The New England Herbary

43 The Road Was Full of Company

This week's episode is about my nine-day solo road trip to the North Carolina mountains and the Wild Abundance women's carpentry workshop — and I'm bringing the stories home with me. A bear at the threshold of a remote Virginia campsite. A cardinal singing at every window, every morning. A small brown bunny in an Appalachian garden. A circle of women under a timber-and-beam pavilion learning to use a chop saw. And one quiet plant — purple dead-nettle — walking the road alongside me. For more information about Wild Abundance in North Carolina https://www.wildabundance.net/ [https://For%20more%20information%20about%20Wild%20Abundance%20in%20North%20Carolina%20%20https//www.wildabundance.net/] 🌿 Herbs & Favorite Tools (affiliate links — thank you for supporting this work) Herbs featured in this Show: 1. White Dead Nettle Leaf Tea https://amzn.to/3PO0Xyi [https://amzn.to/3PO0Xyi] 2. Purple Dead-Nettle (Lamium purpureum) Packet of 50 seeds https://amzn.to/3PO0Xyi [https://amzn.to/3PO0Xyi] 3. Organic Herbal Oil for Skin | 2oz | Premium Organic Purple Dead Nettle Oil - Natural Face & Body Oil https://amzn.to/4dA5Hjb [https://amzn.to/4dA5Hjb] My favorite tea-making tools: BAYKA French Press Coffee Maker, https://amzn.to/4r4LYNH [https://amzn.to/4r4LYNH] Cold Brew Coffee Filter for Wide Mouth Mason Jar, https://amzn.to/4qWQr4L [https://amzn.to/4qWQr4L] Heat-proof wide-mouth mason jars https://amzn.to/4pNflmq [https://amzn.to/4pNflmq] Walk the seasons with me — join my weekly newsletter at thenewenglandherbary.com. 📚Bookstore - Brenda J. Sullivan Books https://www.brendajsullivanbooks.com/ [https://www.brendajsullivanbooks.com/] 🌱 My Garden Journal – A How-To Garden Book for Kids Because every gardener starts with a single seed — and a little curiosity. My Garden Journal is part how-to guide, part creative keepsake, designed to help children (and their grown-ups) learn the basics of growing food and flowers while documenting their journey. Inside you'll find: * Simple planting guidance * Space for drawings, photos, and notes * Imaginative themed gardens (Harry Potter Herb Garden, Young Chef's Garden, Monarch Butterfly Garden) Perfect for homeschooling families, budding herbalists, and anyone who wants to grow confidence by growing plants. ✨ You'll be amazed at how much you — and your garden — grow when you take time to journal the journey. 🌿 Work With Me 🌙 Herbal Consultations (Now Open) Root your wellness in the wisdom of the plants — and the stars. My one-on-one consultations offer gentle, grounded guidance rooted in traditional herbalism, vitalist principles, and (if you wish) astrology. Each session begins with listening. 👉 Learn more here: https://mailchi.mp/351efb18cd6b/one-on-one-consultations-landing-page [https://mailchi.mp/351efb18cd6b/one-on-one-consultations-landing-page] ☕ Buy Me a Cup of Tea If this story brought you comfort, you can support the channel here: https://buymeacoffee.com/thompsonstg [https://buymeacoffee.com/thompsonstg] 🎶 Music Credits A heartfelt thank you to Alexander Nakarada for the beautiful music featured in this episode. Alexander is a gifted musician whose work I have long admired — and I am proud to support him as a Patreon member. 🎼 Song: Planning - 320bit - September 5, 2021 🔗 https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/ [https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/] 🌿 Stay Connected Website: https://thenewenglandherbary.com/ [https://thenewenglandherbary.com/] Youtube: https://youtube.com/@thenewenglandherbary?si=f7_MB0XEz0vn0Xr [https://youtube.com/@thenewenglandherbary?si=f7_MB0XEz0vn0Xr] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenewenglandherbary/ [https://www.instagram.com/thenewenglandherbary/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578148227744 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578148227744]

