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by Josia DeChiara Back in September 2017, I decided to do some googling to find out what other organizations around the Somerville area were involved in urban farming and gardening work. I stumbled upon the Herbstalk website, began talking to Steph about various ways the two organizations could work together, and the rest is history! Groundwork Somerville is an environmental justice nonprofit based out of Union Square, whose mission is to create a cleaner, greener, healthier, more equitable Somerville. Our programs fall into three main categories: Youth Programs, Food and Farms, and Sustainable Environment. Within the Youth Programs, we have our Green Team and the Schoolyard Gardens. The Green Team works on projects in urban agriculture, environmental justice, and civic engagement. Green Team Members develop leadership and job skills while building a team and serving their community. The Green Team grows the leadership potential of Somerville youth to work for environmental and social justice. Our Schoolyard Gardens program brings year-round garden-based education to children from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade. Groundwork Somerville manages gardens at all nine of the city’s public elementary and middle schools, a public charter school, and a public library. In both in-school and after-school programs, children learn to plan, plant, tend, harvest, and cook food from their own school gardens.  After teaching a workshop at the winter Herbstalk Herbal Marketplace on sensory engagement and social-emotional skills development through herbs and gardens, Herbstalk generously donated funds for a large order of herb seedlings from Muddy River Herbals. As a tiny organization, we do not have the capacity to start our own seedlings, so having the opportunity to source and grow more uncommon herbs was incredibly exciting! We try to have at least a small herb section at each of our school garden sites, but typically are not able to include anything more than culinary herbs like mint, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Now, at all of our larger garden sites, we will have a deluxe herb garden, thanks to Herbstalk and Muddy River Herbals! The Food and Farms program is focused on our quarter-acre urban farm, South Street Farm, and a new growing space at ArtFarm, a former waste transfer site on Poplar Street being converted into a space for art and urban agriculture to cohabitate and create novel community spaces. At both of these sites, we grow food to supply the Somerville Mobile Farmer’s Market. The majority of this food is grown as part of our World Crops program. We currently have five mentor farmers, each of whom bring experience cultivating crops from their countries of origin. With their oversight, we are working to demonstrate the economic viability of cultivating culturally relevant crops for larger farms, as well as supplying these foods to the Somerville community through the mobile market. Included in our seedling order from Muddy River Herbals were epazote (Dysphania ambrosioides) and culantro (Eryngium foetidum), two herbs that we are adding to our World Crops repertoire. Epazote is native to central and south America, where it is used both for culinary and medicinal purposes. Culantro is a culinary and medicinal herb grown and used in the West Indies, many countries in Latin America, as well as Vietnam.
Our Sustainable Environment program is the most broad, and includes monthly “Cleaning and Greening” Days of drop-in volunteer site cleanups and our ongoing collaboration with Bike to the Sea, Inc. on developing the Northern Strand Community Bike Trail. This bike trail, when complete, will connect Everett, Malden, Saugus, Lynn, and Revere, creating a bike friendly path to the sea. How can one get involved with Groundwork Somerville? Thanks for asking!
  Josia DeChiara is the AmeriCorps Youth Education Coordinator at Groundwork Somerville, coordinating the Schoolyard Gardens and Maple Syrup Project. Josia's childhood passion for playing with and learning about plants and soil turned into a degree in ecology from Hampshire College. Josia has worked for many environmental education programs over the years, and hopes to inspire awe for the natural world in many others. When not outside with children, Josia can be found riding and fixing bicycles, exploring swimming spots, contra dancing, making kombucha, or reading about traditional ecological knowledge.
