Our family farm, nestled in the northwoods of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, is a haven for medicinal plants. We have been stewards of this land for two and a half decades, and it is a joy to continue learning the ecosystems, seasons, and rhythms of life here. The farm is diverse, and we use organic, regenerative, and authentic agricultural techniques to tend fields and hoop houses of produce, herbs, perennials, shiitake mushrooms, pasture-raised pork and poultry, and grass-fed beef. Over the years, we have observed improvements in our soil and increasing biodiversity, both of which have invited wild, health-supporting weeds to flourish.

Arnica montana is an incredible plant called upon in our most common times of need. Specifically, arnica flowers are used topically for bumps, bruises, and muscle soreness. In other words, for basic discomforts of the human experience. It’s so effective, however, that it has made its way onto United Plant Savers’ At-Risk List.  

As with all of the botanicals we carry, we are always seeking the most sustainable ways to source herbs to ensure we are engaging in a practice that is beneficial to our farm partners, our customers, and the environment.  Luckily, we know some incredible farmers, and after many conversations and a years-long commitment of partnership, we were able to commission a plot of this specialty plant to be grown on a farm in Spain.

The threads of the world are fraying. Each day, we lose species, language, soil, and culture. In just a handful of generations, we have been sold the narrative of radical independence: Be the army of one. Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps. Strive for the picket fence and the giant bank account. The philosophy and practice of extractive capitalism have created a world of loneliness and division.

But how do we even begin to imagine and understand the potential for solutions when the problems are so vast?

At Mountain Rose Herbs, we believe business should be a force for good. That’s why we’re proud to be a pilot company for the Purpose Pledge, an initiative uniting values-driven businesses in fairness, accountability, and sustainability.

At Mountain Rose Herbs, we have always prided ourselves on a business model that supports a healthy planet and healthy people. That means always adapting to changing certifications and standards that, thankfully, are becoming more supportive of our core values and environmental stewardship principles. While the concepts and strategies behind it are not new, one of the emerging farming methodologies is Regenerative Agriculture.

Before jumping into all the amazing qualities of American ginseng, I first wanted to share a bit about my personal journey with this plant. For a long time, I did not feel comfortable working with ginseng. A big part of my herbal practice is ensuring that I’m working with herbs in a way that honors the ecological and social impacts of my choices. As you may know, ginseng is on the United Plant Savers’ At-Risk List and is also in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species list, meaning it is at risk of becoming extinct if trade is not better controlled. Ginseng has been on these lists for many years and remains a plant that continues to be overharvested and poached to the point of ecological harm. Yet over the years, several passionate industry peers have stepped up to the challenge of making ginseng sustainable and accessible while not affecting the already threatened wild stands. 

The wild harvesting of botanicals is a practice as old as herbalism itself and many of the cornerstone products here at Mountain Rose Herbs are collected in this tradition. These important herbs may come from the temperate mixed forests of Eastern Europe, shrublands of Africa, or closer to home in the Appalachian Mountains of the United States. 

Organics is not a new concept—it's how humanity sustained itself for millennia. There was a time when we didn't question whether our food was laced with chemicals or genetically altered, yet here we are, living in an era where "organic" has become a movement rather than the norm.

At Mountain Rose Herbs we work hard every year to maintain the TRUE Zero Waste Certification. Our goal is to reduce our environmental footprint and be leaders in responsible business practices. TRUE stands for Total Resource Use and Efficiency. The program is designed to rate how well a facility performs in maximizing efficient use of resources and reducing material being sent to landfill or incineration (Waste to Energy). 

As it grows, a sustainability-minded company strives to become ever more transparent in its actions and accepts accountability for its impact on the environment. The most diligent company will implement a team of individuals from within to analyze these systems, identify potential deficits, and look for ways to mitigate them. Here, at Mountain Rose Herbs, our Green Team does just that.

For many years, we have celebrated Buy Nothing Day. Founded in Canada in 1992, the Buy Nothing Movement arose in protest of mass consumerism and the throw-away culture that accompanies it. The movement has grown and evolved over the past decades to include more than 65 nations. The biggest shopping day of the year—the day after Thanksgiving, or Black Friday—has become the movement’s international day of protest: Buy Nothing Day. Here at Mountain Rose Herbs, we applaud this effort and wholly support Buy Nothing Day! Overconsumption eats up natural resources and puts our planet in peril. As the Owner and President of Mountain Rose Herbs, I encourage you NOT to shop with us on Friday, November 29, 2024. The fact that we, as a society, have created a national holiday of shopping suggests that our priorities need realignment. Buy Nothing Day is our act of pushback.