42 At the Gate of the Year

I was on the road last week when I recorded this episode. I was hoping to post this on Friday May 1st, but I couldn't make it happen. So it's a few days late and that's okay, because we've arrived at the great Celtic gate — Beltane, the fire festival that opens the light half of the year. May 1st, with the sun newly in Taurus, Uranus freshly in Gemini, and the hawthorn just beginning to bloom, I will walk you through the old threshold of the year and the gentle rituals that carry us across it. In this episode, we explore: * Beltane as one of the two great doorways of the Celtic year (with Samhain as its mirror) * The old bonfire tradition of the Bel-tene — the bright fire — and what it means for us now * How the daily rhythms of April ripen into the rituals of Beltane * Hawthorn as the Beltane tree and the plant of the heart's threshold * Red Clover as a Venus plant, a Taurus herb, and a gentle ally for women in midlife crossings * The Sun in Taurus, the First Quarter Moon, and the historic ingress of Uranus into Gemini * The Scottish and Irish May Dew ritual — how women on Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh greeted May morning for centuries, and how you can practice this old blessing yourself * The kinship between the May Dew, Bach Flower Remedies, and modern moon water — all descending from the same ancient intuition Source acknowledgment: Thank you to Scarlett McQuillan of Linked Magazine for her lovely piece on the Celtic May Dew ritual at Arthur's Seat, which reminded me of this beautiful tradition. You can find her article at http://linkedmagazine.co.uk/celtic-ritual-may-dew/ [http://linkedmagazine.co.uk/celtic-ritual-may-dew/] 🌿 Herbs & Favorite Tools (affiliate links — thank you for supporting this work) Herbs featured in this Show: 1. Dried Hawthorn Berries https://amzn.to/4cSCy20 2. Dried Red Clover Blossoms https://amzn.to/49kmlSf My favorite tea-making tools: BAYKA French Press Coffee Maker, https://amzn.to/4r4LYNH Cold Brew Coffee Filter for Wide Mouth Mason Jar, https://amzn.to/4qWQr4L Heat-proof wide-mouth mason jars https://amzn.to/4pNflmq 📚Bookstore - Brenda J. Sullivan Books https://www.brendajsullivanbooks.com/ 🌱 My Garden Journal – A How-To Garden Book for Kids Because every gardener starts with a single seed — and a little curiosity. My Garden Journal is part how-to guide, part creative keepsake, designed to help children (and their grown-ups) learn the basics of growing food and flowers while documenting their journey. Inside you'll find: * Simple planting guidance * Space for drawings, photos, and notes * Imaginative themed gardens (Harry Potter Herb Garden, Young Chef's Garden, Monarch Butterfly Garden) Perfect for homeschooling families, budding herbalists, and anyone who wants to grow confidence by growing plants. ✨ You'll be amazed at how much you — and your garden — grow when you take time to journal the journey. 🌿 Work With Me 🌙 Herbal Consultations (Now Open) Root your wellness in the wisdom of the plants — and the stars. My one-on-one consultations offer gentle, grounded guidance rooted in traditional herbalism, vitalist principles, and (if you wish) astrology. Each session begins with listening. 👉 Learn more here: https://mailchi.mp/351efb18cd6b/one-on-one-consultations-landing-page [https://mailchi.mp/351efb18cd6b/one-on-one-consultations-landing-page] 🌿 Join Me on Patreon Support this work and receive exclusive herbal & holistic content ✨ Membership includes:✔ Monthly herbal & lunar insights✔ DIY recipes & printable guides✔ Free class replays✔ Bi-annual personalized herbal consultations (Tier 3) Membership can be as little as a cup of coffee ☕️ 👉 Join here: https://patreon.com/ThompsonStreetFarm?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink ♈ FREE Zodiac Herbs Guide Unlock the secrets of personalized wellness with my free Zodiac Herbs Guide. https://www.brendajsullivanteach.com/zodiacherbguidefreebieor [https://www.brendajsullivanteach.com/zodiacherbguidefreebieor] ☕ Buy Me a Cup of Tea If this story brought you comfort, you can support the channel here: https://buymeacoffee.com/thompsonstg [https://buymeacoffee.com/thompsonstg] 🎶 Music Credits A heartfelt thank you to Alexander Nakarada for the beautiful music featured in this episode. Alexander is a gifted musician whose work I have long admired — and I am proud to support him as a Patreon member. 🎼 Song: Planning - 320bit - September 5, 2021 🔗 https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/ [https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/] 🌿 Stay Connected Website: https://thenewenglandherbary.com/ [https://thenewenglandherbary.com/] Youtube: https://youtube.com/@thenewenglandherbary?si=f7_MB0XEz0vn0Xr [https://youtube.com/@thenewenglandherbary?si=f7_MB0XEz0vn0Xr] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenewenglandherbary/ [https://www.instagram.com/thenewenglandherbary/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578148227744 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578148227744] Thompson Street Farm LLC is the parent company of the New England Herbary: https://thompsonstreetfarm.com/ [https://thompsonstreetfarm.com/] 💬 I'd love to hear how this story landed for you. Feel free to share your reflections in the comments.