 by Jenny Hauf I’ve spent much of this May feeling out of place, with a scarf around my neck and a breath that turns white before disappearing into the early evening. Don’t get me wrong: as a farmer, gardener, and fighter for New England’s ecological health I am relieved that we’ve finally gotten enough rain to sate Massachusetts out of a devastating drought. However, I’m also anxious for soil that is dry and warm enough to start our field work. Despite the nippy weather and sunless days I’ve recognized this sweet month for its heavy blossoms, breezes that smell like pine and lilac, and the annual tradition planting the Herbstalk Community Gardens. For four years Steph and I have been joined by a group of lovely women who have helped us design, create, and tend tiny herb gardens throughout the Boston area. A few of the gardens live in full raised beds lovingly built by members of our crew while others consist of a few terracotta pots and window boxes. Regardless of size each plot is unique and jam-packed with dearly loved medicinal (and often delectable) plant friends. Elissa’s raised bed at Saint Mary’s in Dorchester is calm and simple; a reverie nestled into a corner of the church’s stone walls and elegantly planted with lavender, calendula, chamomile, and mugwort (which found its own way into the garden on its own). Maggie’s garden is in the playground across from Chilacates in Jamaica Plain, packed with seedlings from calendula, feverfew, and marshmallow mothers planted years ago that keep on providing us with leafy daughters. My own garden at ZAZ in Hyde Park consists of a collection of two window boxes and two wide and elegantly squat terracotta pots, brimming over with culinary herbs used by ZAZ’s chef, Olrie Roberts, in his new American fusion dishes. This year we set him up with ginger mint, lemon and English thyme, holy basil grown from seed, lemongrass, and other deliciously healing plants. While the women of the garden crew each have our “own” gardens we are merely stewards of plots that we maintain for the greater Boston community. We welcome visitors and passersby to harvest handfuls for their own use—a wee sprig of tulsi from Mal’s vertical garden at Somerville’s Bloc 11, say, or some anise hyssop from boxes and barrels at Gail Ann’s in Arlington Center. Soon the chamomile flowers in JP and Dorchester will be ready for the plucking, and in about a month Maggie’s Stonybrook garden (our flagship bed) will have lemon balm that’s big enough to start pinching for the iced teas of summer. Whether you are new to herbs, a practicing herbalist, or a dabbling cook or tea maker, we hope that you visit our gardens this year and take some time to smell their sweetness and perhaps take a little souvenir home for your teapot, saucepan, or salad bowl. For more information on the Herbstalk Community Gardens Project, including ways to volunteer, please visit our gardens page.
 Jennifer Hauf, grower and owner of Muddy River Herbals, is a farmer and writer living in Boston. As part of our Herbstalk garden team, she also ensures that pockets of herbs thrive around the city. A transplant from the rustbelt of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, she grew up in love with the life around her, especially as seen in her father’s and grandparents’ gardens. She began using herbal medicine a decade ago, and has been tending to herbs on farms and gardens since 2006. When not elbow-deep in the dirt she writes about urban ecology at her blog, Spokes and Petals, spins wool and bicycle tires, and occasionally hammers out a tune on her banjo. She is available for gardening consultations, workshops, and freelance work.
 To help you continue your herbal education throughout the next few months we've compiled a list of upcoming herb classes being offered by our Herbstalk teachers over the fall months.
