Borealis Backwoods Apothecary

Borealis Backwoods Apothecary Returning to our natural state as one of balance, wholeness and vitality. Hunting - Fishing - Foraging in the UP

11/16/2025

I hope everyone has a great deer season!🤍🦌❄️

Next batch of preorder marshmallows went into the freeze drier! I love these things soooo much. I’ll be loading up my co...
11/14/2025

Next batch of preorder marshmallows went into the freeze drier! I love these things soooo much. I’ll be loading up my coffee mug in the blind tomorrow morning with some fresh ones. I also put a few jars of fresh marshmallows in the farm stand! These are sooo good and so very good for you. No cane sugar, no corn syrup. Just good honey, marshmallow root, grass fed gelatin, real vanilla and water 😍🤍 Ive been making these for a lot of years and I never get tired of them 😋

Back before marshmallows were turned into what they are today, they were one of the original herbal remedies to aid with coughs and digestive upset in children. Marshmallow root is an amazing herb 🌿

Thank you all SO much! The love you’ve shown with this holiday sale has completely blown me away. Thank you all so much ...
11/13/2025

Thank you all SO much! The love you’ve shown with this holiday sale has completely blown me away. Thank you all so much for continuing to support this passion project and I hope you all love your remedies!! I’ll be continuing to chip away at shipping and closing the sale tomorrow at 7pm.

Ive put some extras in the farm stand as well 🤍🤍

Thank you all again so much and I hope everyone has an amazing weekend 🥰

I bottled up the last of the Usnea glycerite and Winter sunset digestive bitters (one of the main herbs in the blend is ...
11/12/2025

I bottled up the last of the Usnea glycerite and Winter sunset digestive bitters (one of the main herbs in the blend is Usnea) for sale orders today and decided to get another batch going. I came across the most beautiful Usnea Ive ever seen outside of the PNW (the lichen capital 😆) I figured it was time for a recap on this beautiful lichen, and a little informational on other types of lichens.

Usnea is one of those plants (a Lichen rather) that almost feels like it glows during the winter. Far harder to spot during the warmer months, but in the winter is truly stands out and almost seems like its calling out to you. Unless there's a blanket of fresh snow and no wind. Then it's a little more challenging 😆

Usnea is a Lichen, which is a symbiotic relationship of Algae and Fungi. Two completly separate organisms fully capable of living and thriving separately, but coming together when conditions aren't ideal and creating a mutually benifical relationship. They're stronger together and its beautiful. Its nickname is "Lungs of the Forest" as it only grows in clean, pollution free environments. This wonderous Lichen has been used medicinally for thousands of years across the globe. With strong antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties it's been traditionally used to aid with infections from the throat to the lungs and down to the urinary tract. While it's been shown to have incredible antimicrobial properties, it's been shown not to harm the human microbiome which is a rarity! Usnea supports us through the most minor of colds up to the flu. It's also often used for candida overgrowth and vaginal yeast infections as well as ringworm. However, I'd say it's most known for clearing toxic heat in the body and wind in the lungs (respiratory infections-pneumonia ect). It does not have any known contraindications.

This Usnea will go through a slow maceration process and then finish with a heat extraction to extract the polysaccharides 🌿🍄🤗

When most folks hear Lichen they think of Usnea because of it being such a medicinal powerhouse, but there are SO many types of lichens that are way more common too!

You often find lichen on trees that are coming into their last breath. There's a few ways you can tell a tree is coming to the end of its life cycle, aside from the obvious absence of leaves forming in Spring. Often times trees that are in distress are invaded by insects, that in conjunction with the softer bark of a dying tree makes it ideal for wood peckers. If you see wood peckers going after a specific tree you know something is up. Another clue is Lichen growth. Lichens generally appear on trees that are in their death stages. So the trees you'll find them on all show signs of departure (so don't be like me and climb up then 😆)

There's a lot of different types of Lichen. They're basically Seaweed on trees as far as their nutritional powerhouse goes. Far more prevalent and often mixed in with Usnea are Fruticose and Foliose. Most Lichens are edible (but there are a few poisonous kinds), and you do want to stay away from any that have turned orange or yellow. This indicates toxic compounds are present as well as usinic acid.

