbalist or skincare formulator has a recipe that once wholly intimidated them. Homemade lotion was one of those for me. I had a pretty epic and expensive DIY lotion fail once, and it took me a long time to build up enough confidence to try blending water and oil into something usable again. Mountain Rose‘s organic sweetgrass hydrosol was the impetus to suck up my courage and try again. Its subtle, honeyed aroma has a wonderfully green-earth undertone that makes it a perfect base for a variety of skincare formulations, from facial toners to body sprays to lotions. In this simple lotion recipe, I love it with just a touch of vanilla in the form of organic benzoin resin. (more…)

Guasha Massage Tutorial

ÛÏGuashaÛ (ö¨Ñ¤) translates as ÛÏscraping petechiae.Û Gua (ö¨) is scraping, the act of pulling a guasha tool across the skin. Sha (Ñ¤) is petechiae: pinkness or redness on the skin that can arise from scraping, a result of increased blood circulation to the area. Guasha is one of the many tools in our East Asian medicine toolkit, which also includes acupuncture, herbs, massage, moxibustion, energy work, lifestyle medicine, and more. (more…)

3 Refreshing Functional Fizzy Drinks With Herbal Extracts and Syrups

When the thermometer starts pushing up into the 90s, my good attitude takes a corresponding nosedive. As a Western Oregon pluviophile, I prefer my summer heat in small doses, preferably bookended by big cooling rain storms. So here we are in the annual dog days of summer when the days and nights are too hot, there do not appear to be any rainstorms on the horizon, and my whole self is on a 24/7 quest to pretty much always have something cold, hydrating, and nourishing in my hand to refresh my body and soul. Not only does this wonder-beverage need to be a delicious vehicle to support deep hydration and body and mind wellness, but it also has to be easy to whip up at a moment’s notice. Fortunately, I am married to a talented mixologist. When the weather gets hot, he makes sure to have all the ingredients on hand for easy beat-the-heat carbonated drinks that include herbal extracts and syrups for an added wellness boost. (more…)

Homemade Creamsicles¨ With Orange Cream Rooibos (Vegan)

As a child, I remember delighting in the hot days of August. My brother and I could spend an entire day in the yard leaping through the sprinkler, having rowdy water fights, and just causing general (damp) mayhem. However, the real highlight of any summer day was the moment that the sing-song tones of the ice cream truck floated to us. In my memory, the ice cream truck has an almost mythical quality to it. It would appear with a burst of song at the perfect moment, with an endless bounty of colorful, frozen treats. I recently learned that national creamsicle day is August 14 and I was immediately flooded with countless (sticky) memories from my youth. Pairing my new awareness of the upcoming occasion with the fact that our fearless leader, Shawn Donnille, is an avid Creamsicle¨ fan, I decided to try my hand at an herbal adaptation of this beloved summer treat that would win over even the most diehard admirers.

Did You Know That We Are an Oregon Benefit Company?

You already know that Mountain Rose Herbs is a purveyor of organic herbs, essential oils, teas, and exceptional botanical offerings. And you’ve probably read that we are serious about putting people, plants, and planet before profit with everything we do: from supporting sustainable agriculture to encouraging employee volunteerism. What you may not have known is that in 2018 these values led us to become an Oregon Benefit Company.

Herbalist Tips to Beat the Summer Heat

With the heat and sun come sunburn, heat rash, heat exhaustion, and even heat stroke. There are things we can do to prevent these from happening and natural remedies for when they do.

Cornucopia Institute: Raising the Bar on Organic Standards

With so many options on the shelf at the grocery store, not to mention the enormous number of food selections from online sources, it is difficult to know that the food we eat is nutritious, delicious, and free of unwanted pesticides or preservatives. We see a lot of hype around one certification or another, with new standards being presented to us all the time. How do we know that the food we put on the table supports the health of our families, communities, and the planet?
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Homemade Deodorant: How to Make Natural, Herbal, Roll-On Deodorant

Summer being what it isÑwith all the extra sunshine and outdoor funÑour deodorant choices start to matter in a bigger way. Consumers have become increasingly aware of the potential issues that can come with using deodorants with ingredients like propylene glycol, aluminum, and triclosan, and have been turning more and more to natural deodorants. Unfortunately, while over-the-counter natural deodorants are a safer and more earth-friendly option than those loaded with parabens and chemicals, they are still packaged in mostly non-recyclable plastics that millions of Americans throw away every year. Happily, it’s an easy task to make your own natural, herbal, roll-on deodorant.

Dream Tea Recipe: Herbs for Lucid Dreaming + Deep Sleep

In modern Western culture, people often disregard dreams as mere fluff that our brains discard as we slumber. But throughout history and cultures, humans have valued dreaming in different ways. Dreams are seen as a door or bridge to the spirit world or the subconscious. They are often full of symbology from our lives, become outlets for our deepest concerns and fears, or offer us tools for self-reflection and a map to our current state of mind and heart. Although we can dream at any stage of sleep, our most vivid dreams occur during our REM (rapid eye movement) sleep cycle, so depending on how well we sleep, we may spend more than two hours each night in some form of dream state. Sleep researchers tell us that deep non-REM sleep rests our bodies and refills our tanks to start another day and REM sleep is crucial for dreaming, memory consolidation, emotional processing, and healthy brain development.

Water Element Perfume Recipe: The Mermaid Blend

If you saw my recent article on my Earth Element Perfume Blend, you know I am working on some fun gift ideas for my upcoming wedding. As a Taurus, I of course started with an Earth element blend which came to me with great ease and intuition. When it came to formulating this water-element perfume though, it took more time and consideration. I found it helpful to imagine the mystical allure of mermaids and the calming essence of water in creating this blend.

How to Make Slime with Psyllium Husk

SlimeÑthat strange substance that defies Newton‘s laws of viscosityÑhas been a staple in store toy aisles for almost 50 years and the DIY versions have been around almost as long. The typical school-science-project slime recipe involves mixing either borax or contact lens solution with PVA glue and water. The science behind it is a chemical reaction between the polyvinyl acetate in the glue and the borate ions in the contact solution or borax, an action called cross-linking that results in a logic-defying substance that is a whole lot of fun to play with. However, fascinating DIY science aside, too much exposure to boronÑwhich is the base of borax, boric acid, and also, ironically, that contact lens solutionÑcan cause respiratory, skin, and eye irritation, and when ingested can lead to nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Note the caution on the front of a box of borax detergent: Caution: Eye irritant, may be harmful if swallowed. Needless to say, that DIY slime hack is not ideal for small children, particularly those who tend to taste-test things. Fortunately for the child in all of us, you can make slime from psyllium husk! (more…)

Seed Stewardship Project: How You Can Help At-Risk Plants

At Mountain Rose Herbs, botanicals are our business, and the industry has been growing year over year as more people realize the health-supporting benefits of our plant allies. Sounds great, doesn’t it? In many ways, this is a wonderful return to valuing the abundance the natural world has to offer while utilizing the myriad benefits that botanicals provide. Unfortunately, the ongoing and increasing impact of overharvesting wild plants has left many of our native populations at significant risk of decline or even extinction. For this reason, we have invested our time and energy in striking a balance between increasing the availability of the number of botanicals we offer and supporting the conservation of the most at-risk plant varieties.

Mountain Rose Herbs Offers 100% Paid Medical Premium Coverage

Believe it or not, employee wellness programs have existed for the better part of the last 100 years. For much of this history, the programs have focused on the physical aspect of health while ignoring other facets of an individual’s wellbeing including mental health and work/life balance. In the past, wellness programs often included structured times throughout the workday to stretch or get some exercise, but research shows that programs such as these are often underutilized by the employees themselves. Why is this, and what have these attempts at workplace wellness been missing? At Mountain Rose Herbs, we recognize that the workday is just a fraction of the lives we all lead. If we want company-sponsored initiatives to effectively promote health and wellbeing, they must extend beyond the office to improve the overall quality of life.

Organic Spinach Powder Benefits + Pizza Crust Recipe

Spinach has been providing humans with bountiful nutrition for more than 2,000 years. By the time this cool-season annual reached western Europe in the 11th – 15th centuries, it was already an established crop and widely cultivated in the Middle East and Asia. It has long been considered the ÛÏCaptain of Leafy Greens,Û which is an apt title for this vitamin- and mineral-packed veggie. However, because our bodies cannot metabolize spinach quickly, it can produce gas, bloating, and stomach cramps. This is not to say we shouldn’t eat raw spinach; we absolutely should because it’s loaded with all kinds of other essential nutrients like vitamin C, niacin, potassium, etc. that are more available to our bodies when eaten raw. But to capture all of the benefits of spinach, it behooves us to eat it in other ways as well. Dried spinach is a delicious, high-nutrition option!
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Arnica Hand Balm Recipe for Hard-Working Hands

This time of year, I’m reminded of my love for herbal salves, and in particular, this Gardener’s Salve. The blend has been in the Mountain Rose recipe book for many years and is one that I turn to each spring and summer. Between planting, weeding, and pruning, my hard-working hands reach for this DIY hand balm time and time again. Being with the plants does wonders for my emotional wellbeing so taking the proper steps to ensure I can do it in optimal comfort and for many years to come is very important to me.
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Spicy Paloma Cocktail & Mocktail with Herbs

Cocktails and mocktails provide the perfect opportunity to put our favorite botanicals to creative use. Whether mixed with fresh garden herbs, homemade tinctures, or kitchen spices, mixed drinks are a fun and tasty way to enjoy the benefits of herbs and spicesÑand to apply our love of herbalism. (more…)

Elemental Perfume Blend with Essential Oils: Earth Goddess Perfume Recipe

As a newly engaged person, I am starting to look at things a bit differently. For instance, creating recipes is a major part of my life, and I find myself experiencing that process through a slightly different lens. Now as well as recipes that I craft for my own use, I am starting to consider party favors and elements to include in my wedding. I’ve been thinking that a variety of homemade perfumes made with organic ingredients would be a fun zero-waste party favor and they are incredibly easy to scale up and to make in bulk. So, I went to the drawing board with some themes and ideas.

Herbal Hair Care & Natural Hair Color

When I say ÛÏherbal hair,Û what is the first thing that comes to mind? Confusion? An image of someone who rarely takes care of their locks? Or maybe even a slight understanding of the magick of apple cider vinegar as a rinse? To me, herbal hair is the alchemy between humans and the earth. The delicate dance between caretaker, gardener, and healer. Beauty rituals that comfort our souls and release our grip and dependence on man-made products. At the root of it all, herbal hair care can nourish our scalps and color our locks, simply by using flowers, leaves, roots, and seeds. This can be in the form of a hydrosol mist, a leave-in spray, or an infusion of jojoba oil and rosemary for scalp nutrients. (more…)

Minty Lemongrass Oxymel (Without Vinegar) & Summer Mocktail Recipe

When my husband and I got married, we wanted to offer a full mocktail bar for our wedding guests. I love using oxymels for mocktails: the traditional syrup made from an acid and a sweetener (usually vinegar and honey) lends a complex flavor that up-levels any drink. They are also a yummy way to serve herbs to friends and family. (more…)

How Mountain Rose Herbs Supports Natural Park Management

Lithia Park is a lively cultural hub in the heart of Ashland, Oregon. Each year, over a million people visit the bustling, yet peaceful park to stroll, jog, cycle, or just admire the landscape that winds along the brisk Ashland Creek. The 100-acre park also provides habitat and food sources for many species of plants, pollinators, animals, and fish. The well-balanced ecosystem of the park is attributed largely to the integrative maintenance practices that were put into place in 2010 which allows less than 1% synthetic herbicides and pesticides to be used within the park, and then only if there is a severe public safety hazard present. (more…)

Elderflower Cordial Made with Fresh or Dried Elderflowers

It’s almost elderflower season! When I excitedly announced this among friends recently, they all gave me a grin-and-eye-roll combination that, if I’m being honest, I receive on a regular basis from this bunch. It’s all done in good funÑit’s no secret that I choose to live my life much slower than the modern-world pace, as closely aligned with the turning of the seasons as possible. My favorite people may tease me about my Luddite ways and seasonal delight over things like elderflowers, but they aren’t fooling anybody. They’re always the first ones to belly up for our refreshing cordials and festive cocktails and, because I let most of my homegrown elderflowers turn into berries, they are also the ones who slyly check in throughout the year to see if I’ve got any cordial made with the dried elderflowers that sustain us when the fresh flowers are long gone. Here’s to elderflower cordial and sharing with friends! (more…)

Spring Pesto Recipes for Health & Vitality

Research compiled by Oregon State University has shown that roughly half of the adult population in the United States doesn’t get enough of the vitamins and minerals that leafy greens supply: 52% don’t get the recommended intake of magnesium, 44% don’t get enough calcium, and 43% don’t get enough vitamin C. Although many of us know that we need two to three cups of leafy greens a day to supply our exquisitely complex bodies with the vitamins and minerals needed to carry out cellular processes and repairs, many of us have trouble eating adequate amounts of those greens. (more…)

Herb-Inspired Salad Dressings from Around the World: 4 Recipes for Summer Salads

There are a lot of reasons to love summer, but a big one here in the Willamette Valley of Oregon is the wealth of fresh garden and farm produce. We’re heading into salad season, always a good opportunity to explore new flavors and ways to enjoy the freshest greens, ripest tomatoes, crispest cucumbers, sweetest corn, and more. We’ve got four standout salad dressing recipes from around the world for you to enjoy this season, along with ideas about how to best use them: horiatiki from Greece, wafu from Japan, esquites from Mexico, and tahini-lemon from the Middle East. Enjoy! (more…)

Events as the Backbone of the Herbal Community

Herbalism in America has grown exponentially since we launched the Good Medicine Confluence back in 2009, and what was then only a small handful of herbal conferences has since exploded into dozens of annual gatherings. These range from huge international events to intimate bioregional ones. Each has its own distinguishing focus and following that makes them stand out. The Confluence is known for blending scientific classes with magical approaches, ecology with spirituality, and ancient traditions with the latest research and new alternative methodologies. Folks drive or fly from across the country to attend their favorite gatherings ÛÒ not just to expand their herbal knowledge and healing skills, but to network with others and delight in the plant healer community!

How to Make Tulsi Sipping Vinegar + Spritzer and Shrub Mocktail Recipes

A friend called the other day and before I had a chance to finish with ÛÏHelloÛ she asked, ÛÏWhat was that vinegar drink you made last summer? The zingy one with basil and berries?Û It was a shrub: a ÛÏzingyÛ drinking vinegar infused with fruit. Apparently, my friend had a craving because berry season is upon us. It was a good reminderÑthis is a perfect time to start infusing vinegars with herbs and fruit for both refreshing summer drinks and herbal formulations for later in the year. I love the allure of a jar full of drinking vinegar and the potential it represents for delicious, healthful sipping. Infuse berries and we’re also well on our way to a perfect shrub cocktail/mocktail season. (more…)

Spring Rain Essential Oil Blend + Wax Melt Recipe

I love to live fully within the seasons. I take in all the nuances of the seasonal elements, ebbing and flowing with the twists and turns of the weather and the expansion and contraction of daylight. This mindfulness practice allows me to connect with the ÛÏnowÛ and fully appreciate all that the Earth shares with us through her wondrous cycles.

Meet the Makers: Featuring Kevala Ayurvedic Skin Care

It was not until I found Ayurveda that I began to understand that the things I disliked about myself were the very things that made me perfect and were a beautiful representation of who I was meant to beÑa driven, compassionate warrior goddess. Ayurveda gave me permission to love myself and teaches that we are deeply interconnected and yet so uniquely divine!
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Wild Lettuce: Historical & Present Day Reflections of a Wild Herbal Ally

Wild lettuce is one of those ÛÏweedÛ herbs that is fairly common throughout North America. Its cultivation origins are from Southern Europe. The plant has a long history of use as a nervine and a bitter and, as such, is grown in a variety of places in Europe to capture the beneficial constituents in its latex, leaves, and seeds. Wild lettuce has become naturalized in the United States, where it is now regularly wildharvested. (more…)

Bulk Ingredients That Save Money, Reduce Waste, & Promote Resiliency

I love the peace of knowing that I have both the skills and stock on hand to thrive in most of the situations life throws my way. I can confidently rely on my resourcefulness and forethought to help me whether I can’t get to the grocery store for a bit, need to pinch some pennies, or just ran out of laundry soap. The efforts that I put into this lifestyle are also in line with my sustainability goals and significantly reduce the waste generated from my household. (more…)

Tips for Choosing Reputable Seed Companies & Nurseries

Spring is upon us, and many of us spent the cold and dark days of winter planning spring and summer gardens, selecting plant varieties, acquiring seeds, and getting a head start on sowing, germinating, and nurturing the young seedlings in our windowsills and greenhouses. Nowadays, we can buy everything from seeds and trees to full-grown flowers and shrubs at nurseries around the country. But not all nurseries are alike. A surprising number of the most popular suppliers of the seeds and plants we love give little regard to environmental issues. Don’t despair! There are guidelines and best practices we would like to share with the Mountain Rose Herbs community that will help you select seeds and plants that were grown using practices that support the health and vitality of our ecosystem.

DIY World Spice Blends

All too often it’s easy to use the same spices over and over again. If they work, then why not? I sprinkle Italian seasoning on just about everything. Turmeric powder and smoked salt are two other popular staples in my houshold. But this season I was determined to bring some new flavors into my kitchen. I’m thrilled to say that these blends did just the trick!

3 Magic Moon Milk Recipes for Restful Sleep

If drinking warm milk before bed sounds like the kind of advice you might hear from your grandmaÑwell, it turns out grandma knows best again! Drinking heated creamy beverages before bed has been practiced for centuries and has helped people all over the world drift off into a restful sleep. It is also commonly recommended by Ayurvedic practitioners to calm fiery doshas and to help balance the body before bed. Nowadays, these magical cups of comfort are often referred to as moon milks and incorporate herbs and spices to help assist the body in relaxation. (more…)

Herbs for Health: 11 Superfood Powders to Sprinkle Into Your Diet

Powdered herbsÑwhether we speak of culinary spices like cinnamon and garlic powder or nutritive herbs like acai, nettle leaf, and mushroomsÑbring together the best of several worlds. They are highly nutritious, easily absorbed by our bodies, wonderfully convenient, and versatile in how we can use them. When stored correctly, herbal powders retain their nutrients, fiber, and flavor for about a year. And they are supremely easy to use. We can cook with them, make tea from them, add them to smoothies and juices, put them in capsules, or simply take them with water. They can also be added to skin and hair-care products and used as poultices for everyday insect bites/stings or minor abrasions. For many of us, herbal powders are the first herbs we ever used: in the form of the dried spices and herbs we add to our food for flavor. Let’s take a look at some of the healthful powdered herbs that are as easy to incorporate into our daily lives as adding salt and pepper to a meal. (more…)

Shawn Donnille Wins the AHPA Environmental Impact Award!

We just returned from the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) Annual Member Meeting at New Hope Expo West in Anaheim, California. Each year since 2006, AHPA recognizes individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the continued success of the herbal and natural products industries. We’re excited to share that longtime Mountain Rose Herbs Owner and President, Shawn Donnille, has been awarded the prestigious 2023 AHPA Environmental Impact Award!

Zero Waste: The History & Future of Mountain Rose Herbs’ Commitment

As the focus on living sustainably increases, so too does the search for meaningful practices to incorporate into our lives. We often find ourselves presented with more challenges than solutions. Over time it becomes clear that the simpler and more approachable the solution, the better and more likely we are to stick to the new practice. We all know the importance of recycling and conserving resources, but did you know that there is a framework for eliminating the waste we send to the landfill? That framework is known as zero waste. What does zero waste mean and how does a company as large as Mountain Rose Herbs incorporate these practices into our daily operations?

DIY Shower Steamer Recipes (Calming & Uplifting Variations)

Treat yourself or someone you love to a spa-scented shower experience with easy-to-create ÛÏShower SteamerÛ tablets. Shower steamers use all-natural salts (typically baking soda) and essential oils. These little aromatherapy pucks can turn your shower into a spa-like experience. It is a simple product made up of just a few household ingredients and your favorite essential oils. The tablets dissolve slowly as you shower to create a lasting aromatherapy experience and the warm steam helps diffuse the scent. You can select scents that will energize, relax, or help with seasonal congestion.

Herb-Infused Simple Syrup Recipe Using Dried Herbs

Simple syrups are a fun and surprisingly useful ingredient to keep on hand in your refrigerator, especially when they are infused with your favorite herbs. A lot of people think of mocktails or cocktails when they think of simple syrups, and that’s definitely a good use for them. But they are equally wonderful added to carbonated water, as sweetener in tea, brushed on cakes or cupcakes, drizzled on yogurt or pancakes, and more. They are called ÛÏsimpleÛ syrup for a reasonÑif you can boil water, you can make simple syrup. And infusing simple syrups with herbs takes them from being a good ingredient to an amazing one! (more…)

What is CITES & Why is it Important?

Readers of the Mountain Rose Herbs blog know that one of our primary concerns is the ongoing and increasing impact of overharvesting on wild plants. Some of the most popular medicinal herbs in the worldÑfor example, goldenseal, bloodroot, black cohosh, trillium, and oshaÑare at risk and/or endangered. As well as rampant wildharvesting, these precious botanicals are impacted by land use issues and climate change, which are becoming more problematic. As a bulk herbs company dedicated to putting people, plants, and planet before profit, we believe it is our responsibility to do everything possible to find solutions for our herbal allies. One way we do that is to work within the regulations set forth by CITESÑthe Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. (more…)

How to Clean and Upcycle Bottles, Jars, & Other Empty Containers

If you’re anything like me, you don’t like to waste. When you enjoy herbal preparations as part of your daily routine, you are bound to wind up with a stockpile of perfectly good containers that can still be used. But how can you make sure they are cleaned well enough to reuse, and how can you continue to put them to use time and time again? Here are some tips and tricks to help you keep those bottles in circulation.

