Caffeine is a way of life in modern western culture. The philosopher Terence McKenna once jokingly quipped that if caffeine were to disappear from the western diet the economy might collapse due to no one getting any work done! Here at Mountain Rose Herbs, we certainly enjoy our organic black and green teas, organic yerba mate, and even organic, fairly traded coffee. Some of us like to get creative with our caffeine intake, and guarana seed offers an excellent alternative.

Growing up, game night was one of my favorite things. Whether playing at a campground with my family by lantern light, or in my living room on a winter evening with friends while sipping hot cider, game night was something special to look forward to all year long. Much of the magic of game night was found in gathering with others and sharing the same activity. Now as a parent, I know that one of the best things about board games is how they engage our brains and cognitive process. What a great thing to combine that wonderful benefit with my love of herbs.

Vanilla beans are the ripened fruit of the tropical orchid Vanilla planifolia. This is the only orchid in the world that produces an edible fruit. Over the last year, we have seen prices more than double for this culinary favorite.

A sip of herbal tea or a dropperful of tincture can be the catalyst for a lifelong pursuit of herbalism. Many of us begin our studies making these simple and effective preparations, yet basic concepts sometimes become complicated when trying to decipher Latin binomial nomenclature, formulations, physiological actions, and historical research. The most common mix-ups arise from misused terminology, and one term that tends to be applied to a variety of preparations is tincture.

Call me frugal, but I love to save money. Nourishing herbal infusions are a great way to add a bit of extra botanical sustenance into your life without spending a lot of cash. Drinking herbal infusions has been a regular practice of mine for years now. 

Here at Mountain Rose Herbs, we are extremely passionate about protecting our wildlands and seeing that our valuable botanical allies are preserved for future generations. For the past few years we’ve been participating in the Forest Grown Verified program in partnership with our friends at United Plant Savers.

Though we have been spending some time prepping our garden beds, the reality is that it will still be fairly cold at night for the next few weeks. And what better way to pass the cold early spring nights than reading one of the new herbal books that we’ve added to our botanical library?

As someone who has needed to navigate the world of challenging and limited diets, I often depend on bitters to encourage the healthy digestion my body so regularly denies me. When I "oops" on something that doesn’t settle well with my tummy, I reach for one of my favorite bitters. If there isn’t a bottle of Urban Moonshine’s Original formula around, I make my own!

We have two wonderful new products for all the new mamas out there from our friends at Wild Carrot Herbals in Eastern Oregon: a soothing Botanical Baby Powder and the inimitable Calendula Nipple Whip.

The Winter Solstice is just around the corner, and we are slowly adjusting to the mounting darkness. One of our favorite things to do this time of year is to pull up a comfy seat in front of the fire, brew a cup of our herbal tea, and curl up with a good book.

Fall is my favorite time of year. We find more time to spend with family and friends, indulge in lovingly-prepared meals that feature the abundance of the harvest, and light the first warm, cozy fires of the season. For me, the focus on the harvest extends beyond food and crops: we also gather community, stories of summer, projects, and hopes for the coming year.