03/30/2026
People ask what makes one an herbalist. I would argue that Max Burgess (a phenomenal herbalist in MO) has the answer, linked below: knowing the plants.
In this letter, I’m not throwing shade on interested homesteaders who want to know the basics of making herbal medicine for their families, I promise.♥️ I love sharing knowledge with homesteaders and other beginners—it’s actually my focus! That was me like 7 years ago, a homesteader who was interested in herbs. But I admit, it bothers me when beginners start monetizing and selling their little bit of herbal knowledge, and representing themselves as herbalists or experts to the community. It’s not just bad business, it’s bad stewardship to the art and science of herbalism. It’s a disservice to my profession for subpar or even semi-dangerous herbal preparations to be sold to the public, who will then decide “herbs don’t work.”
👉I know how to process a chicken and feed my family with it, but that doesn’t make me a butcher.😉
Case in point: I once had someone who sells lots of herbal products ask me how to identify an extremely common invasive plant, for which they were already selling the tincture.* Yikes. Another person offered classes on making “tinctures,” but was using glycerine to make them (they were therefore making glycerites, not tinctures, which are much less effective even when made with expertise). How many people were taught incorrectly about what a tincture is and how to make them?
Friends, I get hustle culture. I really do. I sell herbal stuff and eggs and bread and plants and whatever else I can think of to help keep us afloat! And right here on this page I share info about things I might be doing for the very first time. But I try never to misrepresent my knowledge by acting as an expert.
Except in my field. Which is herbalism. I am an herbalist who is also a homesteader. I’m not a homesteader who does herbalism, if that makes sense.
I am only just now beginning to offer some of my herbal preparations and classes to the community, after seven years of serious study of my art. And more importantly, after seven years of growing and foraging and sitting and knowing the plants. Most of the things I make feature native or invasive plants to my area, because those are the plants I know most deeply. And spoiler alert: I still feel Imposter Syndrome on the daily! 🌱
My advice to you as a consumer is to spend your precious dollars on products made by those who know the plants deeply. If you buy a tincture* or salve or any formulated (more than one herb) herbal product from someone, buy from an herbalist. This isn’t an advertisement to buy from me. I offer very little for sale. It’s my honest advice from someone who just wants you to have the best experience possible with plant medicine.
This is my suggestion because an herbalist knows the plants, not just by name, or identification specifics, but also when and how to harvest the plants for maximum potency. An herbalist will know what constituents, what taste, and what herbal action is to be drawn out in the herbal preparation they offer. An herbalist will know how to formulate with several herbs for a desired medicinal outcome when making herbal remedies, or how to work with only one herb in several ways.
Know your plants, my friends. Know them like friends (or purchase from those who do). I wholeheartedly agree with Max Burgess.
Rant over! Love to all! Okies, enjoy what spring ephemerals are still out there and not already dry and crispy from the drought! Last call on herbs like chickweed, cleavers, wild geranium, henbit, purple deadnettle, shepherd’s purse, etc.!♥️🌱♥️🌱♥️
* FYI, It’s actually illegal in the state of OK to sell tinctures without a special liquor license, and doing so puts the seller in legal jeopardy.
Read Max Burgess wonderful post here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/186bR94Gtv/?mibextid=wwXIfr
