Herbal Radio

Latest Episodes:

Spice Up Your Life! The Delicious Health Benefits of Therapeutic-dose Spices | Featuring Bevin Clare Sep 23, 2022

Show notes

This week's Herbal Radio episode is the third and final audio recording from the Mountain Rose Herbs in-person Summer 2022 Free Herbalism Project at Mt. Pisgah Arboretum in Eugene, Oregon. Emcee, Jiling Lin, starts with a grounding meditation before introducing herbalist Bevin Clare and her presentation titled "Spice Up Your Life!". We know that spices are good for us, but how should we use them, how much should we take, and what does the (mountains!) of research tell us about using spices for health and wellness? While a sprinkle here and there is always great, there are ways to use therapeutic dose spices to support your health, and these preparations can be fun, delicious, accessible, and affordable. Learn about some of my favorite spices and ways to prepare them, and then go spice it up!

You can find the downloadable PDF of Bevin's slides here.

Bevin Clare is an herbalist, nutritionist, world-wanderer, spice-gobbler, and is a professor at the Maryland University of Integrative Health and the program director of the MS in Clinical Herbal Medicine program. She holds a MSc in Infectious Disease from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and has studied herbal medicine around the world, blending her knowledge of traditional uses of plants with modern science and contemporary healthcare strategies. She is the author of Spice Apothecary (Storey Books, 2020). Bevin a board member and former Chair of the Board of the American Herbalists Guild where she works to promote clinical herbalism accessibility and professionalism and she is a long term board member of the United Plant Savers.

You can find her musings at www.bevinclare.com and on Facebook and Instagram @spice.herb.wander

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Interviews on Herbal Radio | Featuring Shawn Donnille Sep 16, 2022

Show notes

Thomas sits down with Mountain Rose Herbs' CEO and Owner, Shawn Donnille, to discuss his background, the history of the company, the importance of activism, and what Shawn sees as the future of Mountain Rose Herbs.

Shawn Donnille first became involved with Mountain Rose Herbs as a passionate young idealist with a fervent desire to change the world. He was the town's notorious rabble rouser, always petitioning for mandatory labeling on genetically modified food crops, encouraging people to support a strong conservation ethic, fighting for the protection of endangered or threatened species, and the protection and enhancement of our riparian areas. When Mountain Rose Herbs came into his life, Shawn saw it as an opportunity to change the way business is conducted on this planet. To this day, the revolutionary business principles that Shawn initiated have been used as a successful model by countless other organizations around the world.

Shawn became co-owner of the company in 2001 and since then he has initiated several bold and daring changes, most notably the eradication of all conventionally grown products from our product line, introducing the first line of fair trade certified medicinal herbs in the United States, implementing the design and deployment of our web presence, launching our zero waste program, our charitable giving program, and so much more!

As CEO Shawn currently oversees every aspect of Mountain Rose Herbs along with all of the directors and managers at the company to be sure they are leading the business in a direction we can all be proud of. In addition to this he is intimately connected with developing all of our sustainability initiatives to further enhance and propel bold ideas that are being shared with numerous other corporations, non-profits, state agencies, and civic groups as a working model for success.

In his spare time, Shawn can be found deep within Oregon's wilderness system, or lost in the pages of any book about ecology and the environment. He currently retains one of the nation's largest collections of rare and antiquarian books that deal exclusively with nature writing and outdoor literature. With Thoreau, Abbey, and Muir being his favorites, of course!

"All of our environmental issues can be connected to the embarrassing way that business abuses this planet. My objective is to stop this destructive pattern by offering an alternative modality and sharing that modality with others so we can all lead the change necessary to heal the planet"

Re-Storying Ecological Interconnection, with Guido Masé | Tea Talks with Jiling Sep 08, 2022

Show notes

Guido Masé RH (AHG) is an herbalist and garden steward specializing in therapeutic herbalism and the pharmacology of plants and mushrooms. He spent his childhood in Italy, in the central Alps and in the Renaissance town of Ferrara. He later settled into Vermont, where he has been living since 1996.

