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Short Hill Mountain Medicine is the result of years of support, guidance, and kindness from friends, family, and ultimately the beautiful land I call home. Not to mention the many Herbalist teachers who lovingly share their knowledge through books, demonstrations, and the likes. Many thanks go out to the plants and humans that have taught me along the way.
It's difficult to pinpoint an exact origin date of my herbal medicine journey, however I can distinctly remember a time when I was so overwhelmed with curiosity and joy surrounding the natural world that it changed the course of my evolution forever. I was in Oregon and was being led through the woods by a woman who had a deep connection to this land. I will never forget how she embraced every plant and tree we came across- naming each one and its healing abilities and offering gratitude before we moved on. I knew at that moment that I would never be the same- that I had been shown a way of living that I knew I wanted to be a part of. I had been called back to the land in such a profound way. The door to my own personal healing had been opened and I felt it necessary to embrace this new chapter. In 2018, after my older sister found an ad in a newspaper clipping, I enrolled in my first ever Foundations to Herbal Medicine course at The Green Comfort School of Herbal Medicine in Sperryville Virginia. It was here that I officially stepped into the world of Herbalism and felt empowered to foster relationships with the plants that were growing all around me and to use them as not only medicine, but teachers along the way.
With anything that you love and feel passionately about, it's natural to dive in as deeply as possible. I continue to educate myself through books, podcasts, in person courses, but most of all by practicing at home on a daily basis. I stay curious about what's growing near my home, I pull over to investigate a bush I'm certain is Elderberry, I take notes and pictures as I hike along the Potomac River, I reference my field guides and compare plants to many different teachings from many different herbalists. At home I am constantly exploring new recipes, utilizing both familiar and unfamiliar herbs to try and establish an understanding I can replicate in those moments of need. I am forever a student of the plant world and invite you to come see for yourself how beautiful and healing it is. I am fortunate enough to also farm professionally and so I am offered the ability to interact daily with the plant life around me. The relationship I have built with the flora of the foothills and valley of Southern Appalachia and the unique Blue Ridge Mountains is unlike any relationship I have ever had. I feel deeply embraced in this world and hope to foster a similar feeling for those of you who have decided to try out my products. Everything I make is with deep love and appreciation for the plants and animals that offered their healing capabilities. I approach every recipe with gratitude for the opportunity to heal and empower myself and others.
I truly wish for everyone here the deepest sense of embrace from the natural world because ultimately you are very much a part of the web and embody an inherent purpose.