Mushroom Bouillon Powder and Paste + Homemade Seasoning Salt Recipe

My youngest son loves ramen: both the hand-pulled noodle restaurant version and the instant kind. His passion for instant ramen is left over from his first foray, years ago, into the adult world of supporting himself on minimum wage. Thankfully, as he‘s matured, he‘s become more concerned about eating real food without the MSG, tBHQ, and astronomically high sodium content that is typical in grocery store ramen. But quick easy ramen is still the food he reaches for when he’s in a hurry and needs a fast mealÛ? which explains my quest to develop an easy, healthy, homemade bouillon powder/paste that he can add to his noodle bowls in place of those unhealthy flavor packets that come in store-bought instant ramen noodles. (more…)

Natural Shampoo Recipe With Herbs

Many people want to get away from conventional hair and skin care products for two important reasons; they are full of unpronounceable synthetic ingredients that make it nearly impossible to know what we’re rubbing all over our bodies, and those over-the-counter products are packaged in materials that often can’t be reused or recycled. A lot of us first came to herbalism looking for natural, DIY alternatives. But in regard to skin and hair care formulations, it’s often not so simple.

Ashwagandha: Uses and Benefits + Tasty Recipes

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) a plant highly praised in the Ayurvedic tradition, is in the Solanaceae, or nightshade, family. It’s been said that the herb may give both energy and calmness to those plagued with physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. The species name somnifera means sleep-inducing, whereas ashwagandha comes from the Sanskrit words ÛÏashvaÛ and ÛÏgandha,Û meaning ÛÏhorse smellÛ since some think the roots of this calming plant smell like a horse. To each their own in the smell department; however, being a trophorestorative herb, it can bring ÛÏhorselikeÛ strength and vitality when used consistently over time. Ashwagandha has also been known to have a positive effect on cortisol levels due to real and perceived stress triggers and their subsequent physical and emotional symptoms. With stress being a way of life for many, the release of stress may also result in increased vigor and energy. (more…)

How to Make Herb-Flavored Alcohol + 3 DIY Herbal Spirit Blends

In the cycle of the year, I find the weeks between Imbolc (February) and Beltane (end of April) to be a precious, restful time in which I finally have space to be creative. We’re past the months of food preserving and winter holidays and not yet at the point when I will jump back into the annual joy/work of my yard, garden, and orchard. This is the only time of the year when I don’t have a dozen other priorities vying for my attention. It is an ideal moment to take a look at my apothecary and think about the herbs that I should use up before they start to get old. As well as making tinctures, glycerine extracts, and infused honey, I find this to be a perfect opportunity to make herb-infused spirits to add to my liquor cabinet for handcrafted cocktails throughout the year. I recently combed back through Mountain Rose Herbs blogs for inspiration, andÑas usualÑcame up with infusion gold. I’m excited to share three reader-tested, herb-infused distilled spirits recipes with you! (more…)

What Is a Cold Infusion + Herbs to Cold Infuse

Infusions are an enjoyable method for savoring and receiving the benefits of herbs. Also referred to simply as tea, an herbal infusion is technically called a tisane and involves steeping fresh or dried herbs in water for a period of time. The water used for an infusion can be hot or cold depending on the herbs you use and the effect you desire, as well as your preference and mood. In this blog, we are going to focus on what a cold infusion is, what herbs work best with this method, and how to make a cold infusion.

Sultry Essential Oil Perfume Recipe With Tonka Beans

Alcohol-based perfumes never sounded attractive to me. I always thought using them would make me smell like I just came from the bar, which is generally not the vibe I am going for. This aversion persisted until I discovered tonka beans (Dipteryx odorata) and learned that alcohol extraction is the best way to bring out their dreamy aroma! Tonka beans are an excellent alternative to vanilla beans in aromatherapy creations and are roughly five times less expensive than vanilla, so you can save your true vanilla for cooking and use tonka beans to get those highly coveted notes for perfumery.

Guide to Green Tea: How to Determine Quality and Flavor Expectations

Green tea is one of the most popular beverages in the world. On average, 600,000 tons are consumed each year! It is predominantly enjoyed in China, Japan, and surrounding countries where many cups are poured throughout the day. Pretty remarkable for one plant, right?

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap with Soap Nuts

I have to admit, it was really difficult for me to believe that soap nuts could actually work. My skepticism caused me to walk by them at my local natural grocery store for years. I liked the idea of an all-natural laundry solution, but I figured soap nuts would not be effective enough to take on the heavily soiled laundry from homesteading and an overall active lifestyle.
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Living in the Legacy of African American Healers

There is no way to fully know all the accomplishments and contributions people of color have made in the healing arts. Throughout my American herbal studies, I heard people sing songs to the plants and listened to their stories about herbalism. While these stories were helpful, they didn’t resonate as deeply for me because they did not represent people of color. Many times, when teachers could tell a story about someone in the BIPOC community who influenced their path to herbalism, they had forgotten those long-ago educators’ names. I began a quest to speak the names of my ancestors, to collect the stories of the powerful women who wove a patchwork quilt of herbal knowledge that was passed down to them from lands most had never felt a sunrise in. (more…)

The Importance of Sustainable Landscaping for Businesses

Rain had been falling for the better part of the last week but on the morning of Wednesday, December 7^th, with the skies partially clear, the Mountain Rose Herbs Green Team was working to enhance the landscape at our new campus. By midday, we had carefully planted two Aspen, 24 Kinnikinnick, 34 Ponderosa, and 250 Camas bulbs into the expanding green space that makes up the western border of the property. Five staff members, working for a total of 10 hours, completed this work as part of our effort to build a vibrant landscape that blurs the lines between the commercial/industrial use of the facilities and an ecosystem that is representative of the southern Willamette Valley.

The Many Roles of An Herbalist

The first time I ever helped someone’s sleeplessness and stress with a simple tisane blend, I felt such a strong sense of familiarity, rightness, and resonance that I knew that something in my life had irrevocably changed. Stepping from curiosity into active involvement in herbalism was a form of initiation for me, a door opening into a world I’d always wanted to be a part of, but wasn’t sure I was good enough for. This transition also shifted my role in my community, and I became a person that others came to for help, advice, support, and information much more often than previously. (more…)

Hot Oil Treatment for Hair

When it comes to hair care, a routine of deep conditioning can make a huge difference in the health and appearance of your hair and scalp. Choosing the right oils is one of the key parts of this process, so I have broken down some of my favorite oils for hair care and shared a luscious hot oil treatment that I formulated for weekly use.

Citrus Essential Oils: How to Choose the Right Citrus Oil

Citrus essential oils are bright, sweet, and sour and are known to bring a smile to your face. They are energetically uplifting and engaging and pack a punch in DIY cleaning products. But which one should you use?

Mountain Rose Herbs Is Furthering Its Commitment to Sustainability In 2023

People often assume that sustainability is not compatible with the tenets of successful business management. However, Mountain Rose Herbs is an excellent example of how a company can be guided by the principle of putting people, plants, and planet before profit and how business decisions can successfully consider both the environmental and social impact of operational choices and costs. Keeping sustainability at the core of our business practices means we are aware of the full cost of doing business and we make decisions consciously to minimize any negative impact that our company might have on our community, ecosystems, and ultimately the planet. With a history rooted in environmental and social activism, we cannot imagine operating a business any other way.

Nourishing Herbal Infusion RecipeÑA Tea With Purpose

Over the years, I’ve fallen in love with many herbs. Some come and go, others stick with me day after day once they’ve become part of my life. This nourishing infusion blend weaves together four of my long-term herbal allies. As a go-to for drinking daily, it is beloved by many in my extended community.

What Are Alkaloids in Plants & How to Extract Them

In our quest to unravel the tangled strings of phytochemistry, it’s important to understand that it takes time and practice to grasp the ins and outs. Taking it slowly, leaning into one constituent group at a time, can help the herbalist fully embrace their actions and needs. While studying the constituents in plants and the menstrua that extract and preserve them seems a bit too ÛÏscience-yÛ for some, remember that is what the alchemists of yesterday were all about. (more…)

Healthy Breakfast Recipes + 5 Superfood Powder Blends

Many of us experience busy mornings, juggling personal preparations with the needs of our children and other responsibilities. But it’s important to make time for breakfast, to give your body something substantial to solidly start your day. By making blends ahead of time, you can quickly and easily nourish yourself with either a hearty oatmeal blend or a lighter chia blend, topped with nuts. You

can also mix and match my ÛÏpower powderÛ herbal blends according to your seasonal needs and individual constitution. Have fun, create something delicious in bulk, and store it in a big jar to easily and quickly satisfy your daily breakfast needs! (more…)

Why Mountain Rose Herbs Chooses Oregon Tilth as Its Organic Certifier

In 2001, when we moved Mountain Rose Herbs from California to Pleasant Hill, Oregon, we made the move to be closer to our farm partners, wildharvesters, and processors. But another key factor in our decision was Oregon Tilth Certified Organic (OTCO), a Corvallis, Oregon nonprofit that was reimagining how the world’s food systems could work better for people and the planet. Founded on the fundamental belief that our food and agricultural systems should be sustainable and equitable, Oregon Tilth has spent nearly fifty years working for organic food and farming.

New Year Reflections & Journal Prompts of an Herbalist

Photos courtesy of Kiva Rose Hardin

Our botanical sanctuary and primitive homestead in the mountains of New Mexico runs on solar power, and during these shortest days of the year, solar can be in short supply. While this can make keeping up with online work more challenging, it also means we’re more likely to take advantage of the quiet and dark to reflect and reset. As I write this, our usually calf-deep river is raging through the narrow mountain canyon, too deep and fast to cross even in a kayak, much less on foot. The clouds are thick overhead and freezing rain pelts the gray skeletons of the cottonwoods. (more…)

Cookies and Cream Lip Balm Recipe

Each year around the holidays, I create a new lip balm recipe to share on both the Mountain Rose Herbs blog and with my friends and family. They make a great stocking stuffer and the people in my life enjoy seeing what I’ve come up with for the season. I love that lip balms can be made in bulk for sharing, and I love this fun and useful expression of my craft.

Boot and Shoe Deodorizer: Baking Soda, Sage, & Rosemary to the Rescue

Rosemary essential oil and herbs set out to make a baking soda, sage, & rosemary boot and shoe deodorizer

My mother used to tie dried lavender flowers into squares of cloth to make little lavender pouches and then she tucked them into her shoes. Not only did this freshen her footwear, it also meant that every time anyone opened her closet door, the lovely, calming scent of lavender drifted out into the room. This botanical shoe-freshening method was a charming fix for her professional office shoes, but wouldn’t have been enough for the boots and shoes I wear to work in my yard or to go hiking in. At the end of a long winter day outside in the Western Oregon rain and mud, my rubber homestead boots and hearty hiking boots need more than a freshener; they need a deodorizer. That’s where this time-tested, natural boot and shoe deodorizer is a godsend. It works on the same principle as the lovely lavender packets my mother used, but brings the deodorizing power of baking soda, rosemary, and sage to the task.

