Benefits & History of Castor Oil + Salve Recipe

You may be familiar with castor oil for its long-standing reputation within the beauty industry as the secret weapon for maintaining luscious hair and providing deep moisture and protection for the skin. However, you likely aren’t as familiar with this precious oil’s fascinating history and countless additional applications. Along with being an effective humectant for scalp and hair, castor oil has been utilized throughout history in everything from cosmetics to leather tanning. Interestingly enough, castor oil has in recent years even been considered as a desirable substitute for petroleum resources used in the fuel production industry!

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Posted by Hailey

Expanding Community Connections with the Tilth Alliance

Recently, I had the incredible opportunity to visit the Tilth Alliance community garden and classroom in Seattle. This visit was more than just a work trip — it was a chance to deepen our roots in Washington, expand our reach, and build lasting connections with a community that shares our passion for sustainable and regenerative agriculture.

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Posted by Ashley

Bronzing Facial Serum with Sea Buckthorn Oil

This nourishing facial serum is a very special one in my recipe book. Made with four of my favorite skin care oils, this blend is deeply hydrating and yields a lovely bronzing hue that can be tailored to many skin tones. The star of this recipe is sea buckthorn oil, which in my opinion, is an underutilized oil that doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. While most skin care oils are pressed from the seeds of a given plant, sea buckthorn oil is pressed from the seeds and berries which yields a vibrant golden hue and contains abundant antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids. Sea buckthorn oil also contains linoleic acid which has been shown to support the skin’s lipid barrier,  helping to reduce overall moisture loss. For all of these reasons, it remains high on my list of favorite skin care ingredients.

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Posted by Jessicka

Tea Blending & Ceremony

Sometimes I formulate my morning tea blend the night before, placing my tea-set on my desk so I’m ready to sip and write first thing. Other days, I blend in the predawn darkness as water boils, fingers caressing rough pu’erh 普爾, soft chrysanthemum, fragrant tulsi

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Strengthening Our Web of Wellness at Northwest Herbal Fair

 

Every year, Mountain Rose Herbs sponsors dozens of herbal and community events that help to educate and empower the herbal community. As the Sustainability Specialist for Mountain Rose Herbs, it was a true honor to participate in the 15th Northwest Herbal Fair, held in the lush, vibrant surroundings of Quilcene, Washington. This event, the largest gathering of the herbal community in the Pacific Northwest, was a beautiful convergence of indigenous wisdom, plant medicine, and the connections that bind us to each other and to the natural world.

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Posted by Ashley

Blackberry Lavender Mocktail

 

Blackberry season is upon us once again here in the Pacific Northwest, which is a season I have impatiently waited for every year since I was a young girl. Some of my fondest summertime memories as a child were spent under the scorching sun while cautiously reaching my tiny hands into overgrown thorny bushes to reach the ripest and juiciest berries that my limited reach could grasp. Although my childhood berry-picking excursions typically ended with purple-stained clothes, deep red drips down my hands and arms from smushed berries, and a sunburn, the feeling of walking home with buckets upon buckets of fresh blackberries always made each trip well worth the discomforts.

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Posted by Hailey

Strawberry Elderflower Shrub Recipe

Recently as I was scanning the grab n’ go refrigerated beverage aisle at my local supermarket, I was astounded to see how many new companies are providing bubbly concoctions with traditional tangy apple cider vinegar. Not only does the apple cider vinegar offer a refreshing flavor, but it can also support a healthy digestive system. Quality organic, raw and unfiltered apple cider vinegar contains healthy bacteria and enzymes that support the gut microbiome and make for an exceptional menstruum to infuse herbs into.

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Shampoo Powder Recipe with Shikakai




One of the many perks of working at Mountain Rose Herbs is that I am always being introduced to new ingredients. As a person who loves making sustainable and cost-effective DIY recipes, I was intrigued when I began learning about organic soap pod powder. At first glance, I thought this was a powdered form of deseeded soap nuts, from which I make my semi-famous liquid laundry soap. But upon a closer look, I realized it was an entirely different plant!

