Arnica montana is an incredible plant called upon in our most common times of need. Specifically, arnica flowers are used topically for bumps, bruises, and muscle soreness. In other words, for basic discomforts of the human experience. It’s so effective, however, that it has made its way onto United Plant Savers’ At-Risk List.  

As with all of the botanicals we carry, we are always seeking the most sustainable ways to source herbs to ensure we are engaging in a practice that is beneficial to our farm partners, our customers, and the environment.  Luckily, we know some incredible farmers, and after many conversations and a years-long commitment of partnership, we were able to commission a plot of this specialty plant to be grown on a farm in Spain.

At Mountain Rose Herbs, we have always prided ourselves on a business model that supports a healthy planet and healthy people. That means always adapting to changing certifications and standards that, thankfully, are becoming more supportive of our core values and environmental stewardship principles. While the concepts and strategies behind it are not new, one of the emerging farming methodologies is Regenerative Agriculture.

The wild harvesting of botanicals is a practice as old as herbalism itself and many of the cornerstone products here at Mountain Rose Herbs are collected in this tradition. These important herbs may come from the temperate mixed forests of Eastern Europe, shrublands of Africa, or closer to home in the Appalachian Mountains of the United States. 

Mountain Rose Herbs is honored to work closely with small-scale producers around the world, either directly or through farming cooperatives. Many aspects of farming, wild harvesting, and processing are difficult and prone to outside pressures like natural disasters, market volatility, and climate change. These challenges are why we partner with Fair Trade Certified operations when possible.

Among the stellar organizations that Mountain Rose Herbs works with, our Fair for Life partnership is one that we are particularly proud of due to the demonstrable good that it does. Its principles impact people and the environments they live and work in around the world, as well as our community here in Eugene, Oregon.