You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make. —Dr. Jane Goodall

Environmental stewardship is woven into the fabric of Mountain Rose Herbs’ company culture and sustainable business practices. Striving towards zero waste is one way we take responsibility for our impact. Thanks to our dedicated staff, we became the first company in Oregon to achieve a TRUE Zero Waste Facility certification from Green Business Certification Inc. We completed a peer-reviewed scorecard and on-site audit to achieve the highest-level certification—platinum!

The use of tea in cooking is an ancient and common practice in China and Japan for adding depth to a variety of dishes. For dishes as varied as steamed rice, tea eggs, soups, and desserts, there are endless recipes to experiment with by adding tea.

The question at hand is, “is this actually Arnica montana?” Steven, our Director of Quality, stands in front of two computer screens. One monitor displays brightly colored bars stacked on a black backdrop. On the other, photographs of vibrant yellow petals are zoomed in to such a degree that the golden bits on screen look more like banana peels than flowers. Steven and his team of lab-coat-wearing professionals use various methods of testing and an extensive reference library of pressed plant parts to find the answer. Species identification not only ensures efficacy, it also means keeping our customers safe.

Some people might tell you that making your own leave-in hair conditioner is as simple as watering down the wash-out product already in your shower. But if you've adopted a no-poo hair care routine or need a little extra nourishment to bring your dry hair back to life, a deeper moisturizing treatment might be in order. An oil-based leave-in conditioner can help tame wild flyaways, soften brittle hair in dry temperatures, and protect a healthy mane.

Feeling a little blue is pretty common for all of us. Sadness can strike on any scale, ranging from a simple Blue Monday to lingering, debilitating heartache. We all struggle with difficult emotions that, at times, can seem to overshadow everything else. Luckily, our herbal allies may be able to help ease the hurt.

Another year has passed, and 2020 is now upon us! As we look forward to sharing 12 more months of herbal learning and discovery with our readers, we'd like to highlight our most popular how-to posts from 2019 (ranging from natural body care formulations to herbal remedies) to motivate and inspire you from the get-go. We hope you'll revisit these ideas (or try any you may have missed the first time around) and let us know how they go—and stay tuned for more plant-powered content to come! 

Making homemade tahini is both fun and easy. Tahini’s unique flavor can enhance a variety of dishes, most commonly hummus and other dips. With its roasted and ground sesame seeds, this savory and nutty tasting paste is even better when blended with hemp seeds.

The winter season is often a time for travel, holidays, family gatherings, and sometimes battling the germs that can accompany these festivities. During this season of cozy blankets, hot cocoa, and fireside chats, I try my best to keep my family healthy and happy, but it’s not always easy. I live and die by my Grandmother’s “golden rule”: always wash your hands with soap as often as possible. This single action is proven to help prevent the spread of germs and is an effective way to remove pesky bacteria from your hands. All it takes is 20 seconds of hand washing with soap and clean water. I especially like foaming hand soap because it’s easier to use and more fun for the kiddos. You can find a foaming bottle at most stores, or you can repurpose foaming soap bottles that you’ve purchased in the past.

I didn’t grow up eating spicy foods. As embarrassing as this is to admit now, the thought of eating food that was spicy was actually scary to me. I felt like I never knew what I was getting into and as far as I was concerned, eating something too spicy was crossing the line of no return and would ruin my whole meal. That is, until I learned how to properly cook with them!

One crisp autumn day this year I decided to lounge in the hammock in my woodsy backyard. I got to unwind under the trees and take in the gentle senses of a sunny but cool late fall day. It was that time of year when I could see the steam of my breath on the breeze. As the sun set, a chill caressed my skin. Solstice is soon upon us. My inner time goddess takes note of the seasonal passage and makes her declaration: It is time for hot chocolate.