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Posted by Jessicka

Herbs for Fire Season Support



My mountains are on fire. I watch the hungry flames lick at my familiar skyline. Fire trucks zip up and down our canyon road as helicopters wheel overhead. I smell smoke, and know what comes next: weeks of gray skies raining ash, then months to years of barren blackened slopes and tree stumps where yesterday I petted my favorite sages and lingered under expansive old oaks.

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Queen of Hungary Mist: A Natural Skin Toner

Something that I have loved since childhood is “potion” making—mysterious liquids and substances being mixed together to create something new holds a very particular appeal to me. Of course, as a kid it was both the allure of creating something magical and the allure of creating messes that endured the activity. As an adult the draw has become a bit more practical and ever so slightly neater, however the joy of crafting botanically inspired concoctions has remained. So, when I stumbled across the Queen of Hungary Water recipe, I was immediately enchanted. This recipe is rooted in tradition and folklore and spoke to both to the adult crafter in me and my whimsical inner child who is still searching for that magic.

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Posted by Maia

Exploring a Fresh Start at the Pacific Northwest Organic Center

In the picturesque mountains of Skagit Valley, Washington, I had the opportunity to attend the inaugural Field Day of the Pacific Northwest Organic Center (formally Cascadian Farm) organized by the Rodale Institute. This event brought together a community of researchers, farmers, students, and educators—all united by a shared passion for organic agriculture. The Rodale Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit researching and sharing regenerative organic farming practices that restore soil health, fight climate change, and fix the food system.

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Posted by Ashley

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Benefits & History of Castor Oil + Salve Recipe

Elevate your skin and hair care routines with castor oil! Learn about the history of this special oil and try your hand at making a castor oil salve recipe.
WRITTEN BY Hailey

September 6, 2024

Expanding Community Connections with the Tilth Alliance

Find out how we are deepening our roots, expanding our reach in Washington, and building lasting connections with community partners who share our passion for sustainability and regenerative organic agriculture.
WRITTEN BY Ashley

September 4, 2024

Bronzing Facial Serum with Sea Buckthorn Oil

"Glow up" with this DIY bronzing facial oil. You can tailor the tone to balance your skin or use it as an evening hydration treatment.
WRITTEN BY Jessicka

September 1, 2024

Tea Blending & Ceremony

Explore the art of tea blending and ceremony. Our dear friend Jiling Lin shares some of her favorite ways to mindfully blend and brew tea using traditional ingredients and vessels.
WRITTEN BY Jiling Lin- Guest Writer

August 29, 2024

Strengthening Our Web of Wellness at Northwest Herbal Fair

Find out how the largest herbal gathering in the PNW weaves together indigenous wisdom, plant medicine, and community connection to strengthen our web of wellness!
WRITTEN BY Ashley

August 28, 2024

Blackberry Lavender Mocktail

Discover blackberry lavender bliss with this five-ingredient mocktail. Not only does it taste like summertime in a glass, but it also offers gut-nurturing probiotics.
WRITTEN BY Hailey

August 25, 2024

Strawberry Elderflower Shrub Recipe

This herb-infused sipping vinegar is an enjoyable way to add more wellness support to your diet. Explore fun flavor combinations and learn the core concepts of this preparation so you can create your own blends.
WRITTEN BY Alex Queathem Payne- Guest Author

August 15, 2024

Shampoo Powder Recipe with Shikakai

Learn how to make a shampoo powder recipe for a sustainable, inexpensive alternative to liquid shampoos.
WRITTEN BY Jessicka

August 14, 2024

Herbs for Fire Season Support

If you live in an area prone to wildfire, you know that fire season brings a whole list of things to prepare for including ways to relieve discomforts derived from smokey air and overcast skies. Here are some helpful herbs and resources to help support respiratory health and emotional wellbeing during fire season.
WRITTEN BY Jiling Lin- Guest Writer

August 13, 2024

Queen of Hungary Mist: A Natural Skin Toner

Queen of Hungary Water is a recipe rooted in herbal folklore and legend. Learn how to craft this ancient skin care formula for your modern-day natural care routine.
WRITTEN BY Maia

August 6, 2024

Exploring a Fresh Start at the Pacific Northwest Organic Center

Find out how the Rodale Institute is exploring regenerative organic practices in the Pacific Northwest.
WRITTEN BY Ashley

August 2, 2024