41 Creating Seasonal Rhythms: Herbs & the New Moon in Aries

"For those of us navigating intensity — planetary, personal, or simply the wild energy of early spring — they offer exactly what Aries fire sometimes forgets to give itself: steadiness, and release." The New Moon in Aries arrived on April 17th — and just the day before, the Sun and Chiron came together in a rare and potent alignment called a cazimi. If this past week felt tender, intense, or quietly transformative, you're not imagining things. In this episode, we sit with the energy of this threshold moment and explore what it means to create small, seasonal rhythms that ground us in the turning of the year. We'll talk about the difference between a routine and a rhythm, a gentle New Moon practice to try this week, and two herbs that have been my constant companions through this fiery Aries season — Wood Betony and Blue Vervain — and why they may be exactly what your nervous system is asking for right now. 🌿 Herbs & Favorite Tools (affiliate links — thank you for supporting this work) Herbs featured in this Show: 1. Wood Betony (Stachys Officinalis) https://amzn.to/4clVtna 2. Blue Vervain (Verbena Hastata) https://amzn.to/4myCede 3. Wood Betony (Stachys Officinalis) Tincture https://amzn.to/4cwWhUL 4. Blue Vervain (Verbena Hastata) Tincture https://amzn.to/4dW8vsK My favorite tea-making tools: BAYKA French Press Coffee Maker, https://amzn.to/4r4LYNH Cold Brew Coffee Filter for Wide Mouth Mason Jar, https://amzn.to/4qWQr4L Heat-proof wide-mouth mason jars https://amzn.to/4pNflmq 📚Bookstore - Brenda J. Sullivan Books https://www.brendajsullivanbooks.com/ 🌱 My Garden Journal – A How-To Garden Book for Kids Because every gardener starts with a single seed — and a little curiosity. My Garden Journal is part how-to guide, part creative keepsake, designed to help children (and their grown-ups) learn the basics of growing food and flowers while documenting their journey. Inside you'll find: * Simple planting guidance * Space for drawings, photos, and notes * Imaginative themed gardens (Harry Potter Herb Garden, Young Chef's Garden, Monarch Butterfly Garden) Perfect for homeschooling families, budding herbalists, and anyone who wants to grow confidence by growing plants. ✨ You'll be amazed at how much you — and your garden — grow when you take time to journal the journey. 🌿 Work With Me 🌙 Herbal Consultations (Now Open) Root your wellness in the wisdom of the plants — and the stars. My one-on-one consultations offer gentle, grounded guidance rooted in traditional herbalism, vitalist principles, and (if you wish) astrology. Each session begins with listening. 👉 Learn more here: https://mailchi.mp/351efb18cd6b/one-on-one-consultations-landing-page [https://mailchi.mp/351efb18cd6b/one-on-one-consultations-landing-page] 🌿 Join Me on Patreon Support this work and receive exclusive herbal & holistic content ✨ Membership includes:✔ Monthly herbal & lunar insights✔ DIY recipes & printable guides✔ Free class replays✔ Bi-annual personalized herbal consultations (Tier 3) Membership can be as little as a cup of coffee ☕️ 👉 Join here: https://patreon.com/ThompsonStreetFarm?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink ♈ FREE Zodiac Herbs Guide Unlock the secrets of personalized wellness with my free Zodiac Herbs Guide. https://www.brendajsullivanteach.com/zodiacherbguidefreebieor [https://www.brendajsullivanteach.com/zodiacherbguidefreebieor] ☕ Buy Me a Cup of Tea If this story brought you comfort, you can support the channel here: https://buymeacoffee.com/thompsonstg [https://buymeacoffee.com/thompsonstg] 🎶 Music Credits A heartfelt thank you to Alexander Nakarada for the beautiful music featured in this episode. Alexander is a gifted musician whose work I have long admired — and I am proud to support him as a Patreon member. 🎼 Song: Planning - 320bit - September 5, 2021 🔗 https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/ [https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/] 🌿 Stay Connected Website: https://thenewenglandherbary.com/ [https://thenewenglandherbary.com/] Youtube: https://youtube.com/@thenewenglandherbary?si=f7_MB0XEz0vn0Xr [https://youtube.com/@thenewenglandherbary?si=f7_MB0XEz0vn0Xr] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenewenglandherbary/ [https://www.instagram.com/thenewenglandherbary/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578148227744 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578148227744] Thompson Street Farm LLC is the parent company of the New England Herbary: https://thompsonstreetfarm.com/ [https://thompsonstreetfarm.com/] 💬 I'd love to hear how this story landed for you. Feel free to share your reflections in the comments.

