Cloverland Botanicals

Golden hour elder flower. 💛🤍

Sambucus nigra.

This is the first year these elders have bloomed and they're still pretty small, so I clipped all the blooms to direct more energy into growth rather than into berries. This was the last cluster to open, and by far the largest. What a treat to stick my face in a cluster of elder flowers nearly the size of my face!

A couple of days ago I finally visited the United Plant Savers sanctuary in southern Ohio after years of loving their work and wanting to visit. Predictably, and in proportion to my excitement, I took far too many photos! Perhaps I will share more at a later date, but here are two favorites.

In addition to just being super cute, these photos are favorites because they capture a sliver of something that was both extremely apparent at the UPS sanctuary and often written out of the human-centric herbal medicine practice in which I find myself most often steeped: medicinal plants are far more than just their use to humans. Obvious? Yes, of course, but it took me a long time to settle into the implications of that, and it still sometimes strikes me as it did during this visit.

For me, one of the biggest implications of that is how our experience of abundance can shift when, instead of just asking what we need, we also ask how big our tended spaces can be. What is my capacity for care, not just in my human community, but also in my ecological community? When we consider ourselves as one small but active part of a vibrant living community rather than consumers of a static and dwindling resource, we grant agency to the other members of that community, we can engage in agreements and compromise, and we can develop mutual trust and mutual care. Don't you already feel more at ease? I know I do.

It's hard work, but every day it feels more worth it. 💚

So nice to meet you, calamus!
Acorus calamus, also known as sweet flag, is a swampy friend, and like many swampy friends is very supportive for swampy situations in the body. Its rhizome is warming, drying, and very aromatic, as well as bit bitter and acrid. It's a weirdo flavor, for sure, and definitely not my favorite, but it also has been used a flavoring agent in food historically. Concerns about certain aspects of its chemistry usually prevent that now, but we can still use small doses judiciously to help shift boggy digestion, mucousy lungs, and some types of foggy thinking.
Thanks to for planting this patch years ago and giving me the tip on where I could have a break from my drive to meet this funky plant!

I've taken an herb walk almost every day since I arrived in Vermont - the new gardens at VCIH (.clinical.herbalism ), Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary, the gardens of my friend and teacher Betzy Bancroft, and my dear friend (and amazing host) Arielle ( ). I've been too excited about some things to remember to take pictures (sorry Goldenseal, I suppose you might prefer to remain hidden anyway), but here are a few highlights! The second photo is an American Chestnut, who I've never met before. It's so exciting to imagine these trees returning to their former place as a major mast source (food for creatures! 🐿️ 🐻) in these forests.

Some flowers make the sun shine brighter. 🧡
Eschscholzia californica, California poppy - totally contented in my crappiest, hottest, sandiest, least nutritious soil!

It bloomed! Epiphyllum oxypetalum, one of several plants that go by the name night blooming cereus. Between thunderstorms and excitement over this, I didn't sleep much last night. 100% worth it!

Oh my gosh it's ~HAPPENING~!! One of my night blooming cereus is about to bloom! There are several species that go by night blooming cereus, I have two, and I believe this one is Epiphyllum oxypetalum. Most of the night blooming cereus species have medicinal use, mostly for heart symptoms, but I only keep them for the heart magic that comes from having them around. When you see the flower, you'll see why!

I'm fairly certain I could happily drown in that color! These vintage peonies do double duty in my garden as a medicinal and as a stunning centerpiece for June bouquets. Beauty is medicine for my heart!

Iris versicolor, waking up! My parents planted this patch when I was a child. It's been pretty much unattended since then, and it's grown to several feet in diameter, with a center so thick it's kind of choking itself out! I should probably split it up, it's clearly happy here. It's also reseeded itself in several other places throughout the old beaver pond turned barely solid swamp. The bitter aromatic rhizomes are a favorite herb of mine - not commonly used, but so perfect in the right situation!

Class coming up next week! Offered live and recorded.

As some of you may know, my partner is a beekeeper (among other hats he wears), and I've been honored to get an up-close look at the hives and hive products over the years he has kept bees. This class will dive into some of the insights I've gained from him that I think all herbalists should know, as well as a review of some of the literature around how we can use the various products these weird little creatures create!

Bee Medicine: Honey, Venom, Propolis, Wax, Pollen, and Royal Jelly with Hannah Rae Behrens | Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism Despite being from an animal, honeybee products are a mainstay in nearly every “herbal” apothecary - honey for tea, beeswax in salves, propolis throat sprays, and so on. But beyond these basics, honeybees are a complex organism with at least six potentially medicinal products to offer, and a his...

Crime scene in the new apothecary. 😆 Prime suspect: Ork, my squeaky little black cat who *begs* for catnip when his guts are feeling crampy. I can't be mad - he came to me quite sick, and catnip is one thing that brings him both relief and joy. I guess I'll have to hide the catnip backstock better next time!

Coming up next week! Offered live and recorded.

