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Welcome to the Apothecary!

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All our creations are made by hand here on the homestead. Every medicinal herb is lovingly, and organically, tended in our terraced hillside gardens, and harvested, dried and processed by hand. Any additional ingredients…oil and beeswax for salves, vodka for tinctures, salt for bath products…are sourced locally and/or organic whenever possible.

You have two ways you can purchase our herbal products:

Visit our Etsy Store

SHOP NOW

or
Come See Us at the Homestead

Our Herbal Apothecary Farm Stand is open Monday – Friday until Dusk,
and on weekends by appointment.

PRODUCT LIST:
(CBD products aren’t allowed on Etsy,
so you’ll need to contact us directly to order or schedule a pickup.)

Hand-dipped Beeswax Candles $16

Plantain Salve 1oz $12

Calendula Salve 1oz $12

Arnica Salve 1oz $12

Super Salve 1oz $12

Warming CBD Salve 250mg 1oz $24

Cooling CBD Salve 250mg 1oz $24

Soothing CBD Salve 500mg 1oz $40, .25oz $12

CBD Oil (with MCT or Olive Oil) 500mg 1oz $44

CBD Facial Serum 250mg 1oz $38

Soul Soother Tincture 1oz $14, 2oz $26

Homestead Harvest Bitters 2oz $26

Sumac Honey 5oz $14 SOLD OUT

Nettle Seed Mineral Salt 3oz $10

Sweet Annie Herbal Perfume .25oz $6

Maya’s Lip Balm $4

Catnip Toys $10

Sweet Annie Wreaths $8

Tea Blends 1oz $10, or all 3 for $26

Lichtenberg Fractal Wood Burned Wall Hooks $36

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Cultivating Connection with Nature

Tobacco drying. I was able to save this from that

Tobacco drying. I was able to save this from that frost Thursday night so the Earth Warriors helped harvest every last leaf on Friday. Some of them recognized it from our Medicine Makers summer camp, where I help the kids practice asking the plants permission before harvesting, giving them pinches of this dried tobacco to offer in exchange. One of the many ways we humans can honor our place in nature, as stewards, not takers. This tobacco will hang until it feels leathery to the touch, then we will shred it for storage in jars.

#tobacco #nicotiana #harvest #herbdrying

Oy! Well that was a jarring way to wake up! How di

Oy! Well that was a jarring way to wake up! How did I miss the memo that it was going to freeze last night?!?! Last I checked it was only going to get down to the upper 30s. I should’ve known better though with the crisp clear night, and covered or scrambled to harvest everything! I’m hoping I was able to at least save the tobacco and lemongrass to harvest later today. Sigh…

#firstfrost

I’m taking a brief break from working on the gaz

I’m taking a brief break from working on the gazebo so I can catch up a little bit in the apothecary. I’ve noticed I’m not so great at multitasking anymore and I really just need to focus on one thing at a time.

So today it was the plants.

We’ve been sold out of several things for weeks so I’m finally giving myself the time to pour salves, bottle tinctures, harvest the last fleeting blooms. I had to share these blossoms with the desperate honeybees, waiting my turn to take just enough for our medicine blends.

A new allergy blend tincture is in the works. And an insomnia remedy too, which I will happily test out myself.

I do love the creative process with all this. 💚☘️🌿💚

#apothecary #tincture #tinctures #plantmedicine #plants #medicinalherbs #medicinegarden #herbalism #calendula #newenglandaster #goldenrod #lemonbalm #bitters

What is happening?! It’s like a Van Gogh paintin

What is happening?! It’s like a Van Gogh painting!

After they all went home 🌈

After they all went home 🌈

A snippet of our day…cooking over the fire, chop

A snippet of our day…cooking over the fire, chopping veggies, chatting, drawing, peeling apples, digging in the new sand pit…

Look!! They loved it! I was so excited to share th

Look!! They loved it! I was so excited to share the new space with them and their reactions did not disappoint.

We built the inaugural fire, made buckthorn berry ink, cooked up delicata squash from the garden of two Earth Warriors who generously shared it with all of us, and made apple sauce from the bushel of apples another brought from home.

What a wonderful day!