And what a list it is! Here you go... Lyme Disease Practitioner Training Sept. 9, Sept. 23, Oct. 7, Oct. 22, Nov. 4, Nov. 19; 6:30-9:30pm 4 Minebrook Rd. Lincoln, MA MORE INFO From the Roots Up: A Course in Bioregional Herbalism Fall Session: Sept. 13, Oct. 11, Nov. 1 Amherst/Northampton, MA Area MORE INFO Back to School: Herbal Support for Memory and Focus September 14th 2015 Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, 252 Main St. Montpelier, VT MORE INFO Everyday Immunity with Herbs September 16: 6:30 - 8pm Davis Square, Somerville, MA MORE INFO Herbs for Pregnancy and Birthworkers Wednesday, September 16th - 7:00pm CommonWealth Center for Holistic Herbalism MORE INFO Awakening the Spiritual Heart Intensive Sept. 16, Oct. 14, Nov. 11, Dec. 2 4 StonyBrook Rd., Arlington, MA MORE INFO Fall Wild Herb Day Sept. 20, 3:00-7:00 p.m. Littleton, MA (address provided upon registration) MORE INFO Herbs for Pets Wednesday, September 23rd - 7:00pm CommonWealth Center for Holistic Herbalism MORE INFO Book Signing/Reading:The Yin and Yang of Climate Crisis September 23, 7PM Phoenix Books, Burlington, VT MORE INFO Plant Walk and Herbal Tincturing Workshop Sept. 24, 9:45-12:00 Littleton Community Farm MORE INFO Aromatherapy Certification Course Sept. 26, Oct. 3, Nov. 7, Dec. 5; 10am-5pm 12 Pelham Terr., Arlington, MA MORE INFO Botanical Modulators for Female Endocrine Stress Relating to Infertility, Mood Disorder, and the Menopausal Transition September 26th 9 am – 1 pm Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, 252 Main St. Montpelier, VT MORE INFO Kimchi and Variations Sept. 29, 2:30-4:45 Free demonstration at the Farmers' Market in Westford, MA MORE INFO Herbal and Nourishing Broths Wednesday, September 30th - 7:00pm CommonWealth Center for Holistic Herbalism MORE INFO Herbstalk Gardens' Harvest Gathering October 4; 2 - 4pm Southwest Corridor Garden, Jamaica Plain, MA MORE INFO coming soon! Creating Teas from Medicinal Herbs Oct. 5; 1 - 3pm Wellesley Botanic Gardens, Wellesley, MA MORE INFO Herbs for Everyday Living: Fall Series Oct. 7, Oct. 14, Oct. 21, Oct. 28, Nov. 4; 6 - 8pm The Armory, Somerville, MA MORE INFO Herbal Support for the Post Partum Mom October 7th 2015 6-8 pm Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, 252 Main St. Montpelier, VT MORE INFO 10 Days of Real Food: A Clean Eating Group Program October 13th - October 22nd Online MORE INFO Book Signing/Reading:The Yin and Yang of Climate Crisis October 14, 6PM Shelburne Farm, Shelburne, VT MORE INFO Making Your Own Herbal Bitters & Cordials Oct 17th, 12-2:30pm Greenfield, MA MORE INFO Herbal Gifts Oct. 22; 7 - 8:30pm Massachusetts Horticultural Society, Wellesley, MA MORE INFO Intro to Herbal Infusions: Teas, Tinctures, Oils, Wines, and Syrups October 21st 2015 6-8 pm Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, 252 Main St. Montpelier, VT MORE INFO Herbal Gifts Oct. 22; 7 - 8:30pm Stevens-Coolidge Place, Andover, MA MORE INFO Talk on "Internal Climate Change" October 23, 4PM Connecting for Change/Bioneers Conference, New Bedford, MA MORE INFO Poses & Plants: A Yoga & Herbal Workshop October 24 Coolidge Corner Yoga, Brookline, MA MORE INFO Stayin’ Juicy: DIY Herbal Lubes for Health and Happiness Wednesday, October 28th 2015 6-8 pm Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, 252 Main St. Montpelier, VT MORE INFO Tammi Sweet: Stress, Relaxation, and the Heart Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1, 2015 CommonWealth Center for Holistic Herbalism MORE INFO Quit Smoking with Herbs! Wednesday, November 4th 2015 6-8 pm Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, 252 Main St. Montpelier, VT MORE INFO Herbal Cordials and Wines Nov. 5; 7 - 8:30pm Mass. Hot Society, Wellesley, MA MORE INFO Herbal Ecology; Landscape As a Key to a Plant’s Character November 5, 6:30-9:30 p.m. $25 (Webinar) 12 Pelham Terrace, Arlington, MA MORE INFO Herbs for City Dwellers: The WELL Summit November 6-7 Boston, MA MORE INFO Herbs for Children and Picky Eaters Monday, November 9th 2015 6-8 pm Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, 252 Main St. Montpelier, VT MORE INFO Herbal Approaches to Autoimmune Disorders November 10th, 6:30-8pm Northampton, MA MORE INFO Fun With Ferments: Learn The Basics of Lacto Fermentation Wednesday, November 11th 2015 6-8 pm Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, 252 Main St. Montpelier, VT MORE INFO Mushrooms, Roots and Berries: Immune Stimulating Remedies for Winter Monday, November 16th 2015 6-8 pm Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, 252 Main St. Montpelier, VT MORE INFO Wintergreen Holiday Herbal Market! Nov. 28; 11am - 5pm The Armory, Somerville, MA MORE INFO Herbed Up! Winter Wellness from the Kitchen Monday, November 30th 2015 6-8 pm Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, 252 Main St. Montpelier, VT MORE INFO by Michael Blackmore