Guido is a founder, faculty member and clinical supervisor at the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, a non-profit herbal medicine clinic and school. He serves as herbalist, principal scientist, and chief formulator at Traditional Medicinals, and is a founding member of the Railyard Apothecary, a collaborative clinical practice in Burlington, VT. Guido is the author of The Wild Medicine Solution: Healing with Aromatic, Bitter and Tonic Plants, and DIY Bitters.

Jiling and Guido discuss herbal medicine as a language, concentrating decoctions, an autumnal tonic herbal soup stock, and botanically-infused folklore for connecting with place.

Follow Guido Mase on Twitter @Herbalist and his blog, A Radicle.

Jiling Lin is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac), herbalist, and yoga teacher in Ventura, CA. Visit Jiling at JilingLin.com, Instagram @LinJiling, and Facebook @JilingLAc. Get her free Nourishing Life (養生) template, Five Elements (五行) outline, or sign up for her newsletter here.

Zen Esthetics… The Divine Art of Beauty Rituals from Around the World | Featuring Lucretia Vandyke Sep 01, 2022

Show notes

This week's episode was recorded at the in-person Summer 2022 Free Herbalism Project at Mt. Pisgah Arboretum in Eugene, Oregon. Emcee, Jiling Lin, introduces holistic educator, speaker, herbalist, and ceremonialist, Lucretia Vandyke. In this presentation, Lucretia takes us around the globe for beauty secrets - from Asia to her family secrets from the mountains of North Carolina. Learn how to use what's in your kitchen and Mother Nature to craft skin/body care using botanicals and plants that are literally good enough to eat!

Lucretia discusses recipes as well as the link between beauty rituals and self healing as we explore what holistic means to our personal journey and look deeper into what our skin is trying to tell us about our bodies.

Learn more about the Free Herbalism Project by clicking here.

With a journey that began when she was a little girl mixing herbs, mud, and roots on her grandparents' farm, Lucretia VanDyke has had a lifelong connection to the plants. She has been in the wellness industry for over twenty-five years. Her quest for knowledge and storytelling has led her all over the world to learn about remedies, traditions, and ceremonies from indigenous healers.

One of the foremost experts on Southern folk healing arts, Lucretia integrates rituals, plant spirit meditation, holistic food/herbal medicine, and ancestor reverence into people's practices.

Lucretia Vandyke has worked and trained with many internationally known spa and skin care companies. She is a holistic educator, speaker, herbalist, sacred sexologist, ceremonialist, spiritual coach, intuitive energy practitioner, diviner, author, and world traveler. Lucretia brings her vivacious spirit and her message of ancestral connection in herbal practices to inspire others to embrace their unique relationship with the plants. Teaching herbal classes, cooking, storytelling, and foraging in the woods learning native medicine charges her soul.

Visit Lucretia here!

Read about Lucretia's upcoming book "African American Herbalism: A Practical Guide to Healing Plants and Folk Traditions" here.

Interviews on Herbal Radio | Featuring Tree Knowlton Aug 26, 2022

Show notes

Accessible herbal education, community outreach, and learning how can we better share herbal medicine are core values of ours at Mountain Rose Herbs. Discussing these topics led us to our guest this week, Tree Knowlton. Tree is one of the coordinators of Herbalists Without Borders Eugene chapter, graduate of Columbines School of Botanical Studies, master medicine maker, urban homesteader, and adored community member. Listen as we delve into the magic of one of Tree's beloved elixirs, the paths she took to be where she is at today, and the ways in which Herbalists Without Borders Eugene operates within our local community.

Tree Knowlton is an herbalist, urban homesteader, sustainable landscape architect, and coordinator of the regional grassroots chapter of Herbalists Without Borders International, Herbalists Without Borders Eugene. A longtime resident of Eugene, Tree dedicates much of her time to community-based activism and recently, her adorable and playful puppy.

Herbalists Without Borders Eugene is a regional grassroots chapter of Herbalists Without Borders International, coordinating and operating within its values, mission, and vision.

Visit Herbalists Without Borders Eugene here. Visit Herbalists Without Borders International here.