Frosted Gingerbread Essential Oil Blend + Wax Melt Recipe

Gingerbread is a nostalgic aroma for me. It takes me back to my childhood in New Jersey, where I grew up appreciating our family holiday celebrations and traditions. One of the many fun memories of my childhood was decorating gingerbread houses and people. I even carried that seasonal practice into college, where my best friend and I crafted some pretty over-the-top gingerbread houses. Now, being three thousand miles away from my family and my closest friends can be difficult, especially around the holidays. But bringing in nostalgic elements of these precious childhood memories helps me to feel closer to them. One of the most transformative ways I have found to do this is through aromatherapy.

Best Winter Essential Oils & Winter Diffuser Blend

By the time winter rolls around, I usually find myself seeking cozy comfort, uplifting cheer, and robust wellness support. While fuzzy blankets, social gatherings, and immune-boosting herbal teas are tried and true, I also look to aromatherapy as an essential wintertime ally.

Small Gifts & Stocking Stuffers Under $20

Gift-giving can be difficult, especially during the holidays. Finding the right gift at the right price is hard enough, but then layer on crowded parking lots, long shopping lines, and inclement weather, and you have yourself a recipe for holiday stress! We just don’t need that added pressure in our already hectic lives.

With this in mind, I curated a simple list of budget-friendly gift ideas that you can have delivered right to your doorstep. You’ll find the perfect gifts for the health enthusiast, foodie, tea lover, or fragrance connoisseur in your life. (Or for yourself; you also deserve it!)

Homemade Rosehip Jelly Using Dried Rosehips + Vintage Thumbprint Cookie Recipe

I love rosehips. I love the way they look on rose shrubs and how they remain bright points of color as the gray of winter approaches. I love how they feed wildlife when it’s cold. I love the nutritional and healthful gifts they offer. And I particularly love how those tart little hips are perfect for jellies, jams, and syrups. I don’t always have time in the fall to harvest and clean fresh hips, so I am always grateful for dried rosehips when winter finally arrives and I can slow down and do some cold weather nesting. Now I have the time to pull luscious dried rosehips from my apothecary closet to make rosehip jelly for my family. However, said family firmly believes that rosehip jelly season also means cookie season, because homemade jellies and jams are the best for thumbprint and/or frosted sugar cookies.

Goldenseal: Planting a Future for One of Our Most At-Risk Herbs

Although goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) was used by First Nations peoples for hundreds of years before Europeans arrived in the Americas, the first written source regarding goldenseal appears in an 1801 series of essays by botanist and physician Benjamin Smith Barton titled Towards a Materia Medica in the United States. Early colonists found a well-established trade network already in place for medicinal herbs, including goldenseal. Indigenous people used it as a dye and also for a variety of health issues, including as a bitter to support digestion, as a skin and eye wash, and as a dental rinse. By the 1830s, goldenseal was also a favorite of practitioners of Eclectic medicine, and demand was increasing exponentially. That demand has never let up and today goldenseal is considered to be one of the most at-risk herbs on United Plant Savers’ At-Risk Medicinal Plants List. There is, however, a potentially bright future for goldenseal thanks to innovations in cultivation. (more…)

Sweater Weather Roll-On Perfume Recipe

Homemade perfumes are wonderful for a myriad of reasons. From the ability to try new things without an enormous price tag to the pleasure of crafting something both beautiful and useful, perfume making is a pastime that I’ve grown to truly love. I custom tailor fragrances to match my mood or emotional needs or to harness the energetics of certain plants. But I also have a fondness for crafting blends that match the seasons.

Bitter, Aromatic, and Demulcent Herbs for Digestion + 3 Recipes

This is the time of year when we start thinking about how to best support our bodies as our diets shift to heartier winter eating and those inevitable holiday meals that are just around the corner. Digestive function is a key factor in our overall health and wellness, and can be thrown off by a number of things that are part and parcel of this time of year: not just hearty cold weather meals, but also changes in our routine, less sun and exercise, the stressors (both positive and negative) of family gatherings, holiday travel, etc. This seasonal dietary and energy flux impacts our bodies in a wide variety of ways, and can particularly play havoc on our digestive system. Fortunately, when we pay attention to our own unique rhythm, we can get ahead of these factors and be prepared when our normal balance is off-kilter. There are three herbal actions that are particularly helpful: bitters, aromatics, and demulcents. (more…)

Herbs to Support Burnout

Burnout. Most of us at one time or another have felt fatigue, jumpiness, irritability, lack of concentration, hopelessness, occasional digestive and bowel disruptions, difficulty sleeping, headaches, and muscle soreness to name a few. It feels like we are always working to keep it at bay. Adopting nourishing nervines and adaptogens into our lives can be immensely helpful to support and balance our nervous systems.* And when I say adopt the herb, I really mean embrace them and they will embrace you back! They work best when used daily over time. If your life includes a lot of stress and/or discomfort, these herbs can help you increase your capacity and resiliency. I’ll share the ones I use most in my work as a community herbalist.

Holiday Appetizers: Seed Crackers with Cashew “Sour CreamÛ Dip

Festive holiday gatherings can be tricky when you have family members and friends with dietary restrictions. In my circle of favorite people, one person is a vegetarian and is also lactose intolerant, several of us don’t eat gluten, another person is allergic to almonds and hazelnuts, a couple people are trying to lose weight, and another is in serious training for a national martial arts championship and is on a weight gain and muscle building plan. It’s hard to come up with foods that please us all! We’ve found that an appetizers and cocktails/mocktails party is sometimes the way to go! It’s easier to create small bites that people can choose from rather than a single sit-down meal that requires different options for everyone. Great appetizers are where these remarkably healthy and delicious seed crackers come in. They check everyone’s boxes and also make a fantastic vehicle for a healthful, festive herbal dip that you can customize to your palate. (more…)

A Midwinter Cordial to Support Your Digestive System

In the United States, Û÷cordial’ and Û÷liqueur’ are two words for the same thing; they are sweetened distilled spirits. Although many people know them as cocktail ingredients, cordials can also be potent digestifs. This digestive-aid version of cordials is generally more bitter and less sweet than its cocktail-focused brethren and is loaded with herbs, spices, and other natural flavorings that support the digestive tract. A cordial-digestif can be as simple and delicious as a 3-seed herbal cordial for digestion, or you can make them more complex with layers of herbal flavors and aromas to delight the nose and the palate. Either way, they are ridiculously easy to make. This festive midwinter version with its blend of aromatics and bitters is the perfect finish to a holiday meal, when you have a moment to sit down and enjoy the company of your favorite people. (more…)

Homemade Playdough: No-Cook Playdough Colored with Herbal Powders

Recently, I was barred from calling my grandbaby any endearment that includes the word ÛÏbaby.Û Apparently, we are in ÛÏbig kidÛ territory now. The term ÛÏbig kidÛ doesn’t really lend itself to sweet endearments, but that aside, the no-longer-baby has had one consistent love since the moment those little hands and big brain were coordinated enough to squish clayÑthis kid loves playdough. However, Nana (me) is not fond of the typical store-bought versions, which can include chemical preservatives, binders, lubricants, surfactants, hardeners, anti-fungal additives, and artificial fragrances and colors. My favorite little dough-lover spends hours each week rolling, shaping, stamping, and building. I don’t want her hands in chemicals, preservatives, and additives day in and day out. In her world, a day without playdough is a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, which means I had to figure out how to make an excellent, naturally colored playdough that is easy to whip up when the need arises.

Herbalist Shopping List for BeginnersåÊ

Getting started in herbalism can feel like embarking on a great adventure! The journey is full of excitement, discovery, and learning, but may also include a little overwhelm and uncertainty. If you are new to herbalism, you’ve likely wondered how to begin and what herbs and supplies are best to keep on hand. At the Herbal Academy, we find great joy in guiding budding herbalists and have some tips on this topic.

Copal: A Healer, Protector, & Guide for Dia de Muertos

I grew up with the understanding that ÛÏLifeÛ is Ceremony. CopalliÑthe Nahuatl word for CopalÑis a resin extracted from the Copal tree or Protium Copal (Burseraceae.) This material has been used in Indigenous practices for thousands of years. Today, the use of aromatic resin varies from ceremonially burned incense to other uses.

Elderberry Mulled Cider Recipe for Immune Support

Herbalism is a health practice that can be traced around the globe for millennia. For most of our existence as a species, humans have lived closely with nature relying on the Earth for shelter, food, and medicine. While time-tested methods for making and consuming herbal preparations have carried through the ages, some herbal preparations have evolved to fit the needs of the modern populationÑlike the ease of taking capsules. However, one ancient preparation involving the soaking of herbs in wine or cider has managed to stand the test of time, although it is perhaps a little under the radar.

DIY Toilet Deodorizer ÛÒ Forest Blend

As we prepare to have guests over through the holiday months, it’s important that our friends and family feel comfortable when nature calls. After all, the key to life is not letting anyone know that you, in fact, have bowel movements. All kidding aside, it’s a sensitive subject for many, so giving your guest options that don’t involve heavy synthetic fragrances or noisy and environmentally harmful aerosol cans is both considerate and helpful. (more…)

What Are Polysaccharides & How to Extract Them

In our continuing study of phytochemistry, let’s advance further with Polysaccharides. Studies show the many benefits of polysaccharides. They are immune modulating which means they help the immune system to regulate itself, whether stimulating or suppressing its actions. Polysaccharides stimulate the parasympathetic action to produce mucous, our body’s natural demulcent, to soothe dry, irritated tissues and assist in elimination. Contained in the primary cell walls of plants, polysaccharides act as a prebiotic, as most fiber does, to support beneficial bacteria and decrease non-beneficial bacteria. Serving as a soluble fiber, polysaccharides slow the release of glucose into the bloodstream as they enter the gut and bind bile acids. Bile acids then leave the body through the digestive system. Polysaccharides also prevent the absorption of cholesterol from food in the gastrointestinal tract and relieve constipation.

Ayurvedic Kitchari Recipe for Seasonal Support

We are ÛÏmicrocosms of the macrocosmÛ according to Ayurvedic philosophyÑan eloquent way of describing our interconnectedness with the natural world. While technology and other changes in our society have created a separation between us and nature’s rhythms, the body’s incredible intelligence easily ÛÏremembersÛ its synchronicity with the macrocosm when we give it a chance. One way of creating this opportunity is by honoring the changes of the season, which Ayurveda describes as a moment in time when the system (micro- and macrocosm) is more vulnerable to illness because of the shifts in dominant energies and elements. Most of us naturally do this in some form or anotherÑchanging our wardrobe, adjusting to a new schedule for work or school, etc.Ñbut we can take our seasonal self-care one step further by giving our digestive system some space and ease with a seasonal reset.