Come, gather round everyone. Don’t be shy. Come, sit by the fire and forget the cold and snow. I have good news to share with everyone. I know it has been a hard, harsh time this winter, but something magical is coming. A change that promises to bring a joyful feeling swelling in all our hearts… No, not the oft dreamt of springtime – Praise Be the Spring, May It Come Soon! Instead, I’m talking about the fact that Herbstalk is coming in just a few months! That’s right, the Boston area’s own herbal festival is nearly here. We had a grand time this past weekend at our first-ever holiday event. Thanks to everyone who participated in our Wintergreen Herbal Market! We had 25 lovely vendors, 5 free herbal demos, and 2 live brass bands. It was a wonderful start to the holiday season, and will keep us inspired until next June’s full Herbstalk event.
Here are a few photos from the day… Happy November, all!
You know Herbstalk puts on our very popular June conference, but did you know that this year we are hosting our first holiday event? We are thrilled to introduce our Wintergreen Herbal Market. Please come join us on Saturday, November 29th to see what it is all about. We are bringing together New England herbalists and crafters who will be selling their beautiful handmade products. This is a wonderful place to come do your holiday shopping, talk to the creator, and support small businesses! by Jenn Falk “The entire Universe is concentrated in the garden. The garden allows us to become one with nature. And when we meditate we cannot separate ourselves from nature.” I took this quote from a snippet that I saw in a little docu-piece online about Japanese gardens. Isn’t it lovely? It’s the essence of what Pepperand I will be getting at when we teach our special Yoga/Herbal-infused/Mindfulness class this year at Herbstalk! I’m super grateful to my dear friend, Steph, for welcoming us as the first ever yoga class to be taught at this event. In reality what this class offers is a meditation on friendship. You see, once you start a mindfulness practice such as yoga or meditation, your lifestyle changes. It’s inevitable. We learn to become better friends with ourselves, and with other creatures and life on this planet. This can manifest in a variety of different ways. One amazing friendship that can be forged on this path of inner growth is each and every one of our relationships with plant life. You might begin to take in your surroundings more, noticing the changing seasons and with that the types, colors, and energy of plants around you. You might start to crave owning more houseplants and then truly pay attention to them. You might attract more friends who are gardeners, herbalists, nature explorers. What you put on or in your body changes as you put more reverence into the idea that we are a part of nature. I see it happen all the time! It’s a lovely thing to witness happen to friends and family who begin dedicating time to their yoga/mindfulness practice. We begin to transform our lifestyles and welcome the healing and open energy that can come from nature. This is why Herbstalk is such an amazing creation for those of us here in an urban environment. We are able to learn from some of the best in their field about how to engage closer with the plant world. There will be all varieties of classes, teachers, and business owners to take it in from. Everything from learning how specific herbs can support your nervous system, to how plants can aid in your spiritual process, to creating and sustaining an herbal/natural beauty routine. For me, discovering and staying open to the magic of plants and herbs has always been a feminine and spiritual experience. As teenagers, Steph and I would head out into the parks, climb trees, create our own rituals in our backyards…and this created healing that allowed us to forge a deep friendship — one that still remains my oldest and dearest to this day. I believe the fact that our friendship is still going strong is due to this weaving of our spirits with how we take care of ourselves through our belief in and our love for the natural world. What occurs when you pay attention to your own day-to-day mindfulness or healing process is a respect for and honoring of our own bodies, and thus with nature. You don’t have to become a plant expert/healer/herbalist extraordinaire, or a yoga teacher/wellness practitioner to reap these benefits or learn more. All you have to do is stay willing to open up your senses. Possibly watch the lunar cycles, and enjoy each season. Try and see where your interests in plant-life comes out! It could be in consuming tea, using herbal tinctures or elixirs to boost your system in some way, planting a garden plot, or even just taking trips to local gardens for enjoyment. The options are endless in how slowing down through mindfulness and yoga can connect you deeper into what surrounds us via plant