Visit our Events Calendar here for the schedule of upcoming classes with Herbalists Without Borders Eugene at the Mountain Rose Herbs Annex.

Plantain the Future | Featuring jim mcdonald Aug 18, 2022

Show notes

This week's episode was recorded at the in-person Summer 2022 Free Herbalism Project at Mt. Pisgah Arboretum in Eugene, Oregon. Emcee, Jiling Lin, introduces keynote speaker jim mcdonald – who presents on the many virtues of plantain. It's commonly said in herbalism that "It's far better to know a dozen uses for one herb than one use for a dozen herbs", yet, many people still think of herbs in a "take this for that" sense. To remedy this, jim mcdonald will offer in depth information on the far reaching potential of the common and infinitely sustainable weed plantain, exploring its deep and vital usage for issues throughout the body. From mosquito bites to leaky gut syndrome, this is a plant that can be a foundational part of one's path to wellness.

Learn more about the Free Herbalism Project by clicking here.

In 1994, jim mcdonald's life changed when he drank tea from a wild plant he harvested from the land he lived upon. Since those first sips of strange tea, his life in the woods and meadows of southeast michigan has been centered on the plants & ecosystems of that land, and how he might share their virtues to restore wellness with those around him. jim's approach to herbcraft is deeply rooted in the land he lives upon, and blends traditional european folk influences with 19th century eclectic and physiomedical vitalism, which he conveys with story, experience, humour, common sense and lore to students, clients, random passersby and readers of his websites www.herbcraft.org & herbcraft.podia.com. He's taught classes throughout north america and is currently (still) alternately writing "Foundational Herbcraft" and the "A Great Lakes Herbal", in addition to articles for journals and other publications. jimis a community herbalist, a manic wildcrafter and medicine maker, and has been an ardent student of the most learned teachers of herbcraft… the plants themselves.

Learn more about jim and his educational opportunities by clicking here.

Interviews on Herbal Radio | Featuring Howie Brounstein Aug 11, 2022

Show notes

Join us as Mountain Rose Herbs' Chief Marketing & Brand Officer, Thomas Dick, interviews local Eugene celebrity and beloved herbal educator, Howie Brounstein. Howie runs the Columbines School of Botanical Studies and was kind enough to step out of the woods and into our office for an in-person podcast interview. It was great to see our good friend face to face and chat about his unique herbal path - including backyard potions and hitchhiking across Western North America. With decades of hands-on experience, Howie talks to us about the impacts of wild crafting and the healing process of forming connections with the plants (and ecosystem) you harvest (from). We hope you enjoy this week's entertaining and story-full episode!

Visit the Columbines School of Botanical Studies website.

Howie Brounstein has taught botany, herbalism, and wildcrafting extensively for decades, including at such herbal establishments as the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine. He is the co-owner and a primary instructor of the Columbines School of Botanical Studies and has a clinical practice in Eugene, Oregon. He is well known for his brilliant in depth teaching style and his passionate love of plants.

Apply for Grants 4 Plants.

Reclaiming Indigenous Medicines, with Dr. Gary Ferguson | Tea Talks with Jiling Aug 05, 2022

Show notes

Dr. Gary Ferguson serves as Faculty and Director of Outreach & Engagement at Washington State University's Institute for Research and Education to Advance Community Health (IREACH). Dr. Ferguson is Aleut/ Unangax, and an enrolled member of the Qagan Tayagungin Tribe. Formally trained as a Naturopathic Physician, he is passionate about reclaiming the indigenous medicines of the First Peoples of Alaska, and supporting healthy communities with a population health approach. Dr. Ferguson regularly teaches about promoting Alaskan Plants as Food & Medicine, and is the co-creator of the Store Outside Your Door Initiative.

In today's interview, Jiling and Dr. Ferguson explore indigenous healing ways, culture as medicine, and reclaiming our connection with our first medicines.

Visit Dr. Gary Ferguson at DrGaryFerguson.com and Washington State University's Memory and Brain Wellness Center. Read A Conversation with Dr. Gary Ferguson, IREACH Faculty and Director of Outreach & Engagement.