Autumn Breeze Wax Melt Recipe

When you think of autumn, what comes to mind? Is it the colorful masterpiece of the treescape, or the sound of crunching leaves? Possibly the taste of a pumpkin spice latte or warm mulled cider? For me, it’s the aromas whirling through the air that herald the coming of fall.

3 Apple Cider-Inspired Mocktails for Fall

There are so many things I love about autumn. Like a dear friend I haven’t seen in far too long, I’m refreshed, comforted, and inspired by the season. I look forward to the addition of warming spices in my foods, vibrant bursts of colors, mushroom-scented walks in the forest, and fresh apple cider. Usually, I immediately drink the newly pressed, sweet cider. All notions of sharing go out the window; the cider barely makes it home from the store. But this year, in the giving spirit of the fall season, I resolve to save some apple cider to savor and share with family and friends.

American Ginseng: A Forest Grown Future

As you know, we spend a lot of time thinking about at-risk herbs and what we can all do to support these botanical allies. The issue of overharvesting in the wild is a key reason why Mountain Rose Herbs is increasingly turning to cultivated herbs when possible and why we support certified organic forest farming, particularly for hard-hit herbs like North American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius). We know that to ethically procure these valuable botanicals, they must be consciously and mindfully gathered and harvested. We only work with growers and harvesters who have been fully vetted, who we can trust to cultivate, harvest, and handle our plant allies with the respect and care they deserve. With that in mind, we’d like to show you what successful forest farming looks like.

Mountain Rose Herbs’ Alternative-Fuel and Electric Vehicle Fleet

If you’ve been reading along on the Mountain Rose Herbs blog, you know we’re always looking for ways that we can make smart business choices that address climate change and invest in the health and wellbeing of our community and our planet. Committing to our alternative-fuel and electric fleet of company vehicles is one key piece to this commitment. (more…)

Guide to Brewing Tea

As you no doubt know, the Mountain Rose Herb team loves a good cup of tea. Our in-house artisan tea experts blend our teas with health and well-being in mind using superior botanicals to create nourishing, delicious teas with rich, organic flavors and nuanced tasting notes. But the quality of a tea is best showcased when it is brewed correctly. If you appreciate a fantastic cup of tea, here are some pointers on how to create your dream cuppa’. (more…)

How to Make Thieves¨ Cleaner

Over my years of DIY tinkering I’ve created over a hundred body care, culinary, and green cleaning recipes. Some I love seasonally, others come and go for one reason or another, and some shining stars remain a constant in my everyday life. One member of this VIP list is a ÛÏFour Thieves¨Û multi-surface spray. It’s easy to make, and its versality means that it earns its keep in my natural cleaning supply closet. It also smells fresh and invigorating and cuts grease with the likes of commercially available soaps and sprays. (more…)

How to Upcycle Herbs After Making Infusions, Oils, Tinctures, and More

If you’re like me, you aim to not waste any of your herbal ingredientsÑyou understand that hard-working pollinators and farmers put a lot of love and care into getting the finest organic botanicals into your cupboard. This is why I began exploring ways to reuse my herbs after making herbal preparations. Through years of making tea, infused oils, tinctures, vinegars, and honeys, I’ve tinkered up some fun ways to upcycle the remaining plant material, often called the ÛÏmarc,Û into other fine uses and crafts.

Loose Leaf Tea vs. Tea Bags

I love a good cup of tea and I love that there is literally a tea for any circumstance I may find myself in. Thus, my tea collection is just as varied as the many different experiences that I go through each day. When I first began drinking tea, I knew it mainly as something to ease my cold symptoms. I remember standing in the tea aisle in the grocery store, all stuffed up, staring blearily (and somewhat blankly) at the various tea boxes. Since then, I have learned a lot about the wonderful world of tea. I have tried them allÑ bright and fruity, deep and sultry, and nutritive and soothing, each offering something uniquely wonderful. My biggest tea lesson to date came when I tried loose leaf tea for the first time. There was no comparison in flavor. After that, it was not long before the boxed teas disappeared from my shelves at home and were replaced by meticulously hand-labeled jars filled with all my favorite teas.

Bilberry and Hawthorn Berry Syrup

I am a fan of Lynn Rosseto Kasper’s public radio cooking show The Splendid Table. I was particularly intrigued with a 2020 episode in which she talked about a recipe for butternut squash roasted with a cider reduction syrup that she made by simply reducing sweet apple cider from four parts down to one part. I thoughtÑas I am wont to doÑÛÏWhat if I put herbs in that delicious syrup?Û

How to Soothe a Bee Sting at Home & in the Wild

We’re getting to the time of year when some species of bees, wasps, and hornets get more aggressive, so we’re more likely to get stung. In late summer and fall, these stinging insects start to prepare for winter at the same time that their natural food sources are depleted. They’re hungry and their instinct to protect their hive and, particularly, their queen becomes more intense. I sometimes get ÛÏhangryÛ too, so at some level I get it, but being on the receiving end of a yellow jacket’s misplaced fury is a big drag. FortunatelyÑso long as you are not allergic to bees and waspsÑthere are a number of very effective natural and herbal remedies if you’ve been stung.

Mountain Rose Herbs Awarded Gold Stevie¨ Award!

Longtime friends of Mountain Rose Herbs know we thrive on creating unique experiences. In 2021, it was no surprise to the people who know us best when we announced we were developing a first-of-its-kind essential oil marketplace. The Mountain Rose Aroma Bar is intended to engage the senses through high-quality, ethically sourced essential oils and personal aromatherapy products. So, we mindfully designed the Aroma Bar to provide shoppers with a sumptuous setting in which to experience some of the world‘s most captivating pure essential oils. We are incredibly honored to announce that the branding and design of the Aroma Bar has just been awarded a Gold Stevie¨ Award and selected as the Marketing Campaign of the Year in the retail category of The 2022 American Business Awards¨!

9 Herbal Activities for Kids

Giving children a good herbal foundation will stay with them for their lifetime. Knowledge is power, and when we are young, we are especially open and eager to learn new things about the natural world. In the same way that learning another language is especially helpful in earlier development stages, so is sharing the language of plants. No matter what career and lifestyle children grow into, exploring plants as a child will give them a solid foundation of wisdom that will help them in their day-to-day lives. They will have the ability to take control of their own health and teach others to do the same.

Ethical Issues in the Herb Industry: Wildharvesting vs. Cultivation

At Mountain Rose Herbs, we have been in a years-long process of shifting our procurement policies away from wildharvested herbs in favor of cultivated ones whenever possible. This policy was necessitated by the increasing impact of overharvesting on some of the most popular herbs and spices around the world. In some cases, for instance with white sage (Salvia apiana), we have been able to source excellent organic, cultivated options, which means we can continue to offer this herbal ally with a good conscience. In other cases, however, as with false unicorn (Chamaelirium luteum) and trillium (Trillium spp.), we have chosen to discontinue carrying an herb because we simply cannot find an ethical way to procure it. As we are navigating an increasingly complex procurement reality, I want to give you a peek behind the curtain, as it were, into why and how we determine what we can sell while prioritizing the overall wellbeing of people, plants, and planet. (more…)

Bloodroot: How We Can Create a Bountiful Future for an At-Risk Herb

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) is one of those herbal allies that has been with North Americans for as long as anyone can remember. For thousands of years, First Nations Peoples used different parts of the plant for a wide variety of issues ranging from skin problems to respiratory and gastrointestinal complaints, and also used it to make dyes. European immigrants, eclectic medicine practitioners, and others learned from the local indigenous peoples and by the early 19th century, bloodroot was officially listed in the United States Pharmacopeia. Today, literally tons of bloodroot are wildharvested every year. Let‘s talk about the challenges this herbal ally is facing and how we can support its bountiful future. (more…)

How to Make Instant Herbal Tea Cubes

I’m always looking for new and convenient ways to add herbs to my diet. As you may have learned from my blog on how to make herbal salt blends, I believe it is the small daily habits that truly add up to the biggest changes in our overall health and wellness. This is one of the reasons I started making herbal ice cubes. This simple preparation is easy, fast, and offers some wonderful benefits for our hard-working bodies and minds. Simply adding a few herbal ice cubes to my water allows me to harness the power of herbs without tacking on any extra time or effort. These ÛÏinstant iced tea cubesÛ turn a plain glass of water into flavorful tea in seconds and offer the opportunity to incrementally add extra vitamins, minerals, and functional herbs to your daily routine.

10 Zero-Waste Wedding and Party Favors

When you are planning an event, especially one as large as a wedding, there are many things to consider: budget, theme, comfort and, hopefully, sustainability. When it comes to party favors, I’m a big fan of gifting homemade things that are clean, green, and most importantly, useful! (more…)

Garlic Aioli Recipe with Curry Powder

In my years as a foodie and cook, there are a couple of dishes that it took me forever to master. For instance, I have broken more aioli than I can shake a whisk at. Perhaps you have heard me say before that I dislike projects with finicky details. Needless to say, this trait doesn’t bode well for creating a perfect aioli. I even failed when using a blender. However, a few years ago I had one of those why-didn’t-I-think-of-this-sooner lightbulb moments: I could ask for help! It turns out all kinds of people in my family and friend group are glad to help if the payoff is ÛÏhomemade mayo.Û If you, like me, lack the hand-eye coordination and patience to quickly, constantly whisk a vessel of eggs and lemon juice while simultaneously trying to pour oil very, very slowly, I invite you to grab a buddy to do either the whisking or the pouring. Add some good conversation and the time flies by; the process becomes wonderful instead of aggravating. Then split the resulting creamy wonder that is aioli. This is what true friendships are made of! (more…)

2 DIY Natural Deodorant Spray Recipes

Distilled from the twigs and bark of the witch hazel tree, high quality, organic witch hazel extract is a lovely, time-tested ingredient in DIY and natural deodorant sprays. Witch hazel lowers the skin’s pH, so odor-causing bacteria cannot thrive. It is gentle enough to be used alone, or can be combined with herbs and essential oils. It also does double-duty as a toner, which is why you see it show up so often in the finest facial toner recipes. These Mountain Rose Herbs deodorant spray recipes bring together the superpowers of witch hazel with balanced blends of aromatic essential oilsÑit’s no wonder they have been favorite go-to recipes for more than a decade! And, once you have the hang of these easy homemade sprays, you can customize the recipe to create a perfectly blended scent for yourself or your loved ones.

How to Protect At-Risk Plants & Ecosystems While Enjoying Nature

How to Harvest, Dry, & Store Herbs From the Garden

Whether you have acreage for a big herb garden or, like me, you’re trying to get as many herbs as you can in your small spaceÑusing patio pots, and windowsills, and waging war on every spot of lawn grass that you can eradicateÑpreserving our mid-summer herbal harvest is a deeply satisfying way to carry the magic of life-giving summer into the cold winter months. Drying our own herbs is remarkably simple and doesn’t require expensive special equipmentÑjust some rubber bands and a piece of screen or a drying basket. If you’re ready to harvest your own herbs, here are a few pointers on drying and storing your bounty.

