People who have never homebrewed always ask me why I bother, citing the plethora of amazing craft beer choices available today. While there are a lot of great independent breweries making beers that I adore, nothing beats savoring a glass beer I brewed myself. Plus, homebrewing my own beer ensures I’ll always have access to my favorite styles brewed just the way I like them. Some of my favorite herbal additions include grains of paradise or smoked peppercorns in rustic saison, a big floral pop of chamomile in a Belgian witbier, or adding a kick to a rich stout with bird’s eye chilies and cacao nibs.

In midsummer, our fields of certified organic Echinacea purpurea are a purple blaze as far as the eye can see. The nearly shoulder-high flowers that take root in these Pacific Northwest soils are a pollinator favorite, and native bees and butterflies flock to the fields in droves. The sheer multitude of winged beings that encircle each bloom is an impressive sight to behold—visual proof of the power of organic agriculture.

My partner and I find great joy in sharpening our novice mixology skills in our kitchen overlooking the Douglas fir-covered hills of Eugene, Oregon. Having daily access to thousands of herbal delights at Mountain Rose Herbs has really upped our homemade cocktail game!

The other day, my six year old daughter, Amelia, asked, “Why don’t they have a Kids’ Day?”. This was in response to the fact that Mother’s Day had just passed, and Father’s Day was coming up. I suppose every kid asks this question, and I remember having the same curiosity. In response, like a knee-jerk reaction, I gave the cliché parental rebuttal, “Because every day is Kids’ Day.” Cue the eye-rolls.

Imagine taking the refreshing scent of a whole peppermint plant and putting it into a tiny bottle, or capturing the heart-warming fragrance of rose petals in a single drop. This is the power of pure essential oils, but what makes these plant potions so magical? 

Matcha is an alluring powdered green tea with deep historical roots in Japanese tea ceremonies. Like all true teas, matcha is produced from the tender young leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. The way in which the leaves are grown and processed is what sets matcha apart from other green teas. All matcha is shade-grown, hand-harvested, and quickly steamed. After steaming, the stems and veins are removed from each leaf, and the leaves are then left to dry flat before being stone-ground into a fine powder. Whether whisked hot in the traditional preparation, or combined with milk and honey poured over ice, matcha offers a truly remarkable flavor experience!

Ever since my husband became vegan, I’ve been re-crafting my mother’s recipes, including her scrumptious organic coconut macaroons. My family doesn’t actually have much of a sweet tooth, so when I remove the dairy from recipes, I like to cut down on sugar as well. These egg-free and dairy-free cookies are made with unsweetened, finely-milled organic coconut flakes. In my experience as a macaroon maker, I’ve found that smaller coconut flakes help minimize the amount of flour needed and maximize the amount of delicious coconut flavor. They’re perfect for any occasion! 

Do you take herbal capsules regularly? Did you know that it's super easy (and cost-effective) to make your own? Unlike grabbing a bottle off the store shelf, making capsules at home allows you to know that the herbs you're taking are fresh, organic, free from fillers, and formulated to suit your specific needs. 

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.

Recently, Mountain Rose Herbs visited Devon Young of the Nitty Gritty Life homesteading blog on her beautiful property in Amity, Oregon. Nestled between the rolling green hills of wine country, her charming old-fashioned farmhouse bustles with eight children, a host of farm animals, and some friendly furry pets. Devon truly homesteads (“doing things the hard way”), which means she practices subsistence agriculture as much as possible.