Circadian Rhythm Management for Night Shifters, Night Owls, and New Parents with Hannah Rae Behrens | Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism The circadian rhythm is one of the most fundamental rhythms in human physiology. It is one of the major coordinating forces governing sleep, digestion, energy level, blood sugar balance, neurocognitive health, and more. Despite its importance, it is surprisingly easy to disrupt, especially in the mo...

Office and apothecary progress!
I stopped renting office space at the beginning of the pandemic. Since then, everything has been at home, and...it's been a struggle. I've been commandeering a solid 1/3 of the kitchen table, riffling through perpetually disorganized boxes to find supplements and backstock herbs, and searching through at least 3 bookshelves to find whatever herb book I'm looking for. Basically I've been cramming my herbalist life into the corners of the rest of my life! As of this weekend, we finally finished clearing my office of the last of my dad's stuff, scrubbing everything clean, and putting up shelves. Today I got to move herbs in! It feels so good to spread out and organize!
Still to come: more shelving, squishy chairs, better lighting, a sink (!), and better heat.
For now, I'm still practicing almost entirely online, but I'm looking forward to the day when we can safely curl up here together and chat about herbs and bodies and feelings. Unpacking into this space has felt like coming home. I hope you'll feel that too!

*Class offered recorded and live!*
Clear-eyed engagement with science is one of the most important and under-taught skills. And I get it, learning how to navigate search algorithms or paywalls or jargon-filled technical writing is not particularly sexy or awe-inspiring. But once we've peeled back this layer of rather sterile structure, the world of curiosity and awe that opens up to us is quite literally as endless as the universe! Engaging with science in this way deepens our connection to the world around us, inviting us into a deeper and more honest relationship with ourselves, our communities (human and non-), and our planet. In this class, I'll be offering a rundown of practical skills you need to navigate this structure - what you'll find afterwards I can only guess!

Scientific Literacy for Critical Thinkers | Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism Whether you are caring for clients or just for yourself, asking and being asked scientific questions is a near inevitability for herbalists. From seeking reassurance that herbs do in fact work to sussing out the intricacies of herb-drug interactions, scientific questions can take many forms and be a...

Oof. Y'all. I'm not very good at this keeping up with Facebook thing. I really much prefer talking to you individually, hanging out with plants, and reading everything from novels to scientific papers. That last thing is what this post and upcoming class are about - science.

Before I decided to go into clinical herbal care, I spent about 10 years working towards being a conservation biologist, and I *love* science! To me, scientific understanding is a lens through which we can touch and interact with the mysteries around us. It is a practice of humility, curiosity, and, most importantly, jaw-dropping awe, and it shapes so much of our world today.

As a practicing herbalist, scientific literacy is one of my most fundamental skills. Like, empathy is more important, but those really might be my top two! Because of how much of today's world is shaped by scientific understanding, I believe scientific literacy should be a basic skill taught to everyone, but it is especially important for those of us seeking to support the health of ourselves and others. I hope you'll join me!

(Big thanks to my former school, The Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism for hosting this class!)

Scientific Literacy for Critical Thinkers | Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism Whether you are caring for clients or just for yourself, asking and being asked scientific questions is a near inevitability for herbalists. From seeking reassurance that herbs do in fact work to sussing out the intricacies of herb-drug interactions, scientific questions can take many forms and be a...

Happening this Thursday with Carolyn Provencher Acupuncture!

(And again, with a different flower essence, on the first Thursday in November!)

Connect to nature and nourish the soul, with acupuncturist, Carolyn Provencher & clinical herbalist Hannah Rae Behrens for the next Flower Essence Meditation 🌸 Oct 7th at 7pm.

Event: https://fb.me/e/KhUCztJ8

Heads up! Early Bird Special registration ending Wednesday! This is the sweetest dang herb faire I've ever attended! They put on a wonderful virtual faire last year, and I'm sure this year will be even better!

Great Lakes Herb Faire Great Lakes Herb Faire 2021 - Virtual Event

Few topics are as near and dear to my heart as Lyme disease. If you spend time outdoors in the warm months - even just in your lawn - it's something you should be aware of! But with a good plan, it isn't something we need to be fearful of.

I'm so excited to be offering this little class on Lyme disease and what to do about it next week through BeWell Marquette! I hope you can join us either in person or virtually!

Lyme disease can make it a bit scary to spend time outdoors. This workshop is here to ease that fear. In addition to tips for prevention and busting a few Lyme disease myths, we will cover the basics of nutritional, herbal, and pharmaceutical treatment options for both the acute and chronic form of the disease. Deepen your understanding of Lyme disease with this 1-day workshop with Clinical Herbalist, Hannah Rae.

https://www.bewellmqt.com/bookings-checkout/lyme-disease-workshop?referral=service_list_widget

Hey look I'm teaching! I'm still not sure I trust how enthusiastically early spring has appeared to be this year, but the pollen clouds are coming soon and preparation is key to enjoying the warm days anyway!

This extremely late notice brought to you by my un-millenial social media aversion. I mean, really, who can resist this gorgeous weather we've been having??

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