How to Extract Vitamins and Minerals Out of Herbs

Continuing our study of phytochemistry, the focus of this post is on the nutritional benefits of plants. Every plant needs vitamins and minerals to thrive just as we do. In turn, plants are fantastically nutrient-rich, some more than others. We’ve been told to eat our veggies because they’re good for us! All cultures cook with botanicals for taste and health. However, there are also other excellent ways to incorporate the nutritional benefits of plants. We can readily extract plant nutrients in low ethanol (<40%) alcohol tinctures, in water, and in herb-infused vinegar and honey. Let’s delve into how to extract vitamins and minerals in plants, preserve them, and utilize them in ways our loved ones will enjoy taking.

8 Best Herbs for Natural Skin Care

Our skin is literally our first line of defense, not only against the outdoor elements, but also things we don’t often think about like the detergents we use in our laundry, the chemicals in swimming pools and hot tubs, and the daily ravages of air pollution. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the air in our homes and other buildings ÛÏcan be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities.Û Air pollutants hurt the skin in a variety of ways; they can activate cell metabolism and inflammatory processes, they can induce oxidative stress that causes free-radical damage and breaks down healthy collagen, etc., all of which ultimately throws off the balance of the skin’s natural microbiome. When that microbiome gets out of whack, some people experience sensitive acne, rashes, hives, and redness. Others struggle with dry, itchy skin and an uneven complexion. All day every day, our skin acts as a shield between us and the world. That’s why it’s important to give it all the support we can. (more…)

Camping Food for Foodies: No Refrigeration Required

I Googled my symptoms. Turned out I just needed to go camping.

Sometimes the only cure for what ails me is getting away from civilization for a few days, someplace where there is no wifi, I can see a whole sky full of stars, and I can’t hear anything but a river and birds. Whether I’m hiking, backpacking, or car camping, cooler-space is either nonexistent or at a premium, so I appreciate delicious, no-refrigeration-required camping food options. The following three recipes are regulars on my family’s camping season menus. Not only are they delicious, they also happen to be gluten-free and vegan-optional. Enjoy!

20+ DIY Herbal Recipes You Can Make for Under $10

Affordability is a real issue when it comes to health and wellness. Many of us are living on tight budgets, and that’s not getting any better with the current skyrocketing inflation. One of the things that I love about herbalism is that it empowers me to make better choices for my health and wellbeing without blowing my budget. It’s true that some herbal formulations require ingredients that are beyond what I can purchase, but there are many effective options that fall comfortably in the affordable zone, so I’ve never felt like I missed out because I couldn’t buy those pricier options. The following 20+ recipes are perfect examples. From wellness recipes to topical applications and culinary treats, these excellent, affordable formulations have served the Mountain Rose Herbs community well for many years. Enjoy! (more…)

Black Cohosh: A Powerhouse Herb to Use and Source Mindfully+ Recipe for Hot Flashes

Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa) is one of the top-selling herbal supplements in the United States. According to United Plant Savers (UpS), the harvest of black cohosh in our nation is as much as half-a-million pounds in dry weight per yearÑand 97% of that harvest is wild-sourced! This level of massive-scale wildharvesting has repercussions and raises concerns about the long-term sustainability of this powerhouse herb. Fortunately, unlike some of our other favorite forest-farmed botanicals, black cohosh is easy to cultivate. While this doesn’t address the immediate issue, it does give us hope for a bright future. Let’s take a deeper look at what we can do to support a sustainable future for black cohosh.

Carrier Oils: What Are They and How Are They Made?

Have you ever had the experience of talking about somethingÑthat to you is the most normal thing in the world, like talking about ice creamÑonly to discover that your audience is looking at you blankly, and you realize that they have no idea what you’re saying? I had a conversation recently with a couple of folks who expressed interest in essential oils for massage. I was expounding on appropriate carrier oils to use for DIY massage oil recipes and had gone on for a couple of minutes on this topic, when I saw them looking at each other with perplexed faces. As I sputtered to a stop, one of them said, ÛÏWhat is a carrier oil?Û Ah, right; I clearly needed to back up and start at the beginning. With that in mind, let’s take a moment to talk about carrier oils, starting with what the heck they are and how they’re made.

How Mountain Rose Herbs’ Alternative Commute Program Propels Change

Here at Mountain Rose Herbs, we want to minimize our carbon footprint both as a company and as a collective community of individuals. One way we do this is through our Alternative Commute Program. For years, we have been encouraging our team members to stay healthy and reduce carbon emissions by not traveling to work in single-occupancy vehicles. This year, to further incentivize and increase participation, we improved the payout structure of the program.

Essential Oil Substitution List ÛÒ Swaps for Five Precious Essential Oils

Essential oils are one of the many gifts from nature. Plant material that is expertly distilled and bottled results in a potent scent that can be used in aromatherapy, body care recipes, and for pure enjoyment. But some of these precious essential oils are just that: precious. They can fetch a high price tag for various reasons including the oil content of the botanical or even the extraction method. Pure, quality essential oils, like the ones we sell here at Mountain Rose Herbs, may be slightly more costly but the result is a deeper, richer aroma, and a profound aromatherapeutic benefit. Like a fine wine, you get what you pay for.

Spicy Margarita Recipe

This spicy margarita recipe with DIY jalape̱o simple syrup, homemade citrus margarita mix, and a delicious chili-lime rimming mixture for your glass is going to check all your tastebuds’ boxes. Make the simple syrup and margarita mix ahead of time, refrigerate them until ready to use, and then you can easily shake up a delicious, spicy margarita whenever the occasion calls for it. Organic chili-lime salt and dried jalape̱o flakes are the key to these easy, delicious homemade margaritas! (more…)

How to Make Homemade Bath Truffles

5 Natural Recipes For When You’ve Had Too Much Sun

I am one of those people who seeks out shade. On a camping day or a lazy afternoon at the river, as the sun crosses the sky, I will be the one moving my camp chair to stay out of its way. And yet, somehow, I still find myself dealing with the effects of too much sun. It’s easy to underestimate the sun’s power when we’re busy playing, gardening, swimming, hiking, and enjoying other summertime activities. That’s why I prepare ahead by keeping the necessary components around for simple botanical formulations that help alleviate the symptoms of prolonged sun exposure. When you have the ingredients, the recipes below take just minutes to put together, so you’re only a couple steps away from sweet relief.

How to Choose High Quality Herbs and Spices

Recently, as I was making soup with my three-year-old granddaughter and teaching her to pronounce galangal root, I found myself in an extended game of ÛÏname that spice.Û It turns out you can get through an entire elaborate Thai soup recipe with a toddler in this way; I highly recommend it. It goes something like this: Cute toddler points at spice jar and asks, ÛÏWhat is that spice?Û Adult says, ÛÏPaprika. Smell it, what do you think?Û Cute toddler makes funny face and spies another spice that looks similar. ÛÏIs that paprika too?Û Adult is impressed. ÛÏGood eye, that’s smoked paprika. Does it smell different?Û And on it goes like that through the colored jars. In this way, I was reminded that I have so many jars of excellent dried herbs and spices and it’s definitely time to check them for freshness. (more…)

How to Choose the Best Cooking Oil + Oil Smoke Point Chart

When we make body care formulations, we choose specific oils and butters based on our final goals: consistency, absorption rate, skin type, etc. The same is true for cooking. Fats, like those in culinary oils, are integral to our dishes, not just to keep food from sticking to a pan, but also to affect the final flavor, consistency, texture, and more. Every cooking oil has a unique chemical composition that makes it better at some things than others. This is why one oil might be amazing in a salad dressing or for a lightly sauted protein, but is a poor choice for grilling or deep-frying. To achieve your cooking goals, it’s important to understand culinary oils and fats. And an important element of that understanding is the smoke point.

The Benefits and Botany of Amla

I would like to introduce a lovely tree that many people reading this may not have had the opportunity to see in real life. It is one whose medicine is often referenced and shared among herbalists of all levels. Many know this tree and its fruit from its role in some of the most beloved herbal formulas hailing from the Indian sub-continent and the traditional medicine cultural heritage known as Ayurveda. (more…)

Phytochemistry For Beginners: Constituent Groups and the Menstrua That Love Them

Phytochemistry is the study of the constituents in plants that cause physiological changes (aka health benefits) in the human body. These changes are what herbalists are attempting to achieve when creating herbal remedies. We call that herbal medicine. Knowing the actions and needs of constituents and which menstrua will extract and preserve them gives the medicine maker a clear view on pairing constituents with the correct menstrua to create effective remedies. Menstruum, or plural menstrua, is the extractor and preserver of plant medicine. The most common menstrua are water, alcohol, honey, glycerine, and apple cider vinegar. (more…)

Trillium Plant: An Age-Old Ally That Needs Our Help

Mountain girl that I am, trillium is one of my favorite flowers. TechnicallyTrillium ovatum, also known as Pacific trillium, is what I think of when I think ÛÏtrilliumÛ because it’s the one I grew up with in the Coast Range of Oregon. Trillium plants look simple (just three petals and three sepals), but they are actually a complex little botanical. They live for decades, so you can form long-term relationships with them and welcome them back year after year. Unfortunately, however, they are slow to develop and spread, which is a serious weakness in the face of habitat loss and rampant wildharvesting. Between land use issues, trillium collectors who dig up wild varieties, deer who love to munch its leaves, and herbalists who seek out the rhizomes to make potent formulations, wild trillium is now in trouble. Let’s take a look at an age-old herbal ally and what we can do to preserve this beautiful, fragile plant.

Bath Bomb Recipe with Flowers

For me, the spring and summer months are filled with gardening, landscaping, hiking, camping, bicycling, and swimming, which is why I often find myself in need of something beyond a shower. Ahh, a relaxing and muscle-soothing bathing experience is really what the “Doctor ordered”. As silly as it seems now, I used to think that baths were only for the fall and winter months. However, when I started incorporating more seasonal elements into this precious self-care time, it opened up a fun new way to bring the power of plants to bath time while helping my body recover from the exertion of warm-weather activities. (more…)

The Art and Science of Blending Essential Oils

I am often asked questions about how to create essential oil blends, both in regard to how we develop new aroma combinations and how to consistently recreate old favorites to be perfect each time. Blending aromas is a rewarding and relaxing experience that can be done in minutes or can be stretched out for a luxurious day of crafting. Really you just follow your nose; there are no right or wrong oils to blend together. I have found that the satisfaction of creating personalized scent combinations are endless. I hope this beginner’s guide to essential oil blending inspires you!

How to Make Herbal Salt Blends + 4 Recipes

It is mighty clich to start a health and wellness blog with a Hippocrates quote, but I am willing to sacrifice originality for truth. The old adage ÛÏLet food be thy medicine and medicine be thy foodÛ is still worthy of repeating some 2,400 years after it was first uttered and despite centuries of medical and health advances, it is still relevant today. In this modern age, especially in America, many of us are living with nutritional deficiencies and are at a higher risk of experiencing food-related illnesses.