When consuming other lichens it's a bit if a process. They'll need to be boiled and neutralized before use. For about a cup of Lichen just cover with water and add 1/2 tsp of baking soda to neutralize the acid. Boil for 10 minutes keeping an eye on water levels and then change out the water and continue for 20-30 minutes. You can then use the gelatinous lichen. It's super rich in vitamins and minerals and has been used as food for tens of thousands of years. It's also a great anti inflammatory food. There's even studies being done on deriving antibiotics and sunscreen from lichens. You can use it as a base in lots of dishes like soups, and even dry and powder the gelatinous lichens and use in flour.

The path to the apothecary and sleeping orchard & garden sure was looking pretty this morning ❄️
11/10/2025

The path to the apothecary and sleeping orchard & garden sure was looking pretty this morning ❄️

Thank you all SO much for all the incredible support during this sale. It means so so much! Tomorrow is going to be a cr...
11/09/2025

Thank you all SO much for all the incredible support during this sale. It means so so much! Tomorrow is going to be a crazy busy day getting everyone’s packages out and getting local folks their goodies!

I wanted to also mention a remedy I had added to the site since today was the perfect day for it with this cold front and snow. I have one on my stove as we speak 😍

House steams were something I used regularly when I lived off grid. Something about the kettle simmering away on the wood stove releasing all those aromatics while curling up next to it was a cozy blanket and a good book was just heaven.

I'm a huge fan of herbal steams, especially for colds and allergies. House steams bringing much needed humidity over the winter and ALSO support our respiratory tract and immune system. I used to use a beautiful cast iron kettle on the wood stove to fill with water and herbs. Now I simply use a pot on the stove. An herbal steam for your home, to benefit everyone in the family. To stay well, and fill the home with a beautiful aroma.

This is a beautiful blend of sustainably harvested white cedar and eastern red cedar (juniper), foraged wintergreen, organic apples from our trees, organic ceylon cinnamon, organic cloves, organic star anise, organic oranges and tangerines 🤍

Friends in the Fort! 🤍
11/07/2025

Friends in the Fort! 🤍

Borealis Backwoods Apothecary fans:
Restocks:
Respiratory syrup
Elderberry Aronia syrup
Cramp Relief
Everything’s pine
Censored
Mag butter
Chaga cream
Elderflower rose face cream
Vitamin c and probiotic Naupaka butter
Pitch chest rub
Wild lettuce and kava kava extract
Vitality - NEW
Valerian glycerite - NEW
schisandra
Restore tincture
Parasite tincture
Mag spray
Houttuynia cordata
Ear drops
Baby soothe
Adaptogen glycerite
These are just the restocks! More of your favorites are in stock.
Monday Wednesday Friday 9-4
Saturday 9-2

I wanted to do a quick recap on our mag butter because once again it was a life saver last night. It’s been awhile since...
11/07/2025

I wanted to do a quick recap on our mag butter because once again it was a life saver last night. It’s been awhile since I’ve had restless legs. Normally I get them when I’m pregnant so it’s not very often I get them when I’m not. Last night though I had them in the worst way. After I put my baby down I lathered myself up and snuggled back in and slept like a dream. I used the Tallow mag butter because it’s my go to, but the regular mag butter and our magnesium spray are great options too!

Tallow Magnesium Body Butter- Lymph mover 🌿

It’s a great time for lymphatic support, moving and supporting our elimination systems. Just as our liver & lymph nourishment tincture came about, over the years, I've learned just how interconnected the liver and lymphatic system is. You can not have one functioning without the other. They work together to remove waste, bacteria and viruses, dead tissue, toxins, and so on. Let’s call it the liver and lymph connection. If your liver is suffering, your lymphatic system is also suffering and vice versa. The liver is the largest lymph producing organ. Supporting and nourishing these systems internally is incredibly important. However, you can also support these systems transdermally. My goal was to create a massage butter that can be used both in lymphatic massage as well as conventional massage with the added herbal support to really get the lymph flowing.

Additionally, magnesium is an incredibly important mineral through lymphatic decongestive treatments. It has been shown to play one of the most crucial roles in supporting a healthy lymphatic and immune function. Magnesium is able to get into the lymphatic system beneath the dermis. About 80% of Americans are deficient in magnesium, and this sole deficiency cause so many issues and even other deficiencies! From anxiety, headaches, low energy, insomnia, restless legs, sore muscles, growing pains. The list goes on and on. Magnesium also helps us absorb other vitamins and minerals, so if you're deficient in magnesium, chances are you have other deficiencies too. Studies have shown that the most effective way to up your magnesium is through transdermal application, as it has the best and fastest absorption. Magnesium oil works great but tends to have an unpleasant sting to the skin during application. In this body butter, the magnesium oil is paired with Tallow to help soothe and moisturize the skin as well as increase bioavailability. The soothing nature of tallow allows us to avoid the unpleasant sting that the magnesium oil by itself causes (still, avoid application on open cuts and sensitive areas like the face and such). Tallow plays several roles, though, and aside from allowing for better bioavailability, it also stimulates lymph fluid drainage 🥰

This body butter is crafted with wildcrafted Cedar, Juniper Berries, and Wolfs foot. Extracted in avocado oil. Combined with magnesium and tallow to allow for maximum absorbancy and pine resin for a lovely gentle borealis backwoods scent.

Let's meet the plants!

Wolfs foot is incredibly rich and multi supportive. I won't go too much into it here as I just did a while post on Club moss. However, the reason I included it in this lotion is because it's a wonderful lymphatic mover. Club moss encourages the bodies detoxification.

Cedar purges the lymph nodes and removes harmful toxins which aids in a healthy immune response.

Juniper berries are detoxifiers and cleansers. They aid in lymphatic drainage and circulation. It's especially helpful in clearing congestion in the skin and promoting circulation.

Lastly, a little more on tallow for the skin and PUFA. The healing that tallow offers is backed by time-honored traditions. These are the methods our ancestors used. The original care. Most natural products we use on our skin these days are filled with inflammatory PUFAs, which are unstable and can be toxic to the body. Tallow, on the other hand, is far more balanced and offers stability and slows oxidation. Tallow is also loaded with bioavailable nutrients, both for your skin and internally. Let's go down the rabbit hole of polyunsaturated fatty acids - aka PUFAs.

Skin care products that are made with PUFAs and touted to be anything and everything for our skin. I've certainly used plenty of them for myself, for my family, and in products. They have so many great qualities, and I'm not going to sit here and say they're all bad, but moderation is certainly key as with everything. Essentially, the issue with PUFAs is that they are most times unstable and this leads to oxidation (damage and deterioration) when they're exposed to light, heat or air (so, anytime they're on our skin). Their molecules have double bonds, rendering them weak and easily broken. So why does any of this matter? Well, when these oils on your skin oxidize, it creates a free radical cascade, which damages what may have been previously UNdamaged lipids in your skin. PUFAs have now been identified as the main culprit of cellular damage. In fact, there have actually been studies done of internal use of PUFAs vs not, and how quickly the individual consuming PUFAs skin starts to get damaged and deterioration sets in, because what you eat affects your skin too.

I love this mag butter and its versatility. I hope you all love it as much as I do! And right now it’s on sale!

It’s seed season! The other day I gathered tons of seeds- both veggies and herbs, to start preparing for next year. Gath...
11/06/2025

It’s seed season!

The other day I gathered tons of seeds- both veggies and herbs, to start preparing for next year. Gathering them and putting them in brown bags to make sure they finish drying is the easy part. Next comes sorting and packaging 😅 though, as daunting as that process sometimes seems, working with your hands and doing something monotonous like sorting through herbs or seeds is so important. Especially these days when it seems our brains always have to be entertained by technology. Not only that, but to witness something so small turn into such bounty is a truly miraculous thing to tend to and witness.

Im sure I’ll have extras, and once I get everything sorted I’ll put some out in the farm stand and load a few to the site 😄🤍

And thank you all for an amazing first day of the sale!! Your support gives a lot of little hearts Christmas and keeps this life long passion project alive 🤍

Chaga + Bear Soap This soap is all about sustainability and crafting what's around you for skin medicine, my favorite ki...
11/05/2025

Chaga + Bear Soap

This soap is all about sustainability and crafting what's around you for skin medicine, my favorite kind of remedy making. This soap is cleansing, hydrating, enhancing, protecting and healing the skin from every angle. Loaded with bear tallow. This soap is infused with Chaga in every way possible. From the water portion of the recipe to infusing the tallow with Chaga too to extract both water soluble and fat soluble constituents. I also powdered Chaga and added vanilla bean for slight exfoliation. I used a half gallon of bear tallow in this batch of soap and an entire pound of Chaga!

Chaga has a plethora of benefits topically. From its anti inflammatory properties, to aiding with skin sensitivity and acne (thanks to the kojic acid). The betulinic acid found in Chaga is responsible for its skin cell regenerative properties. Chaga is loaded with antioxidants and nutrients for the skin. It's extremely beneficial to all ages and stages 🥰 I chose bear tallow for this soap as it’s a traditional skin remedy. Bear tallow is incredibly moisturizing and has impressive anti inflammatory qualities. It’s time honored and used for everything from eczema, irritated skin and rashes to winter dryness.

A little recap on Tallow and PUFA. The healing that tallow offers is backed by time honored traditions. These are the methods our ancestors used. The original care. Most natural products we use on our skin these days are filled with inflammatory PUFAs which are unstable and can be toxic to the body. Tallow on the other hand is far more balanced and offers stability and slows oxidation. Tallow is also loaded with bioavailable nutrients, both for your skin and internally. Let's go down the rabbit hole of polyunsaturated fatty acids- aka PUFAs.

Skin care products that are made with PUFAs and touted to be anything and everything for our skin. I've certainly used plenty of them for myself, for my family and in products. They have so many great qualities, and I'm not going to sit here and say they're all bad, but moderation is certainly key as with everything. Essentially, the issue with PUFAs is that they are most times unstable and this leads to oxidation (damage and deterioration) when they're exposed to light, heat or air (so, anytime they're on our skin). Their molecules have double bonds, rendering them weak and easily broken. So why does any of this matter? Well, when these oils on your skin oxidize it creates a free radical cascade which damages what may have been previously UNdamaged lipids in your skin. PUFAs have now been identified as the main culprit of cellular damage. In fact, there have actually been studies done of internal use of PUFAs vs not, and how quickly the individual consuming PUFAs skin starts to get damaged and deterioration sets in, because what you eat affects your skin too.

This is why we made the transition some time ago (however, surprisingly we were already using relatively no PUFAs) to only using MUFAs (monounsaturated fatty acids) and SFAs (saturated fatty acids) aka Tallow!! SFAs have no molecular double bonds, which means there isn't any opportunity for oxygen to squeeze in and oxidation to occur.

The holiday sale is on! The whole website is 30% off until the 14th (or until sold out) Thank you all so much for your l...
11/05/2025

The holiday sale is on! The whole website is 30% off until the 14th (or until sold out)

Thank you all so much for your love and support! 🤍🤍

Address

Cooks, MI

Opening Hours

Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+19064502317

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