Listen to more talks with Dr. Gary Ferguson: Culture is Medicine, Cultural Humility in Practice, How to Make Salve from Traditional Unangax̂ Plants, and work with the Center for Native American Health Sciences Indigenous Clinical Simulation Space.

Jiling Lin is a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac), herbalist, and yoga teacher in Ventura, CA. She helps athletes, artists and visionaries thrive with transformative acupuncture & herb treatments and innovative classes & retreats. Visit Jiling at JilingLin.com, Instagram @LinJiling and Facebook @JilingLAc.

Interviews on Herbal Radio | Featuring Susan Leopold, PhD Jul 29, 2022

Show notes

Join us for the inaugural episode of Mountain Rose Herbs' newest Herbal Radio podcast series – Interviews on Herbal Radio. Hosted by our very own Chief Marketing & Brand Officer, Thomas Dick. A behind-the-scenes tour-de-force, Thomas is stepping into the podcast studio, interviewing herbalists, scientists, and a plethora of passionate plant people to discover what lights their plant powered fire and how they arrived to where they are today.

In this first episode, we had the honor of interviewing the Executive Director of United Plant Savers (UpS), Susan Leopold, PhD. Susan is a longtime friend of Mountain Rose Herbs, and it was an absolute honor to sit down with her (virtually) and conversate over the important plot points in her life that sparked her botanical passions. Learn about UpS' history as well as past and upcoming projects and why Susan says, "herbs are the gateway drugs to activism". Educational, inspiring, and thought-provoking, you are sure to learn something new and beautiful in this conversational podcast. We hope you enjoy!

Purchase tickets and view films from the International Herb Symposium Film & Photography Festival here. Learn more about United Plant Savers. Learn more about the International Herb Symposium. Apply for Grants 4 Plants.

Susan Leopold, PhD, is an ethnobotanist and passionate defender of biodiversity. Over the past 20 years, Susan has worked extensively with indigenous peoples in Peru and Costa Rica. She is the Executive Director of United Plant Savers and Director of the Sacred Seeds Project. Prior to working at United Plant Savers, she was a librarian at the Oak Spring Garden Library, specializing in digitizing rare herbals and botanical travel manuscripts. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Botanical Dimensions and the Center for Sustainable Economy. She is an advisory board member of American Botanical Council. She is a proud member of the Patawomeck Indian Tribe of Virginia and the author of the children's book Isabella's Peppermint Flower, teaching about Virginia's botanical history. She lives on and manages a productive farm, the Indian Pipe Botanical Sanctuary, with her three children in Virginia. There she raises goats, peacocks, and herbs. She is an avid recreational tree climber, in love with the canopy just as much as the herbs of the forest floor.

Aromatherapy: Blending Basics | Featuring Christine Rice Jul 21, 2022

Show notes

This week's Herbal Radio episode is recorded from a Sunday Annex Series class that was led earlier this month by our very own, in-house aromatherapist, Christine Rice. We are proud to present the Sunday Annex Series – a weekly educational class hosted by local herbalists, crafters, scientists, and more hosted at the Mountain Rose Herbs Annex in Eugene, Oregon. These weekly classes are part of our on-going efforts to provide accessible education to the herbal community.

In this podcast, you'll explore scent descriptions and scent type grouping and find out how base, middle, and top aroma notes work together to create synergistic blends that can be personalized depending on your aromatic preference. Christine will even walk you through a blending exercise. While in-person participants created an aromatic roll-on to take home, you will be equipped to make your own roll-ons and essential oil blends at home.

For upcoming classes in Eugene, view the Sunday Annex Series event calendar here: https://mountainroseherbsmercantile.com/events-calendar/

Christine Rice is a Certified Aromatherapist and Director of Product Development & Management at Mountain Rose Herbs. A longtime employee with over a decade under her belt, Christine collaborates with almost every department at Mountain Rose Herbs on a daily basis and knows the intimate details of every product we offer. Christine researches and selects new and exciting herbal products to offer in addition to managing all of our current products. With more than 3,000 product offerings, this is no small task! She also oversees the quality and approval of the essential oils and hydrosols that we carry.

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