40 Fierce and Nourishing: What Nettles and Dandelion Teach Us About Strength

"Dandelion is the plant that will not be erased. Every attempt to remove her simply disperses her further — her seeds carried on the wind, landing in new places, beginning again." April is a season of fire and contradiction — warm one afternoon, cold the next, full of urgency and uncertainty in equal measure. In this episode, we settle into the waning moon energy of mid-April and turn to two of spring's most fierce and nourishing plant allies for guidance. We explore stinging nettle — why this week may be the most important harvest window of the entire year, how to find her, how to use her, and what she offers the adrenal-weary body in Aries season. We also spend time with dandelion leaf and flower in their spring expression — bright, bitter, solar, and deeply cleansing after the long heaviness of winter. Along the way we touch on the Aries stellium and what it means to tend yourself in a season that wants to burn hot, the vitalist tradition of nourishing before launching, and a simple waning moon practice to carry you toward the New Moon on April 17th. This episode is for every woman who knows she needs to fill the well — and is finally ready to let the plants help her do it. 🌿 Herbs & Favorite Tools (affiliate links — thank you for supporting this work) Herbs featured in this Show: 1. Dandelion Leaf https://amzn.to/422orCk 2. Nettles https://amzn.to/3ObOWSH 3. Table Top Hydroponics https://amzn.to/4tFxLrQ My favorite tea-making tools: BAYKA French Press Coffee Maker, https://amzn.to/4r4LYNH Cold Brew Coffee Filter for Wide Mouth Mason Jar, https://amzn.to/4qWQr4L Heat-proof wide-mouth mason jars https://amzn.to/4pNflmq [https://amzn.to/4pNflmq] 📚Bookstore - Brenda J. Sullivan Books https://www.brendajsullivanbooks.com/ [https://www.brendajsullivanbooks.com/] 🌱 My Garden Journal – A How-To Garden Book for Kids Because every gardener starts with a single seed — and a little curiosity. My Garden Journal is part how-to guide, part creative keepsake, designed to help children (and their grown-ups) learn the basics of growing food and flowers while documenting their journey. Inside you'll find: * Simple planting guidance * Space for drawings, photos, and notes * Imaginative themed gardens (Harry Potter Herb Garden, Young Chef's Garden, Monarch Butterfly Garden) Perfect for homeschooling families, budding herbalists, and anyone who wants to grow confidence by growing plants. ✨ You'll be amazed at how much you — and your garden — grow when you take time to journal the journey. 🌿 Work With Me 🌙 Herbal Consultations (Now Open) Root your wellness in the wisdom of the plants — and the stars. My one-on-one consultations offer gentle, grounded guidance rooted in traditional herbalism, vitalist principles, and (if you wish) astrology. Each session begins with listening. 👉 Learn more here: https://mailchi.mp/351efb18cd6b/one-on-one-consultations-landing-page [https://mailchi.mp/351efb18cd6b/one-on-one-consultations-landing-page] 🌿 Join Me on Patreon Support this work and receive exclusive herbal & holistic content ✨ Membership includes:✔ Monthly herbal & lunar insights✔ DIY recipes & printable guides✔ Free class replays✔ Bi-annual personalized herbal consultations (Tier 3) Membership can be as little as a cup of coffee ☕️ 👉 Join here: https://patreon.com/ThompsonStreetFarm?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink ♈ FREE Zodiac Herbs Guide Unlock the secrets of personalized wellness with my free Zodiac Herbs Guide. https://www.brendajsullivanteach.com/zodiacherbguidefreebieor [https://www.brendajsullivanteach.com/zodiacherbguidefreebieor] ☕ Buy Me a Cup of Tea If this story brought you comfort, you can support the channel here: https://buymeacoffee.com/thompsonstg [https://buymeacoffee.com/thompsonstg] 🎶 Music Credits A heartfelt thank you to Alexander Nakarada for the music featured in this story. I am a Patreon supporter of Alexander's work. 🎼 Song: Planning - 320bit - September 5, 2021 🔗 https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/ [https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/] 🌿 Stay Connected Website: https://thenewenglandherbary.com/ [https://thenewenglandherbary.com/] Youtube: https://youtube.com/@thenewenglandherbary?si=f7_MB0XEz0vn0Xr [https://youtube.com/@thenewenglandherbary?si=f7_MB0XEz0vn0Xr] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenewenglandherbary/ [https://www.instagram.com/thenewenglandherbary/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578148227744 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578148227744] Thompson Street Farm LLC is the parent company of the New England Herbary: https://thompsonstreetfarm.com/ [https://thompsonstreetfarm.com/]