Essential Oil Blend for Focus + Room Spray for Studying

In the fast-paced world we often find ourselves in, it can be hard to get in the right headspace to study or concentrate on what I call ÛÏsit-down tasks.Û When I’m experiencing circular thoughts or find myself reading the same paragraph several times over, I know I need to reset my mind and body. I’ve learned that for me, stepping away from my desk, diffusing an invigorating essential oil blend, and stretching my body improves my mood and brings freshly oxygenated blood for more energy. (more…)

Herbal Blend for Circular Thoughts

Circular thinking is pretty common with stress. Circular thinking starts out as if there is a linear process going on, but there’s no real end. If a problem is settled, the person may go right back to the beginning and start all over again. It’s part of that cycle of starting to question why you did or said that stupid thing, and how it could have been different. Sometimes it can be one particular instance, but in really intense periods, it can involve almost every cringe-inducing interaction that’s ever taken place. It can be pretty awful.

10 Underused Herbs for Wellness

As a reader of our blog, you may be somewhat familiar with a plant or two (or maybe a lot more than that). Herbal allies like echinacea and lavender have become household names, but what about some of the more uncommon herbs in circulation? While Mountain Rose Herbs is a purveyor of many familiar spices, we are also proud to provide an assortment of lesser-known organic herbs. Many of these underused herbs make effective substitutes for popular staples and are a fun and unique addition to the home apothecary. As always, we recommend consulting a qualified healthcare practitioner and conducting your own research before using new or unfamiliar herbs.

A Beginner’s Guide to Herbalism

Are you interested in learning about herbalism, but aren’t sure where to begin? Many of us grew up learning more on this subject than we realized; we drank teas when we didn‘t feel well, or we put our head over a bowl of steaming vapor, or we ate a dish with curry for digestion, things that our parents or grandparents told us to do without ever saying the words ÛÏherbÛ or ÛÏherbalism.Û When I was growing up, my father decocted ginger root for an upset stomach and pulled out chamomile tea for sleeplessness. He gave me raw honey for a scratchy throat and sour cranberry juice for bladder health. And yet, ironically enough, years later, when I developed a huge interest in this new thingÑherbalismÑI thought I was clueless on the subject. A lot of people have stories like mine; they don’t have any idea how much they know, or if what they know is correct or helpful, or how to begin to find out. If you’re ready to jump in, but aren’t sure how or what direction to aim, here is some helpful information.

Botanical Fixatives in Natural Perfumes

When you first start wearing botanical perfumes, you may notice how brief the aromatic lifespan of some blends are. Sometimes this is the desired effect or is simply the result of formulations that are restricted primarily to top notes. Other times, it’s preferable to have the perfume linger so as to enjoy the shapeshifting nature of the aromatic dry down, as each layer of scent molecules is revealed and then evaporates at varying speeds. Done well, this creates a complex symphony of aroma that leaves one marveling at the multi-faceted nature of the fragrance.

How to Season Cast Iron + Cast Iron Conditioner Recipe

JUMP TO RECIPE!

Many of us who are cast iron cooks have read reams of advice about the proper way to season our cast iron pots and pans. To use soap or not when washing, which oils to choose, using a burner vs. the oven, whether or not to add saltÑthis is one of those topics that people have strong feelings about. I get it, because two of my cast iron skillets were handed down to me from my grandmother, who received them as a wedding gift in 1917. She spent decades perfecting their seasoning. Those skillets came to me in mint condition and they arrived with the stipulation that I maintain their perfection for all the years of my life and teach the next generation how to continue on in the same vein. No pressure or anything! (more…)

Stinging Nettle Identification, Benefits, & Recipes

It’s late winter in the Pacific Northwest and signs of spring are already starting to show themselves. I’ve always enjoyed this time of year, the excitement of witnessing the Earth waking up from her wintertime slumber and the feelings of hope that brings. But despite the heartfelt joy, I often find myself struggling to move from the slower pace of winter hibernation to the quickening energy and longer days full of garden prep, housework, and other to-dos that piled up. Thankfully, I need to look no further than my trusty green ally, nettle, for support during this transition. (more…)

Osha: A Supportive, but At-Risk Plant Ally

Photo courtesy of Susan Leopold, PhD, Executive Director at United Plant Savers.

Osha root (Ligusticum porteri) has been in use as an herbal medicine, incense, food, and for ceremonial purposes for thousands of years. When European colonists arrived in North America, osha was already being widely used by First Nations People in the American Southwest and Mexico to treat a variety of conditions, particularly those involving the upper respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts. The Zuni people chewed the root in healing rituals and the Tarahumara people used it ritualistically in protection ceremonies. This herbal ally has been generously gifting itself to humans on our continent for millennia, and its renown has spread to other parts of the world. Unfortunately, this increasing popularity has shined a light on osha’s one significant problemÑvirtually all commercial osha is wildharvested because this independent herb doesn’t do well as a cultivated crop. This limitation combined with the ever-increasing demand for osha has many herbalists concerned about the viability and long-term sustainability of this precious botanical. Let’s take a deeper dive into osha.

Dandelion and Cacao Bitters for Digestion

Jump to Recipe!

Thousands of years ago, humans discovered the wellness-supporting qualities of bitter herbs. Presumably we started out eating them, but soon enough we were refining them into tonics, digestive aids, and extracts. In folklore, it was Mithridates, king of Pontus, who formulated the first bitters while trying to make an antidote for poisons and venoms. I suppose if I’d spent years trying to make a universal poison antidote and ended up with a really excellent digestive aid, I might be disappointed. But looking at it now, that antidote still doesn’t exist and bitters have come to the aid of millions of people throughout time. So, chin up Mithridates, you did good. (more…)

Energy-Packed Breastfeeding Snacks

Becoming a new parent comes with immense joy and, let’s face it, some pretty stressful stuff too. After nine months of pregnancyÑand for some of us, it’s closer to ten monthsÑyou get to greet the newest addition to your family, and the journey begins. There is so much that goes into caring for a little human, and motherhood has its unique challenges. Feeding your babe so they thrive is right up there with concerns about postpartum healing, mood swings, sleep deprivation, and what to put on that soft baby skin. For me, breastfeeding was a priority. It was also sort of scary and intimidating.

A Story of Earth Medicines

Curanderismo is a 500-year-old traditional healing practice that is still in existence today. It is influenced by Spanish, indigenous Mexican, the Moors, West African, and Native American traditional healing practices, and is a result of the blending of these cultures during colonization. In my community, many of our grandmothers, and grandfathers, and aunties, and mothers are all curanderas. They might not introduce themselves as such, but our community recognizes them, depending on what their area of expertise is. In my culture we have always been taught that you are not a curandera until your community acknowledges you as one. It took me 23 years before my community of elders felt that I was ready. In 2018, after decades of continuous learning, my teachers and elders said, ÛÏYou know what? We recognize you as a curandera, it’s time for you to address yourself that way.Û I was already teaching workshops and working with people as an herbalist, but finally I could say, ÛÏI am a curandera.Û (more…)

9 Tips for Buying and Using Essential Oils

In November of 2021, Mountain Rose Herbs opened our first Aroma Bar, an essential oil marketplace right here in our hometown of Eugene. The Aroma Bar is designed to engage the senses as people explore the art and science of pure, natural aromatherapy. This boutique shop offers high-quality, ethically sourced essential oils and personal aromatherapy products to provide you with the resources you need to harness the powerful potential of scent in your personal journey. No surprise, our new venture means we are getting a lot of questions from people who are beginning to explore essential oils and aromatherapy as part of their personal wellness plan. With that in mind, I want to share eight of the most frequently asked questions and some of my favorite tips for using and storing essential oils. (more…)

How to Make Homemade Tortillas with Nettles

Whenever I am cooking, I am always thinking of ways to add more plants and nutrition. I like to challenge myself to have at least ten different plants represented in every meal. It’s a challenge I learned from Rosalee de la Foret. It is actually trickier than expected. However, in all of our lineages, somewhere we have ancestors who lived more directly with the land. These relatives consumed many more phytonutrients than what we are accustomed toÑI am sure many more than ten per mealÑso it can be done. Adding nettles to tortillas is a delicious new way to add one more plant to your meals.

Easy Winter Health Formulas

It’s been a long couple of years. Many of us are feeling mental fatigue and existential stress, which negatively impacts our immune systems and overall wellbeing. This year, having some easy winter health formulas on hand feels more important than ever. They can’t cure the state of our world, but they often can help support our immune systems before we get sick and can provide some relief when we’ve caught whatever winter crud is going around. The following formulas have been Mountain Rose Herbs’ favorites for a long time and are wonderful additions to your winter care routine. From our home to yours, we wish you a healthy, restful winter! (more…)

Adaptogenic Chai Tea Recipe with Astragalus

If you’ve ever checked the ingredients list on your favorite chai blend, you may have found yourself dizzied by the long list of herbs and spices involved. While such an assortment might take some work to assemble, this variety also makes chai spice recipes a delicious way to enjoy a whole host of beneficial botanicals in a single cup. And one of our favorite additions, from both a flavor and wellness perspective, is sweet and adaptogenic astragulus root.

Why Organic Seaweed is Important

In the last couple of years, the global demand for seaweeds has skyrocketed. It‘s no surprise, as seaweed offers a stunning array of nutritional benefits and packs a unique salty and umami punch due to its high glutamate content. Seaweed is also used in a variety of non-food applications, including cosmetics and beauty products, scientific research, traditional medicinal applications, biofuels, fertilizers, and more. Considering all the uses for these aquatic plants and the increase in demand for such products, it is more important than ever to consider best practices for harvesting and processing these precious materials. It is this consideration that drives Mountain Rose Herbs to work closely with our harvest partners in offering organically certified seaweeds.

Mood Booster: An Herbal Extract for the Winter Blues

Here in the Coast Range and Willamette Valley of western Oregon, we know our foggy, rainy winters are responsible for the stunningly gorgeous, green landscapes we love so much. But, wow, it’s been cold and gray this winter! As a born-and-raised Oregonian, I’m one of the weirdos who loves rain, who adds extra blankets to my bed so I can sleep with the windows open to hear and smell the winter weather. I love sloshing around in rubber boots, and taking drizzly forest walks in the fog, and struggling against the cold rain to plant a super-early garden. There is a name for people like me: pluviophile (someone who finds joy and peace of mind on rainy days). However, for most people, the combination of dark, wet, and cold is incredibly challenging. It grieves me to watch my sun-loving, light-deprived friends and family sink into annual winter doldrums, which is why I love to make this mood-boosting herbal extract with its blend of warming, uplifting, relaxing herbs to help alleviate those seasonal blues and give a little relief to my favorite people.

Herbs for Sports: Natural Support for Performance & Recovery

Modern athletes seeking to support health and performance have no shortage of high-tech, lab-synthesized supplement options at their disposal. However, many active individuals are seeking out more natural options to power their active pursuits, and herbalists have plenty to contribute to the conversation!