#earthwarriors #natureclub #naturecamp #gazebo #outdoorclassroom

Also I decided to pick up the stone for this new f

Also I decided to pick up the stone for this new fire ring in the middle and was too excited to not put it together immediately! I was up a little late but I’ve got a very long extension cord and an old standing lamp so I can work even after the sun sets so early now.

In my design in my head, I thought we’d stay with an earth floor. But it turns out it’s crazy dusty when the kids trample through on the dry dirt and sand. So my new idea is to do a circle of stone pavers. I’ll have to do it a few rows at a time as I have the funds, but this permanent fire ring is the first step. I’m so excited to cook with the kids on this heavy duty cast iron fire grate!

And the stone will help hold in the heat on the cold winter camp days. 🔥

#gazebo #outdoorclassroom #firering #openfire

Finished the benches yesterday! With some fancy mi

Finished the benches yesterday! With some fancy miter cuts around those wavy cedar posts in the round. I’m still using up the rough sawn red oak and spruce I had milled here by Duck Hill Saw Mill. Isn’t it pretty?!

Those little stools under the benches were made by the Earth Warriors this past winter. My cousin @kurtbuetow came to help with camp while I was in the middle of my cancer treatment, and brought this sweet idea for the kids. They each made their own stool by hand, using some antique Amish hand crank screwdrivers and the pieces of the rough sawn lumber that had too much live edge to use for the building. Each one is unique and I love that the kids recognize which one they made.

It’s coming along! And our dog Nahko insists on supervising this whole process. 💙

#roughsawn #sawmill #gazebo #outdoorclassroom #naturecamp #earthwarriors #diy #intheround #cedar #oak @duckhillsawmill

Walls in process! I’m spending most of my days u

Walls in process! I’m spending most of my days up here right now, trying to get these walls done and tidy up my construction mess before Earth Warriors starts again next week.

The tricky part is cutting the plywood to match the wavy edge of each uniquely shaped round cedar post. Lots of putzing with the jigsaw today.

These walls will be half high, to allow for airflow in the summer. For winter, I have several salvaged patio glass sliding doors that will fit horizontally in these openings, like storm windows. Let’s hope I measured it all properly!

Two done, 5 more to go! (The 8th side of the octagon will be an open doorway, with insulated curtains for winter.) Whew!

#gazebo #classroom #outdoorclassroom #naturecamp #natureclub #shousugiban #yakisugi

Painting with fire again… Tonight it was remind

Painting with fire again…

Tonight it was reminding me of “burning” in the dark room back in photography school, or nowadays the “burn tool” in Photoshop. It’s a very satisfying task.

These panels will become the walls of our gazebo classroom, hopefully later this week. We are using the same shou sugi ban or yakisugi method of oiling the boards, then burning them with the torch. (I’m using soybean oil I bought in bulk from Costco because it is the most affordable.)

Also, I set my phone up to capture this, not knowing the glowing red sun would pop out right in the center frame. Those wildfires out west are making for some otherworldly sunsets. 💔

#yakisugi #shousugiban #woodburning #diy #timelapse

It’s true, we designed the curve of the house ar

It’s true, we designed the curve of the house around this big elm tree, knowing full well we could lose it someday to Dutch Elm Disease. I was just hoping “someday” would be a bit more far off.

But the good folks at @willow_river_company bucked it all up for us, so at least we can split it for firewood to keep the Earth Warriors warm through the winter.

I tried to count the rings on the stump, but it’s still too wet with sap to see clearly. It looks like close to 50 years! 💔

Here they are in action. It was fascinating to wat

Here they are in action. It was fascinating to watch their precise skill with the bucket truck, carefully avoiding dropping any branches on our earthbag retaining wall. I’m very thankful to not be attempting this myself! @willow_river_company

A very sad day here today. 6 weeks ago I noticed

A very sad day here today.

6 weeks ago I noticed a single branch with drooping yellow leaves on the big elm tree in front of our house. I immediately called an arborist at Willow River Company. Mike came out right away, and gently gave me the terrible news. It was dying of Dutch Elm Disease, and because it was a central branch, it was too late to save it.

I was shocked at how quickly it lost its leaves since then. And since this is our main drop off spot for camp, it became a safety issue with all those dead branches up high.

