Guess what? I have new tea blends, as well as single herbs, available for sale this holiday season! Pictured here are three blends. The first one pictured is called Tea Party, featuring calendula and bee balm flowers. The second tea featured is called Cool Blue Kitchen Sink, and features oat tops, elderflowers and turns a bright blue colour on brewing. Also pictured is a balanced blend of peppermint and spearmint that I call S'peppearmint. All my teas are made from herbs ecologically grown, harvested and dried in Perth County. I like to add different kinds of mint, nutritive herbs and edible flowers. 10 g of unique herbal tisane in a cute little bag would make a great holiday gift. Just saying. These teas are available for sale on my website: visit my updated webstore at the link in my bio. They are also available at the Gentle Rain Natural Health Food Store in Stratford. I am also selling two mystery blends exclusively for the holidays: sign up to be surprised and hopefully delighted by new tea blends! You can choose between two mystery blends, or buy both.   If you order through my webstore, delivery is free in Stratford and area (including St. Mary’s, Mitchell, Kitchener etc). Flat rate shipping $16 elsewhere in Canada (though if you live in SW Ontario, message me and we can likely work out some delivery)  I am also open to making custom blends as a special gift: DM me if you have something in mind! This holiday season, even if you don’t buy tea from me, please shop small, local and intentional. Every purchase you make from a small business owner goes a long way towards keeping people fed and housed.  #shoplocal #smallbusiness #holidays #teatime

Every year my November treat to myself is to virtually attend the Canadian Herb Conference. I drink tea, catch up on garbling dried herbs and nerd out on presentations by incredible herbalists and fellow plant nerds. This year, I got to contribute a short presentation to the conference: a tour of my drying room/apothecary where I dry and blend teas, as well as some tips on harvesting, drying and blending. The conference is online from November 13-16 (starts tonight!!) . You can check out the schedule and register here: https://herbconference.com/ This year's theme is Diverse Minds, Common Ground. So stoked. @canadian_herb_conference Also, another exciting announcement! My online store is open, just in time for the holiday season. A selection of unique herbal teas and single herbs is available (link in bio). Free local delivery and shipping across Canada. Time to drink tea and nerd out on herbs: an herbalist's two favourite winter activities!

Some late season garden pics: harvesting and drying progresses apace. Stay tuned for info about single herb and tea sales. (Skip the last two pics in carousel if you don't want to see bodacious orb weaver spiders) Pic 1: Calendula (Calendula officinalis) Pic 2: Native Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum muticum) Pic 3: Native Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa) Pic 4: Elecampane (Inula helenium) Pic 5: St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) Pic 6: Garden Sage (Salvia officinalis) Pic 7: Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) Pic 8: Anise Hyssop, possibly hybridized with regular hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) Pic 9: Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata) Pic 10: Full garden shot Pics 11 and 12: some of the gorgeous and humongous orb weavers in my spearmint and lemon balm patches.

Chipping in to help fill up the river. Plants along it are mostly ok, though some (esp the willow trees) are definitely looking a little crispy. We really really need some rain! I nominate Laurie from @stratford_walking_tours and Terran from @terran.ofearth for the Avon Rivet bucket challenge.

Our beloved Avon River and its reservoir Lake Victoria, has been completely drained this week. But there is good news (which I share in this video). The Avon is a tributary of the Thames River, also known as Deshkan Ziibi or Antler River in Anishnaabemowin. It is a special place and an artery of Stratford. For the past few years, I've been leading monthly plant walks along it, talking about plants and history. Our next one is on August 17 come out! Link to register is in my bio. A huge thank you to the Upper Thames Conservation Authority for all that they do to make this waterway so special and healthy. Love your local rivers.

Some announcements/ updates! I'm happy to share that I have completed my clinical hours for the Institute of Traditional Medicine (ITM)'s Therapeutic Western Herbalism program.  I took a pause in between completing the coursework for this program in 2020 and returning to complete my clinical hours in 2023.  Illness, moving cities, starting my business, a global pandemic were all disruptive, and while I often wish I had made more direct and logical life choices, I've also learned a lot from (literally) wandering around in the weeds.  I went back to school because I love learning and never want to stop, but also to improve my clinical skills and offer better health and wellness advice to my community. Thank you so much to everyone in my life (family, friends, acquaintances) that volunteered to be a practice client for me over the last few years: you know who you are, if you ever want to work with me professionally, you get a forever 15% discount on sessions with me. So what's next for Singing Nettles Herbs?  My main offering this summer is monthly plant walks with Stratford Walking Tours: Local History and Local Plants. The third Sunday of every month, we are walking the Avon River and learning about the history of the waterway and parks, the Festival Theatre, and some of the wonderful weeds growing along the bank. Pre-registration is required: link in my bio.  A Season in Place is taking a little sabbatical this summer as Terran is deep into her Masters degree. We might have an offering later in the summer, and will definitely be doing something for Samhain (late October).  I am currently working in the Supplements and Produce Departments at the Gentle Rain: come and say hello!  The garden is having a relaxed year: I am focusing on soil quality, establishing some more perennials and harvesting to build my apothecary.  In the fall, I hope to incorporate a private clinical practice into Singing Nettles and to apply for professional membership in the Ontario Herbalists Association.  But the main thing I will be doing is some resting, and visioning/planning what comes next. Lmk if you have ideas!

Local Plants and Local History: a plant walk with Stratford Walking Tours. This Sunday May 18th at 1pm. We meet by the river at the intersection of Queen St. And Lakeside Drive. Preregistration required: link in bio. Happy Long Weekend!

It is that time of year where I ask people to come be my practice clients for my clinical herbalism hours. I am seeking new people to do intakes but I would also love to hear from anyone who has already done an intake with me. Did you try the formulas or recommendations? Did you love the formula? Did you hate it? Any improvements or changes in conditions? I want to know! DM me for more info or to set up a time. Also if you did an intake with me last semester and I promised to dispense a remedy to you, I am working on it. 2025 has already lasted a million years.