We’re serious about sustainability at Mountain Rose Herbs. So serious that, for the first time, we’ve decided to enlist a policy expert to help make all our green dreams a reality. We recently sat down with that expert, Jonathan Manton, to find out how he’ll be engaging community leaders to help our farmers grow (and customers get access to) organic, plant-based offerings for generations to come.

While leading women’s backpacking trips into northern California’s wilderness areas in the late 1980s, Mountain Rose Herbs’ co-owner Julie wanted to create a tea blend that would help hikers relax at the end of an active day. That’s how “Sleeping on Rocks” (now dubbed Fidnemed Nighttime Tea) was born.

I spent my childhood in Iowa trying to avoid the nettle’s sting. This bright green plant was plentiful on the land adjacent to the farm ponds and creek beds there. I had no idea this “weed” was something so desirable until I visited my local farmers market as an adult living in Oregon, where it goes for $16 a pound! Once I learned how easy it was to identify and harvest in the nearby woods, I got hooked on nettle “hunting” (taking care to only collect what I need, of course)!

When we ask folks why they choose to buy our botanicals, “quality” typically pops to the top of the list. It’s a proud moment when we realize our relentless search for the best organic botanicals is something you value too. That’s why we sat down with Steven, our Quality Assurance & Quality Control Director, to find out what he and his lab coat-wearing team does behind the closed doors of our in-house lab—the epicenter of quality here at Mountain Rose Herbs.

I was first introduced to kava (technically called “kava kava”) while visiting Hawaii’s Big Island. After getting back to the mainland, I began to notice kava everywhere. Kava bars were now easy to find on my travels coast-to-coast, from Asheville, North Carolina to Portland, Oregon. Articles in publications like The New York Times extolled its increasing popularity as an alternative to caffeine-fueled coffee shops or alcohol-centric drinking establishments.

Elderberry is traditionally used to support a healthy immune system*, so I'm always searching for ways to integrate it into my meals. And one of my recent New Year's resolutions was to speed up my morning routine. Just imagine my excitement when I stumbled upon this recipe that combines my quest for a daily dose of elderberry with my need to buy back time in my day.

I’d been told I just had to try the house-made sweet vermouth at a trendy Italian spot on a recent trip to California. Not one to ignore a recommendation from a friend with trustworthy taste buds, I obliged. He was right! The icy glass of the slightly bitter, oh-so-refreshing herbal aperitif was a total, delightful, surprise.

Sprouted seeds make it possible to feature fresh greenery on your dinner table year-round! Especially when our gardens are barren and local farmers markets have shuttered for the season, we like consuming these beautiful microgreens. They only take less than a week to sprout and are so simple to grow!

Needing a quick appetizer using items already in your pantry? A nice drizzle of homemade infused oil makes for an easy and flavorful starter in no time flat! Whether used as a tasty marinade for your favorite soft chevre or served up in a dipping bowl alongside a fresh baguette, this beautiful and flavorful creation is a true crowd-pleaser. While herbalists know solar-infused herbal oils are a lovely way to extract botanical goodness for an array of herbal preparations, an infused oil made on the stovetop works well in a pinch.

Deep in the Himalayan foothills just west of Nepal is a relatively unknown tea region: Kumaon. In the springtime, these hillsides are awash in green. Lush, vibrantly hued tea plants that smell as intoxicating as they taste, grow between stands of conifers. This is where you’ll find Desmond, the manager of our certified organic tea operations there.

This Love Tea simple syrup is something special. With hints of cacao and cinnamon, this floral syrup is perfect for crafting unique cocktails or stirring into a cozy morning latte. It’s also an easy addition to sparkling or ice water: refreshing, with a delicate flavor that will mystify your friends!