wisdom and medicine. Pepper and I met this past year in Elena Brower’s Art of Attention teacher training, and immediately hit it off through (what else) learning about our love for plants/herbs/the natural world! Our class for Herbstalk will go deeper into this idea of weaving together how we discover wellness with our relationship to plant life. The 2-hour class will involve: meditation, some kundalini kriya, some yin postures, hatha flow, prolonged restorative shapes, sampling herbal elixir, flower essences, aromatherapy, and short discussion. It is on Sunday morning, June 8th at 9:00am at Herbstalk at the Somerville Armory on Highland Ave. We look forward to seeing you there! “The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses.” -Hanna Rion  Yoga teacher Jenn Falk has been guinea pig and friend to herbalist and Herbstalk founder, Steph Zabel, for 20+ years. She credits her friendship with Steph to all she knows about herbal wisdom and her respect for it. She’s also married to an organic garden professional and artist, and they are raising their family to love the use of herbs, grow vegetables, and take care of the Earth. Learn more at:www.yoginijennfalk.com
Sarah Coyne is a Jamaica Plain based artist, and is also the talented hand behind this year’s Herbstalk flyer. She was a true pleasure to work with during the design process and so we wanted to find out more about her work and what inspired her to become a plant artist. We are really happy to welcome Sarah to the Herbstalk marketplace for the first time this year, where she will be selling her beautiful botanical prints. Read on to learn more about Sarah and her art.
Can you tell us a bit about how you became a botanical artist? What inspired you to start drawing plants? I feel best when I am drawing and painting what I love. Nature themes have always dominated my work. Before moving to Boston, I lived in two houses in rural areas and spent my formative years playing in the woods and helping in our family gardens. I am most comfortable outside in the pine forests I grew up in. I love being out among trees and plants where I can hear myself breathe and think. A couple of years ago I took an introductory botany class at Wellsley College and we toured their beautiful greenhouses. This class got me hooked on looking closely at plants and thinking about their role in the world around us. Tell us about your business, Egg-A-Go-Go: do you work full time as an artist? Yes. Currently I have a three-part job as an artist. I am a freelance illustrator working mostly in watercolor, I teach screen printing locally and I sell my illustrated and screen printed goods in my online store and a few small shops. In what ways does your work get shared with the local community? Up until recently I was very active in the local craft fair scene. I have taken a break the past couple of years to focus on my illustration work and teaching. Getting to speak to people face to face about my work is so rewarding. I still participate in Jamaica Plain’s Open Studios in the fall which is a great way to meet neighbors and share my art. In September of 2013 I had my first solo show at Aviary Gallery. The show was called Great Distances and featured watercolors about animal migration. Being active in a couple of online spaces has a huge reach. My Etsy shop has allowed me to sell my work to people all over the world and I am very active on Instagram as well. Social media has it’s negative aspects but being able to easily see what other artists are working on and to share my current works-in-progress is so inspiring. Are there any unique challenges you face as an entrepreneur? I love what I do, 100%. I feel very, very lucky that I have an opportunity to pursue art as my full-time career but as any self-employed person will tell you, it’s not always easy. Time management and varying workloads are both challenging aspects of this life. My husband has a great job and that is definitely helpful as I navigate the beginnings of life as a working artist. Where do you envision your work/business leading you in the future? Hopefully I can continue to create artwork for myself and others while sharing screen printing with those who want to learn. You have such a unique business name – can you tell us where it came from? I get asked this question a lot and I wish I had a good answer! I really have no idea. In college I remember making up the name Egg-A-Go-Go when discussing imaginary traveling carnivals with a friend. I never applied the name to anything but it was locked away in the back of my brain. When I started doing fairs in 2005 I decided I wanted a business name and Egg-A-Go-Go popped into my mind. I do love birds and egg imagery so it stuck. What is your experience with herbal medicine? Do you use herbs yourself when you feel sick, or incorporate them into your daily life? My father gathers and preserves his