When you think of autumn, what comes to mind? Is it the colorful masterpiece of the treescape, or the sound of crunching leaves? Possibly the taste of a pumpkin spice latte or warm mulled cider? For me, it’s the aromas whirling through the air that herald the coming of fall.

There are so many things I love about autumn. Like a dear friend I haven’t seen in far too long, I’m refreshed, comforted, and inspired by the season. I look forward to the addition of warming spices in my foods, vibrant bursts of colors, mushroom-scented walks in the forest, and fresh apple cider. Usually, I immediately drink the newly pressed, sweet cider. All notions of sharing go out the window; the cider barely makes it home from the store. But this year, in the giving spirit of the fall season, I resolve to save some apple cider to savor and share with family and friends.

As you know, we spend a lot of time thinking about at-risk herbs and what we can all do to support these botanical allies. The issue of overharvesting in the wild is a key reason why Mountain Rose Herbs is increasingly turning to cultivated herbs when possible and why we support certified organic forest farming, particularly for hard-hit herbs like North American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius). We know that to ethically procure these valuable botanicals, they must be consciously and mindfully gathered and harvested. We only work with growers and harvesters who have been fully vetted, who we can trust to cultivate, harvest, and handle our plant allies with the respect and care they deserve. With that in mind, we’d like to show you what successful forest farming looks like.

If you’ve been reading along on the Mountain Rose Herbs blog, you know we’re always looking for ways that we can make smart business choices that address climate change and invest in the health and wellbeing of our community and our planet. Committing to our alternative-fuel and electric fleet of company vehicles is one key piece to this commitment.

As you no doubt know, the Mountain Rose Herb team loves a good cup of tea. Our in-house artisan tea experts blend our teas with health and well-being in mind using superior botanicals to create nourishing, delicious teas with rich, organic flavors and nuanced tasting notes. But the quality of a tea is best showcased when it is brewed correctly. If you appreciate a fantastic cup of tea, here are some pointers on how to create your dream cuppa’.

Over my years of DIY tinkering I’ve created over a hundred body care, culinary, and green cleaning recipes. Some I love seasonally, others come and go for one reason or another, and some shining stars remain a constant in my everyday life. One member of this VIP list is a “Four Thieves®” multi-surface spray. It’s easy to make, and its versality means that it earns its keep in my natural cleaning supply closet. It also smells fresh and invigorating and cuts grease with the likes of commercially available soaps and sprays.

If you’re like me, you aim to not waste any of your herbal ingredients—you understand that hard-working pollinators and farmers put a lot of love and care into getting the finest organic botanicals into your cupboard. This is why I began exploring ways to reuse my herbs after making herbal preparations. Through years of making tea, infused oils, tinctures, vinegars, and honeys, I’ve tinkered up some fun ways to upcycle the remaining plant material, often called the “marc,” into other fine uses and crafts.

I love a good cup of tea and I love that there is literally a tea for any circumstance I may find myself in. Thus, my tea collection is just as varied as the many different experiences that I go through each day. When I first began drinking tea, I knew it mainly as something to ease my cold symptoms. I remember standing in the tea aisle in the grocery store, all stuffed up, staring blearily (and somewhat blankly) at the various tea boxes. Since then, I have learned a lot about the wonderful world of tea. I have tried them all— bright and fruity, deep and sultry, and nutritive and soothing, each offering something uniquely wonderful. My biggest tea lesson to date came when I tried loose leaf tea for the first time. There was no comparison in flavor. After that, it was not long before the boxed teas disappeared from my shelves at home and were replaced by meticulously hand-labeled jars filled with all my favorite teas.

I am a fan of Lynn Rosseto Kasper’s public radio cooking show The Splendid Table. I was particularly intrigued with a 2020 episode in which she talked about a recipe for butternut squash roasted with a cider reduction syrup that she made by simply reducing sweet apple cider from four parts down to one part. I thought—as I am wont to do—“What if I put herbs in that delicious syrup?”

We’re getting to the time of year when some species of bees, wasps, and hornets get more aggressive, so we’re more likely to get stung. In late summer and fall, these stinging insects start to prepare for winter at the same time that their natural food sources are depleted. They’re hungry and their instinct to protect their hive and, particularly, their queen becomes more intense. I sometimes get “hangry” too, so at some level I get it, but being on the receiving end of a yellow jacket’s misplaced fury is a big drag. Fortunately—so long as you are not allergic to bees and wasps—there are a number of very effective natural and herbal remedies if you’ve been stung.

Chia pudding is one of those foods that people often have very clear feelings about. They are either fully “Team Chia!” or are squicked out by the texture. The texture of chia pudding is all about proportions—a tiny change can make or break it. When you dial it in correctly, chia seed pudding gives you a delicious, high-fiber snack or topping that is beneficial for your gut, rich in Omega-3s, and provides protein and a number of essential minerals and antioxidants. Chia pudding is also a perfect vehicle for herbal powders which means you can easily customize the flavors and add herbal support!