Well, they came out today and made quick and skillful work taking it down.

It feels so bare though! We will be replacing it soon, likely with a sugar maple, so someday we can tap it with the kids for syrup.

It’s the season of change, but wow, the loss feels heavy today.

Many thanks to the folks at Willow River for their kindness and skill! @willow_river_company

One of my favorite late summer tasks with the kids

One of my favorite late summer tasks with the kids…harvesting Sweetgrass and making braids together.

This Sweetgrass was gifted to me 8 years ago from my friend Margie, and we’ve been tending this patch ever since.

I have the kids each harvest 21 strands of this sweet smelling hair of Mother Earth. They work in pairs to tie off the end, divide into 3 bundles of 7, and carefully braid them together.

From the teachings of my mentors…
The first 7 strands represent the 7 generations before us, the miracles that led to us all being here in this moment. The second represents the 7 sacred teachings (love, respect, honesty, courage, truth, wisdom, and humility). And the third represents the 7 generations yet to come, who will hopefully have a planet we have cared for enough to live a long beautiful life.

The kids take these braids home, hang them to dry, and then can burn them as incense to add sweetness to their own home.

And I get to make a few for our house too, hanging in our kitchen now, smelling wonderful. 💛

Look at all these kids who happily took up the sho

Look at all these kids who happily took up the shovels to help backfill the new earthbag wall!

I had to chuckle at the conversations that ensued.

The most notable quotes of the day…
“This is so fun! Can we do this all afternoon?”
“I love helping you. Do you have more projects we can do?”
“Let’s wait to play the game until this is done.”

I’m always a little amazed at how the kids make so-called “work” feel like play. And they saved my back from spending a whole day doing this alone. So thankful!

Ok y’all! We are excited to announce that we are

Ok y’all! We are excited to announce that we are starting a nature-based preschool group this fall, and we need help spreading the word!

I’ve had so many requests for this over the years, but with our sold out Earth Warriors program I haven’t been able to take that on myself.

But...my wonderful dear friend Amy Miller of @underthemoonlightmagazine is available this fall to help create this here!

Here are the details:

Little Bluebirds
This nature-based preschool program will be a small group of 3 and 4 year olds. It is a drop-off class that meets once a week, on Thursdays from 10am-3pm, congruent with our Earth Warriors group of the age 5+ kids.

The vision is aligned with the Earth Warriors philosophy (developing a connection to the land and reverence for the natural world) as well as incorporating elements of the Waldorf preschool (seasonal songs, stories, art projects, etc).

This is 100% outdoors. Each child will bring their own backpack with lunch, snack, and water bottle.

10-WEEK FALL SESSION:
Thursdays, September 19 – November 21
10am-3pm
Ages 3-4
Tuition: $510

There are very limited openings, so we recommend responding right away if you are interested in a spot for your little one.

Please reach out with any questions, and thanks so much for helping spread the word!

*Also, please enjoy these sweet photos of some of our Earth Warriors in their gardens.

#earthwarriors #natureclub #outdoorpreschool #natureschool #naturepreschool #hudsonwi #hudsonwisconsin #kidsandnature

Our gazebo classroom is slowly taking shape. 💚

Our gazebo classroom is slowly taking shape. 💚

I got the earth bag wall all laid now, thanks to t

I got the earth bag wall all laid now, thanks to the kids for filling all these bags and backfilling the wall!

You can see the rebar stakes pounded in and the two rows of barbed wire between each course, both are crucial for the stability.

And I trenched drain tile both behind the wall and at the base in front, to redirect any big rain events.

Next will be plastering it all with Type S mortar, mixed with some fibers for added strength.

#earthbag #earthbagbuilding #retainingwall #erosioncontrol

The Amanita Fairy arrived again! I think this is t

The Amanita Fairy arrived again! I think this is the earliest ever that they’ve shown up.

These photos are from a couple weeks ago, on the last day of Summer Session for our Earth Warriors Nature Club.

My daughter called me from up at Pineville (the fort village the kids have created) to tell me she found these! Aren’t they magical?!

#amanita #amanitamuscaria #earthwarriors #natureclub

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