Vegan Poke Bowl Recipe with Seaweed and Sesame

This vegan poke bowl recipe is healthy, filling, and makes the perfect addition to your weekly meal plan. It takes a bit of planning, but sure does pay off. Cook the rice and tempeh, make the sauce, and chop the veggies ahead of time in preparation for the work week. Then, simply combine the ingredients for protein-rich lunches or dinners sprinkled with organic nori flakes and organic sesame seeds. You can also assemble these bowls in individual containers and have premade delicious meals throughout the week. In my house, high-vitamin, protein-packed, easy-to-digest poke bowls are a perfect vegetarian option for meatless Mondays. (more…)

East Asian Herbal Liniment + Poultice Recipe

My acupuncture clinic is perhaps similar to a martial arts studio. Nobody punches or kicks in my clinic, at least not on purpose, but I support people as they fight through aches and pains from injuries both acute and chronic. After treating pain-related conditions with acupuncture, I often aid recovery by rubbing a liniment, or Die Da Jiu (áÎ¾äÒÉÕ), into achy joints and tissues. The aromatic herbs and precious resins in this formula scent my treatment room like an ancient apothecary, while moving stuck traumas, helping tissues release their stored issues, and lending a golden glow to affected areas. (more…)

Organic Herb Sourcing: The Bigger Picture

In 1987 Mountain Rose Herbs was founded on a commitment to sustainably source all of our botanicals, and since then we’ve made every effort to uphold that commitment. One of the most important aspects of keeping that promise is ensuring transparency in the supply chains for each lot of material that we receive in our warehouse. Maintaining this requires a close relationship between Mountain Rose and our farm partners, and this relationship is managed by our Procurement team.

Benefits and History of Lemon Balm + Tea Recipes

I’ll admit it, I have some big, sappy feelings about lemon balm. You might even say that I have an herbal crush on the plant, and let’s be honest, I don’t think I’m the only one. This herb tends to evoke that feeling in its fans. We don’t just use lemon balm we also hold a deep and abiding affection for it. When we decided to write blog posts about our favorite herbs, it made me pause and ask myself just what it is about lemon balm that I love so much? I am a creature guided by my gut feelings and intuition. Which can be wonderful, but admittedly, not the most scientific approach. So, I sat down to do some research on my beloved Melissa officinalis.

Homemade Herbal Mouthwash Recipes

The last time I picked up a bottle of generic mouthwash, I couldn’t pronounce most of the ingredients listed. That’s a serious red flag for me. I always tried to take care of my teeth and even though I brush twice a day and floss a few times a week, I felt like something was missing. So, I decided that I didn’t want to skip the swish and spit part of my dental hygiene routine. Natural, homemade mouthwash to the rescue! Organic extracts and teas are wonderful ingredients to help you avoid artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, and sweeteners often found in commercial mouthwash products. There are more than a few herbs you can use as a base to both flavor your mouthwash and lend their herbal superpowers to your DIY creation.

BRING Business Program Adds Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Component

You’ve heard us say before that the foundational principle of Mountain Rose Herbs is ÛÏpeople, plants, and planet are more important than profit.Û A primary element of how we succeed in keeping that ethic at the core of everything we do is the recognition that no matter how much we strive for excellence as human beings and as a company, it really does ÛÏtake a villageÛ to create change and to set ourselves always on a path of growth and learning. We have been building working relationships with like-minded companies, organizations, nonprofits, and individuals for more than three decades in order to put strategic action to our principles. One of these longstanding alliances is with BRING, a local nonprofit that has been working to change attitudes and behaviors about waste for 50 years. (more…)

Ginger Root: Cultivation, History, and Recipes

Have you ever asked yourself, ÛÏWhat herbs and spices would I bring to a desert island?Û It’s a fun exercise to think about what you can’t live without. Salt, nettles, and ginger root top my list! Ginger root’s warm, spicy flavor makes the perfect addition to Thai and Indian dishes. It also uplifts healthful tea and drink recipes, like this Turmeric Ginger Tea. Ginger root (Zingiber officinale) supports healthy digestion and helps relieve occasional upset stomach and nausea.* Making a simple ginger root tea when I was pregnant really helped me stay grounded. I think of ginger as this wonderous plant ally, but it wasn’t until recently that I researched the history and cultivation of it. Now I have a renewed love of ginger!

Chai Spice Oatmeal Cookie Recipe+ Vegan Option

A slightly different version of this delicious chai spice oatmeal cookie recipe has been floating around Mountain Rose Herbs since at least 2012 when someone adapted it from a white chocolate oatmeal cookie recipe they found online. The first time I made these chai-inspired gems, I loved the spice mix and oat combination, and the amount of sugar was just right, but the texture was seriously off by my standards. Cookie texture is of course a matter of preference; by my taste, the cookies were dense instead of tender and they were too dry. I wanted the flavor of the chai spices, but also a moist, chewy cookie with great mouthfeel. I was trying to decide how I wanted to alter the recipeÑcut back on flour, add more moisture maybe. There were a couple different ways to address this, but I wanted to stay as true to the original as I could, so I started to track the recipe history to find the right fix. Recipe detective work is one of my food-nerd joys.

Organic Garden Design: The Benefits of Companion Planting with Herbs

Gardening is truly a year-round activity. Each season presents us with unique tasks, opportunities, and challenges. Just like the plants that we lovingly tend, every garden and its respective gardener has its own life cycle; in the spring we bloom, followed quickly by the abundant harvests of summer and autumn. In the winter, both garden and gardener retreat into the season of rest, the final stage of the cycle before we return to the beginning to do it all again.

DIY Bath Fizz Powder with Lavender

I have to admit that, while I love crafting, I’m best at the practical crafts. If you need a salve, or a syrup, or an infused oil, I’ve got you. But if we’re talking about decorative, pretty sorts of crafting, I rely on my friends. I don’t know if it’s a lack of patience or a dislike of finicky details, but I find things like hand-forming perfectly round bath bombs to be an exercise in frustration and I live in a small home without space for lots of fancy soap-molds and gadgets to help me along. This is why I really like projects like homemade potpourri and this fizzing lavender bath powder for winter crafting projectsÑbecause I can easily and happily produce a wonderfully packaged and fully appreciated gift of herbal goodness. (more…)

Benefits and History of Slippery Elm Bark + Tea Recipe

Slippery elm (Ulmus rubra) is one of the best known medicinal tree barks. It has a history of use that goes back thousands of yearsÑNorth American First Nations people utilized slippery elm for a variety of health issues and introduced it to European colonists, who quickly incorporated it into their pharmacopoeia. As cited in Henry H. Gibson’s American Forest Trees, published in 1913, it became ÛÏa household remedy which most families in the country provided and kept in store along with catnip, mandrake, sage, dogwood blossoms, and other rural remedies which were depended upon to rout diseases in the days when physicians were few….Û. Today, when physicians are more plentiful, it continues to be a profoundly effective mucilaginous demulcent that is a standard in western herbalism. Let’s take a moment to talk about this ancient ally.

Forgotten Cookie Recipe With Yaupon Tea

ÛÏForgotten cookiesÛ are an American classic and a perfect vehicle for America’s ÛÏforgottenÛ tea. If you’ve been reading along with my blogs here at Mountain Rose Herbs, you know I got seriously into yaupon tea this year. As a bonafide history nerd, I first became fascinated with the story of America’s only native tea plant and then, of course, I had to try it. I’ll spare you the history lesson, but yaupon is an excellent caffeinated tea choice for me because it isn’t bitter, it can be re-steeped more than once without a change in flavor, and it provides a gentle caffeine boost and increased focus without the jitteriness I sometimes get from coffee or Camellia sinensis based teas. It’s also loaded with theophylline, theobromine, and a plethora of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, etc. I’ve been experimenting with multiple ways to bring it into my diet to replace other caffeine. This summer I brewed it with cooling hibiscus, sweetened it with a little honey, and kept it in the refrigerator to have delicious hibiscus-yaupon iced tea on hand. And then, one evening when I was in a cookie baking mood and perusing some of my favorite recipes, I thought of forgotten cookies and had the quintessential lightbulb moment: forgotten cookies + forgotten tea = pure joy. (more…)

DIY Cutting Board Oil: Maintain Your Cutting Boards & Wooden Utensils

I am a wooden utensil and cast iron kind of cook. These reliable, wonderful tools don’t require electricity and they last a remarkably long time if cared for correctly. I especially love the butcher block, cutting boards, and wooden spoons my husband has made over the years, and it’s important to me to take care of them so they last. My dilemma for a long time was how to condition them. Vegetable oils like olive oil, grapeseed oil, etc. are wonderful, but are not shelf-stable and can experience ÛÏrancidificationÛ over time, which can make wood smell funky and leave a bad flavor on chopped foods. The standard go-to oil is food-safe mineral oil, sometimes called liquid paraffin. But mineral oil is generally a petroleum product and I don’t care how ÛÏfood-safeÛ it is; I don’t want to cut my home-grown vegetables on a board coated with a petroleum-based oil. So, obviously, I had to figure out a DIY way to get around this dilemma and take proper care of my wooden kitchen utensils. (more…)

How to Make Scented Wax Melts + DIY Pumpkin Spice Air Freshener Blend

If you’ve ever tried to make candles before, you know it can sometimes be a messy and frustrating process. Getting the wick to stand just right requires a bit of practice and patience. This is one of many reasons I prefer making wax melts. Not only are they more forgiving to make, they are less expensive than candles, and you can make customized scents, shapes, and sizes to suit your preferences. It’s also easier to make smaller batches of different blends so you have more options to choose from as various moods and situations arise.

DIY Herbal Dog Treat Recipe

Pets, like other family members, sometimes need herbal remedies to feel their best. That’s why we offer Natural Pet Care products. We want to keep our furry friends healthy, happy and relaxed. Just like when we see a family member stressed out, we do everything we can to calm them down. And oh my, has my pup been stressed.

Those of us who have been working from home recently know that our pets have been on cloud nine, getting extra snuggles, loads of attention, and maybe even a walk at lunch. My pup has been happy and super chill having me home. Now that I’m getting back to the office and away from home more, it’s been especially tough on her. Homemade dog treats coupled with good exercise are a DIY approach to helping her feel calm and safe.

A Promise of Permanence

We are living in unpredictable times. This sounds like an obvious statement when the entire world is reeling from two years of pandemic and social and political unrest, and it seems as if everything is spinning out of our control. We are indeed living through precarious times, but what I am referring to specifically in this blog is the nature of business and industry. The herbal products industry has changed enormously over the last few years, and in my opinion, it’s not been for the best. Most of the herbal companies that we have worked with, that we have known and admired for decades, have now been acquired by private equity firms, investment holdings, and venture capitalists. I have never witnessed anything like this in the 22 years I have been at Mountain Rose Herbs. Our community has grown significantly smaller, and the industry is pushing hard towards a profit-driven business model that is the antithesis of everything I believe in. This disturbing reality has made me think a lot about permanence: permanence, and predictability, and being a brand that people can trust.