Sometimes, I have a pretty good idea what guests on the podcast are going to talk about. But going in to this conversation with Carin Fortin, I wasn’t sure what to expect - I knew very little about Carin and even less about her chosen herb, ashitaba (Angelica keiskei)! At first I thought this plant would be similar to angelica (Angelica archangelica) or even dong quai (Angelica sinensis).

But no! Ashitaba is an amazing herb with its own unique gifts.

It was fascinating to hear all that Carin had to say about this versatile, strengthening herb, and the connections she made among ashitaba, the different systems of the human body, and the workings of the earth. Carin also shared why it’s so important to build personal relationships with plants, along with some intriguing perspectives from biodynamic farming.

You’ll love Carin’s recipe for Ashitaba Honey with Rose, Burdock, and Light Root - a delicious example of how food can be our medicine! To download your beautifully illustrated recipe card for this herbal honey, check out the resource section below.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► How ashitaba can be seen as a mirror of the human body, as well as the body of the earth

► Seven medicinal benefits of ashitaba - and why Carin sees it as a knight in shining armor!

► Why getting to know herbs is a lot like like getting to know people

► Five tips for growing ashitaba

► How biodynamics influences Carin’s approach to farming and herbalism

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know her, Carin Fortin—herb farmer, herbalist, and teacher— grew up in Switzerland and has been living in America for 25 years. She is a member of national and international Biodynamic Agriculture committees and is active in the Santa Cruz Anthroposophical Society branch. Together with her partner, Delmar McComb, she started and runs Blossom’s Biodynamic Farm in Aromas, California, where she grows and value-adds medicinal herbs from all over the world. She distills hydrosols, and makes skincare products as well as other health products. Blossom’s first line of California-grown remedy was a range of digestive bitters, picking up Carin’s family’s Swiss tradition.

I can’t wait to share our conversation with you today!

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Get full show notes and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

The secret to using herbs successfully begins with knowing who YOU are. Get started by taking my free Herbal Jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book

Where do your herbs really come from? What happens before they land in your tea cup, tincture bottle, or spice jar?

The journey from seed to shelf is full of twists and turns, and the choices we make as herbalists and consumers can shape that journey in meaningful ways.

In this episode, I’m talking with Ann Armbrecht, the author of Following the Herbal Harvest. Ann has spent years exploring the global herbal supply chain, and she’s sharing four essential questions to ask before buying herbs—questions that can help you make more informed, ethical, and high-quality choices.

And because Ann is wonderful, she’s also offering listeners a free excerpt of her book! You can find it in the resource section below. Honestly, I think this book should be required reading for everyone who loves herbs!

By the end of our conversation, you’ll know:

🌿 Why an organic certification isn’t a golden ticket—but why it still matters

🌿 How the choices of farmers, suppliers, and consumers are all connected in a web of well-being

🌿 A simple but powerful question to ask yourself before purchasing any herb

🌿 …and plenty more thoughtful insights that might just change the way you see your herbal allies.

For those of you who don’t know her, Ann Armbrecht, PhD, an anthropologist, is the director of the Sustainable Herbs Initiative. She is the author of Following the Herbal Harvest: A Search for the Healing Promise of Plant Medicines (previously published under the title, The Business of Botanicals: Exploring the Healing Promise of Plant Medicines in a Global Industry) that documents her journey following herbs from seed to shelf. She is also the co-producer of the documentary Numen: The Healing Power of Plants and the author of the award-winning ethnographic memoir Thin Places: A Pilgrimage Home, based on her research in Nepal. Ann was a 2017 Fulbright-Nehru Scholar documenting the supply chain of medicinal plants in India and she now lives with her family in central Vermont.

Grab a cozy cup of tea, settle in, and join us for this fascinating conversation!

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Get full show notes and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

The secret to using herbs successfully begins with knowing who YOU are. Get started by taking my free Herbal Jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book

When Tim Scott’s book, Invasive Plant Medicine, came out in 2010, it was an instant favorite of mine. In fact, it still influences the way I view plants and the natural world! I was so delighted to finally have the chance to interview Tim, and our conversation touched on many important threads from the book – from the question “what is native” to some of the actual benefits of invasive plants, and so much more.

Tim also discussed a plant that inspires anger in many of the places it has taken hold: Japanese knotweed. Yet there is much to love about this much-maligned plant! Tim shared all about how he works with Japanese knotweed for both food and medicine – including his delicious recipe for Japanese Knotweed Pickles. You can download your beautifully illustrated recipe card from the resource section below.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► Why labeling plants as “native” or “invasive” can be problematic

► Three ways that so-called invasive plants can actually often help to revitalize the land

► A surprising way that Japanese knotweed can be worked with to process stored anger

► What makes Japanese knotweed such a helpful ally for people with Lyme disease

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know him, Timothy Lee Scott is an herbalist, business owner, and author of Invasive Plant Medicine, which was the first book to outline the healing benefits of invasive plants and their ecological functions in the environment. He is owner of Green Dragon Botanicals, which provides herbal remedies for Lyme disease and other infectious and chronic illnesses, and has specialized in treating Lyme disease for over 20 years, after first apprenticing with the late Stephen Buhner. Tim is a tireless advocate for the plant world and using herbs as medicine, and constantly questions the status quo of the technologically-based, corporate health care system. He currently lives in southern Vermont.

I’m so excited to share our conversation with you today!

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Get full show notes and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

The secret to using herbs successfully begins with knowing who YOU are. Get started by taking my free Herbal Jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal...