North Star Botanicals

12/05/2024

Looking forward to seeing everyone this Saturday Dec. 7th 9:30-3 at the UCC's Annual Christmas Fair! I'll be there with many of your favorite herbal products from years past along with a few new surprises! Merry, Merry!🌲✨

11/23/2024

If you ever wanted to know more about the plants and Herbalism but didn't know where to begin, Rosemary's course is on sale and it'll be the best investment you'll ever make for yourself and your community!! It was true for me over 25 years ago and it's still true today! 🌿🍄🌲💖

As winter approaches and we all begin to snuggle into our homes, I look forward each year to this special time – the launch of our annual sale! With a deep discount on my home study course, The Science & Art of Herbalism, this is your invitation to start an enriching journey into herbalism.

We’ve heard from so many that these are challenging times. Keeping herbal education affordable and accessible is one of our primary goals.

When you learn how to work with herbs safely and effectively, how to make herbal medicine in your own kitchen, and how to share with your community, you are investing in your future and the generations to come

You are building self-reliance and self-sufficiency.

You are gaining an immense wealth of knowledge and skills that will benefit yourself, your family, and your community in hard times.

Are you ready to build your resilience and learn the skills to be a community herbalist? Join us at https://scienceandartofherbalism.com/annualsale

04/19/2024

Herbalists Day was yesterday but I didn't want folks to miss out on this special offer from Rosemary Gladstar...good through April 28th!

04/06/2023

It's that time of year when we begin to see Ramps (Allium tricoccum) coming up in the Northern Hemisphere! Full of minerals and vitamins A and C, ramps are delicious and versatile...and, importantly, they are on United Plant Savers "At-Risk" List due to their status as a threatened native medicinal plant.

Overharvesting and poaching has decimated local populations to meet the demands of rising culinary popularity in big cities, annual ramp festivals across the eastern U.S., and surging local popularity among foragers and wildcrafters. When you see ramps for sale at the farmers market ask the seller how they source them. Don’t buy ramps that aren’t sustainably sourced or that are harvested with bulbs.

𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆?

If you love ramps, leave them in the ground! Every bulb you dig is cutting short the life of the patch. And remember, it’s okay if you didn’t know before—share your newfound knowledge with others to prevent overharvest in your area.

𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘀, 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴...
🌱 Is there an abundant population?
🌱 Do you have permission to harvest?

𝗢𝗞, 𝘀𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁...
🌱 Harvest leaves only
🌱 No bulbs, folks!
🌱 Take one leaf per plant
🌱 But only from plants with 2+ leaves in an abundant population
🌱 Harvest only what you will use
🌱 Tread lightly—it should look like you weren’t there
🌱 Thank the plants!

𝗔𝗻𝗱, 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸...
🌱 Plant ramp seeds in the fall
🌱 Get bulbs from in spring
🌱 Educate others and share widely!

Bottom line, don’t harvest ramps unless you know what you’re doing. If not, leave them alone. It should look like they haven't been touched. A modest leaf-only harvest ensures the patch is viable for years to come. Your ramp pesto will taste the same with leaves instead of bulbs (the flavor is in the leaves)!

For more information on ramps and sustainable forest farming visit follow United Plant Savers and visit unitedplantsavers.org.

With deep gratitude. 🌱

12/08/2020

Fun memories from last year's UCC Christmas Fair.
There was no fair this year but I'll be scheduling appointments for your gift-giving needs Dec 12th-19th. Email alicia@northstarbotanicals.com

04/20/2020

Hello Everyone! I've been spending much of my time in the gardens and limiting all media in an effort to bolster my personal reserves. I'm incredibly grateful for the return of Spring during these unprecedented times and encourage everyone to get out in nature as much as possible and get your hands in the dirt!. Many of you have reached out for your herbal needs so know that I am still here ready to support you in any way I can. Stay Strong!!

03/11/2020

In addition to Donna's Daily Energy Routine, here are some extra tools to help boost your immune system, flush toxins, and relieve panic during this time. ht...