own medicinal plants. Giant, glowing red jars of St. John’s Wort oil lined our windowsill when I was growing up. I remember him portioning it out into tiny bottles for others and it was quickly applied to just about any skin problem my brother and I had as children and teens. Echinacea was always on hand for the first hints of a cold. Today whenever I visit, I am usually sent home with a tincture or handful of dried leaves. I drink tea all day everyday and have a cabinet full of various steep-able remedies. Do you have a favorite plant or two at the moment? When sketching and doodling I find myself drawing lavender over and over again. Something about the delicate stalks and tiny blooms makes it such a charming plant! I’m hoping to add some to my garden this year. As both a visual and edible favorite – I love beets. I’m currently working on a beet screen print that I hope to have at Herbstalk in June! For us plant-loving folks it is often hard to have enough nature time in the city. Are there any special natural areas in or around Boston where you seek inspiration or frequently visit? I feel very fortunate to live in Jamaica Plain – one of Boston’s leafiest neighborhoods! I take regular walks around Jamaica Pond and the Arnold Arboretum is only a few minutes from where I live. I also have a plot in a community garden that gives me a nice refuge and a place to get my hands dirty and feel connected to nature. My husband is crazy for tomatoes so we usually dedicate at least half the plot to those! My parents still live in New Hampshire so I can get away to that part of New England in under two hours. I love living in Boston but it’s nice to get out once in a while and I always feel like my batteries get recharged with even a quick visit back home. How can people find you if they want to get in touch with you? Do you do commissions? YES! Commissions and custom illustrations are my favorite projects. People can connect with me via my website eggagogo.com, Etsy shop, Instagram or Twitter. (My user name is “eggagogo” just about everywhere). Thank you, Sarah! We so enjoyed learning more about you and your beautiful work. We are really looking forward to having you be a part of the Herbstalk marketplace this year! by Steph Zabel The other day I co-hosted a local community networking event with a friend. We envisioned our gathering as a way for like-minded people to converge in the same room at the same time, facilitating introductions that otherwise might never have happened. In this instance we were aiming for local Somerville entrepreneurs and community builders to meet one another, and hopefully to form valuable connections for their businesses, creative projects and community initiatives. Although we put the word out to our networks and had some positive feedback about this idea beforehand, we didn’t really know who would show up, and what exactly would happen. It was an experiment of sorts… However we were pleasantly surprised to find ourselves with a roomful of people, and more importantly, with an overall feeling of excitement, curiosity and friendliness that permeated the event. I left that gathering buzzing from the positive interactions, and grateful to have connected with so many interesting people. This, I believe, is where magic resides – in the easy-going encounter of people who are open, willing to share some of themselves, and wanting to listen to and learn from others. This is how you not only root yourself in your local community, but it’s how you find it in the first place. And this is why I find in-person events and real-time interactions to be so exciting and transformative. We have so many ways that we can connect with people through the internet and social media, but I truly think that there is never anything quite as powerful as face-to-face, mind-to-mind, and heart-to-heart interactions that occur in person. This is the reason why we create Herbstalk gatherings, after all. We do it in order to facilitate introductions between people, to create a space for herb- and plant-lovers to interact. It’s for new possibilities to be created and new connections to be formed. It’s for knowledge and experience to be shared, for minds and hearts to be inspired. We want people to feel that attending an Herbstalk event is gratifying not only because of what was learned, but also because of the relationships with people—and plants!—that were created. We are truly honored and excited to bring this event to you and we hope that we can continue to be a positive force for community-building by affirming our relationship to the place we live in, to the people we are connected with, and to plants that are a part of our daily lives. See you in June to do just that!  Steph is the founder and organizer of Herbstalk. She is also a practicing community herbalist and educator in Somerville – visit Flowerfolk Herbal Apothecary to learn more.
