Earth Day is almost upon us, and I’ve already heard about all kinds of activities like tree plantings, the March for Science in D.C., river clean-ups, and community garden workdays. April 22 has become a globally-recognized holiday to celebrate the natural environment, raise eco-awareness, and create positive change for the environmental movement. Have you decided what you’re going to do for Earth Day?

We are so passionate about organic agriculture and quality herbs that we make regular trips to visit our growers. And we always have a blast! Not only does it expand our understanding of our farmers and what we can do to support them, but it also gives us a chance to make sure that the highest quality processing starts before the goods arrive at our facility. This time around, we got to go behind-the-scenes to see how our amazing hydrosols are made.

Here at Mountain Rose Herbs, we do everything we can to reduce our energy consumption. From powering our facilities with a 100-panel solar array to supporting our local utility’s Greenpower program. However, despite our hard work, we still end up releasing some greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

A “Farm To Table” Tea Meeting

In November, we had the great honor of hosting a delegation of tea marketers and producers from Eugene’s Sister City of Kakegawa, Japan. The group carefully prepared and served Fukamushicha (deep steamed green tea) for members of the Mountain Rose Herbs team.

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Alternative wellness philosophies often ask “what is the root cause?” By assessing the root cause, one can take proactive measures towards health and well-being. In the case of Oregon grape, the root of this plant has been used by traditional healers to stimulate the digestive tract. Oregon grape root is classified as an Alterative and a Bitter in the tradition of neo-eclectic herbalism popularized by Michael Moore, Howie Brounstein, and many others.

The holidays are the most giving and generous time of the year. They are also the most wasteful. Between Thanksgiving and New Years, Americans throw out about 25 million tons more trash than normal -- a 25 percent increase over the rest of the year. We can change that!

Earlier this fall, we visited our farm that straddles both Oregon and Washington, interrupted by the blue Columbia River running down its middle. The farm's verdant green fields shone brightly against brown, parched hillsides that stretched as far as the eye could see. The irrigated fields provided relief to the eyes, a soft green that promised healthy harvests yet to come.

Help us climb the mountain and save the Elliott State Forest!

I grew up exploring the forest in my backyard, splashing in creeks, climbing trees, and playing imaginary games. Throughout my childhood, we took family hiking and camping trips in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Access to public lands allowed me and countless others to connect with nature. Those experiences shaped who I am.

Chief Operations Officer, Jennifer, visits with a group of Fair for Life farmers on this intercropped forest farm with yearround harvestability in three stories of the forest canopy.

Increasing demand for spices acquired from tree barks, such as our beloved cassia (a.k.a. cinnamon) is putting many tree species in peril worldwide. At Mountain Rose Herbs, we are passionate about supporting sustainable harvesting that preserves the life and integrity of the tree, rather than killing it. Our Fair for Life Project farmers in India use methods that are unconventional, harvesting only small sections of the tree bark and then allowing the tree to heal completely before taking more.

A proud Fair for Life farmer shows off our certified organic nutmeg and mace fruits.

The smiles on the faces of the farmers as I handed them organic cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, and clove saplings were ear-to-ear grins. Today, I had the pleasure of hand-delivering the saplings to one of the 60 farms we collaborate with as part of our innovative Fair for Life Project.

It's Organically Grown in Oregon Week!

Mountain Rose Herbs carries many certified organic herbs, and we’re proud to be a part of Oregon's thriving organic industry! Help us celebrate the 28th Annual Organically Grown in Oregon Week (September 11-17, 2016), a tradition that began in 1988 as a means for acknowledging Oregon's organic industry and leaders of the organic movement.