post written by Elizabeth Gross
I first came to Heartsong Sanctuary four years ago to design and plant several medicinal herb gardens on the land. The following year was spent establishing an apothecary at Heartsong. I worked to make tinctures, dried teas, and infused honey and oils for community members spending time on the land. The third year was all about building on the apothecary foundations which began the preceding year. And now, going into my fourth year as the head herbalist at Heartsong, I’ve been working on setting up a small medicinal herb CSA.
The inspiration behind this project was the reality that accessing fresh medicinal herbs, and the time to make remedies with them once that happens, isn’t easy for many herb lovers. I knew that lots of folks wanted support to make their own high quality herbal remedies, while also supporting local ethically-minded growers in the process.
I began this project by interviewing several folks within the community about their experience with herbal communities and growing, to get a feel for what they may really need and want in a CSA. Then I sent out invites to a small group of folks to see what stuck. With five members now committed, we will be harvesting medicinal herbs from the gardens at Heartsong each week from May 5th through November 4th, while tending to community alongside each other.
As this project dreamed itself up, giving members opportunities for hands-on experience with growing medicinal herbs and making herbal remedies in community felt essential, so that the members could establish regular practices for doing so at home. The herbs at Heartsong are so lush, so there was much learning that could happen for members directly from medicinal herbs as they grew each week. Essentially, the CSA was designed to support members to maintain the joy of working with medicinal herbs alongside other people who are doing the same.
CSA members have opportunities to harvest medicinal herbs every week for their personal use, spend a minimum of 2 hours weekly helping the medicinal herb gardens thrive, and have the option to join monthly community herbal remedy making days, herb walks, bonfire potlucks, and a day long community skillshare workshop day in June. Members will learn how to tend to gardens through interactive time on planting days, harvest days, sowing and wintering down days, so they can participate in the full life cycles of medicinal herbs.
Together, members will learn about different aspects of medicinal herbs that might not be so familiar, establish experiential, in-depth ways of herbal education and relationship building, and meet like minded herb enthusiasts to continue learning from and connecting with locally.
Folks were invited to be part of this CSA no matter how long they had been in relationship with medicinal herbs. It was designed to be simple, friendly, approachable, and support each of us to connect to the earth and each other. This CSA was really made for members who feel excited to spend 8 or more hours per month tending to medicinals herbs, want to experience more connection with herbs consistently with like-minded people, and want to get in a groove of harvesting their own herbs and making remedies this year. Each member plays a key role in making it a joyful and enriching experience that we can all inspire each other through.
We need more herbally minded people getting out and sharing what they know and creating with others in our community. The Heartsong Sanctuary Medicinal Herb CSA was made so folks don't have to go at their herb connection process alone. As Rachel Carson once said, “Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the Earth are never alone or weary in life.”
photos of the herbal abundance at Heartsong Sanctuary, 2021
About Elizabeth
Hi there! I'm Elizabeth. I've designed and tended to medicinal herb gardens at Heartsong Sanctuary since 2019. I also run a private practice called Selkie Medicinals, where I provide embodiment and herbal support to people going through reproductive and/or sexual healthcare changes and/or challenges. Both my gardening and private practice work strive to help people nurture their deepened relationships with herbs and self.
