Each October, I get to set up the Mountain Rose Herbs booth at the wonderful Mount Pisgah Arboretum Mushroom Festival here in Eugene, Oregon. I absolutely love this event! It typically brings out 3,000 mycophiles eager to learn about wild mushrooms and peruse the many species on display. Aiming to be festive with fungus, I’ll usually brew up a large batch of reishi chai. Chai is one of my all-time favorite teas, and adding reishi mushroom slices (Ganoderma lucidum) gives it the added perk of supporting immune health*.

While the leaves, roots, flowers, barks, and seeds we know as herbs are derived from plants found all around us, this does not mean that everyone can and should ingest every herb. It can be challenging to know what is safe, what dosages are recommended, and where to turn to find the answers. Finding trusted sources of herbalism information or knowing when to consult an expert can seem overwhelming, but it is so important to do the research before charging full steam ahead!

The other day, my six year old daughter, Amelia, asked, “Why don’t they have a Kids’ Day?”. This was in response to the fact that Mother’s Day had just passed, and Father’s Day was coming up. I suppose every kid asks this question, and I remember having the same curiosity. In response, like a knee-jerk reaction, I gave the cliché parental rebuttal, “Because every day is Kids’ Day.” Cue the eye-rolls.

Ready to devour some inspiring herbal education? We're thrilled to share our very own podcast: Herbal Radio, the official podcast of Mountain Rose Herbs! This community resource is a collection of curated lectures from some of our generation's most esteemed herbalists. These informational episodes include talks from our Free Herbalism Project events, audio extracted from our YouTube channel tutorials, and more, all free to download and enjoy! 

Here at Mountain Rose Herbs, we’re frequently asked about various definitions in herbalism. Such as “what’s the difference between an essential oil and an infused oil?”

We thought you'd appreciate a simple guide to herbal terminology. Here are 10 definitions for your learning pleasure! Please let us know if there are any other definitions you’d like to see here! We'd love to add to this list in the future.

Infusing herbs into butter only takes a few minutes and is a tasty way to add an extra punch of flavor to your food. Herbal infused butters, also called compound butters, are decadent on steamed vegetables, warm dinner rolls, baked potatoes, pasta dishes, or incorporated into sautés and sauces. Here are a couple of my favorite recipes!

New Orleans is a special place for many reasons. It’s a hotbed for music and culture, but clearly one of its shining features is its delicious Cajun and Creole cuisine. New Orleans has countless native dishes, but I’d be hard-pressed to think of one more closely linked with this city or more celebrated than gumbo. I know vegetarian gumbo may sound like an oxymoron, but with the right organic herbs and spices, you won't even miss those traditional proteins. Feel free to call it vegetable stew if that suits you more!

Who doesn’t love a hot bowl of Tom Kha? I’m yet to encounter such a person. I first discovered this tasty Thai soup back in college at a local Eugene, Oregon joint. The trifecta of fresh and traditional herbs completely blew my mind. Lemongrass, Thai makrut lime leaves, and galangal root (where the “kha” in “tom kha” comes from) give this soup its incredible and unmistakable flavor. 

Well, it seems as if summer is finally here in the northwest! The weather has been absolutely stunning, and it’s been such a joy to get out and enjoy the sunshine. I’ve been hitting the hiking trail, the outdoor basketball courts, and the river a lot these days.