39 First Light: A Celtic Herbalist's Easter Morning

On this Easter Sunday, herbalist and Celtic seasonal guide Brenda Sullivan invites you into the quiet of early morning — before the world wakes, before the day begins — to explore the oldest layers of this beloved threshold holiday. In this special 50-minute episode, Brenda weaves together the ancient story of Eostre, the dawn goddess of the spring threshold, with the remarkable astronomy of Easter itself — including the Full Moon that set its date just three days ago — and the healing herbs that are pushing up through the April soil right now, offering their medicine to anyone willing to bend down and look. You'll discover why Easter has always been anchored to the moon, meet the bitter herbs of spring (dandelion, burdock, wild lettuce, and parsley) as teachers of clearing and renewal, and sit with the tender herbs (violet, chickweed, and cleavers) as companions for the softer work of opening after a long winter. This episode is for every woman standing at her own threshold this spring — whether you celebrate Easter, honor the Celtic Wheel, or simply came here for the herbs and the stillness. 🌿 Herbs & Favorite Tools (affiliate links — thank you for supporting this work) Herbs featured in this Show: 1. Burdock Root https://amzn.to/47MUbii 2. Dandelion https://amzn.to/4dB40nf 3. Wild lettuce https://amzn.to/4e41Xbi 4. Parsley https://amzn.to/41fwiw4 5. Violet https://amzn.to/4seI7xm 6. Chickweed https://amzn.to/47Ik9DB 7. Cleavers https://amzn.to/3O08eKG My favorite tea-making tools: BAYKA French Press Coffee Maker, https://amzn.to/4r4LYNH Cold Brew Coffee Filter for Wide Mouth Mason Jar, https://amzn.to/4qWQr4L Heat-proof wide-mouth mason jars https://amzn.to/4pNflmq 📚Bookstore - Brenda J. Sullivan Books https://www.brendajsullivanbooks.com/ 🌱 My Garden Journal – A How-To Garden Book for Kids Because every gardener starts with a single seed — and a little curiosity. My Garden Journal is part how-to guide, part creative keepsake, designed to help children (and their grown-ups) learn the basics of growing food and flowers while documenting their journey. Inside you'll find: * Simple planting guidance * Space for drawings, photos, and notes * Imaginative themed gardens (Harry Potter Herb Garden, Young Chef's Garden, Monarch Butterfly Garden) Perfect for homeschooling families, budding herbalists, and anyone who wants to grow confidence by growing plants. ✨ You'll be amazed at how much you — and your garden — grow when you take time to journal the journey. 🌿 Work With Me 🌙 Herbal Consultations (Now Open) Root your wellness in the wisdom of the plants — and the stars. My one-on-one consultations offer gentle, grounded guidance rooted in traditional herbalism, vitalist principles, and (if you wish) astrology. Each session begins with listening. 👉 Learn more here: https://mailchi.mp/351efb18cd6b/one-on-one-consultations-landing-page [https://mailchi.mp/351efb18cd6b/one-on-one-consultations-landing-page] 🌿 Join Me on Patreon Support this work and receive exclusive herbal & holistic content ✨ Membership includes:✔ Monthly herbal & lunar insights✔ DIY recipes & printable guides✔ Free class replays✔ Bi-annual personalized herbal consultations (Tier 3) Membership can be as little as a cup of coffee ☕️ 👉 Join here: https://patreon.com/ThompsonStreetFarm?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink ♈ FREE Zodiac Herbs Guide Unlock the secrets of personalized wellness with my free Zodiac Herbs Guide. https://www.brendajsullivanteach.com/zodiacherbguidefreebieor [https://www.brendajsullivanteach.com/zodiacherbguidefreebieor] ☕ Buy Me a Cup of Tea If this story brought you comfort, you can support the channel here: https://buymeacoffee.com/thompsonstg [https://buymeacoffee.com/thompsonstg] 🎶 Music Credits A heartfelt thank you to Alexander Nakarada for the music featured in this story. I am a Patreon supporter of Alexander's work. 🎼 Song: Planning - 320bit - September 5, 2021 🔗 https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/ [https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/] 🌿 Stay Connected Website: https://thenewenglandherbary.com/ [https://thenewenglandherbary.com/] Youtube: https://youtube.com/@thenewenglandherbary?si=f7_MB0XEz0vn0Xr [https://youtube.com/@thenewenglandherbary?si=f7_MB0XEz0vn0Xr] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenewenglandherbary/ [https://www.instagram.com/thenewenglandherbary/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578148227744 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578148227744] Thompson Street Farm LLC is the parent company of the New England Herbary: https://thompsonstreetfarm.com/ [https://thompsonstreetfarm.com/] 💬 I'd love to hear how this story landed for you. Feel free to share your reflections in the comments.