Submitted by Mischa Schuler of Wild Carrot Herbs. Experiencing inclusion in community is a powerful aspect of our humanity. In the context of community we build relationships, express ourselves through our words, our actions, and our work, and give and receive time, energy, and a sense of belonging. When we are new to a place – this could be a new city, job, school, housemate situation – it can take some time to move from feeling “outside” to being an integral “part.” Perhaps you are familiar with the powerful magic of walking in the woods, surrounded by stunning trees and blooms, and suddenly knowing that you belong to the magic? The woods are whole with your presence and you are a part of the collective symphony. You belong to that moment and that place. The question becomes “how do we embrace this powerful message from the plants and bring it home to our day to day Life?” As in forest ecology, we experience our own personal succession of growth in community. Just as in an established forest, when we first arrive in a new community, we must discover the sunny niches left open and available for us to sprout into. If we are considering moving to a community, we must look to see if we will be nourished. Do we know what part of ourselves we want to grow? Is there enough sunlight and water for the seed of ourselves to germinate? Who are our symbiotic companion plants who will help us establish our root systems? This blog topic hits close to home for me and has been surprisingly challenging to write about. I moved six months ago from Quebec, Canada to Portland, Maine and it’s been exciting (and at moments scary!) to re-define what community means for me. Before I arrived in Maine, I picked up a copy of the Buy Local, Independent Businesses guide. I looked through the booklet to see what people were doing and circled all the places that inspired me and once I moved, I went on a pilgrimage to visit them. I looked on local community bulletin boards for upcoming events and I signed up for Portland Meetup groups that were of interest to me. I also signed up for a Permaculture Design Class over a series of weekends – I figured this would be a sure way to meet folks who also appreciate the plants and who would come from many backgrounds and perspectives. And because it would convene one weekend a month for six months, it would be a regular community check-in point that I felt would be a healthy support. I also had several friends living in the area, so I had a weekly dose of friendly companionship I could rely on. (I don’t think this aspect of comfort can be under-estimated.) I got involved with the local Food Coop, where there are recurring friendly faces, and then I looked into organizations and groups where I might meet like-minded people. (In my case, I love to sing, so I searched out a cappella groups.) I wanted to get to know the fellow herbalists in the area. I had met some herb friends through other Northeast herb gatherings and I wanted to learn where we could connect and share so that we were supporting each other and collaborating. I wanted to see what our community already had available and to see what niche I might fulfill. We started a Southern Maine Medicinal Plant Meetup group to post herbal events in the area – and we’re hoping other event organizers will also use this as a way to get the word out about their offerings. Other herb friends hold a weekly Monday night herb event focusing on a different theme each evening at Justice in the Body, an incredible resource in downtown Portland. Since sharing about the plants is one of my greatest joys, I also offer classes – some out of my kitchen and some are also out of Justice in the Body. My sense of community is still growing and building – I’m a beginner here, and it’s arguable if I will ever qualify as a Mainer, since I wasn’t born in this state. I’ve been paying attention to what brings me joy, who makes me laugh, who is a good listener, spaces and places that feel good and focusing on these positive characteristics. I am gravitating toward people and events in which I feel grounded and connected. I also maintain a morning and evening ritual of saying thank you to the plants. I’m much more present on days when I take five minutes to light a candle and say hello. Transitions are multi-faceted (and aren’t we always transitioning in some way?) so it’s been helpful (and fun) exploring new adaptogen formulas which I blend up each month and enjoying individual herb teas to get to know them ever-better. Just like our community of people friends, we’re always deepening our relationship with our plant friends and discovering their personalities and how they like to interact in community. Community building and sense of belonging takes time and energy – when we’re feeling stuck we can remember the interconnection of the plants to one another and with us and allow that vision to percolate into our view of community. Mischa is a community herbalist and fertility awareness practitioner in Portland, Maine. She loves reproductive health and supporting women and children with plant medicine. She studied herbal medicine at the Tai Sophia Institute and feels grateful to have apprenticed with Deb Soule at Avena Botanicals for a very magical growing season. She teaches classes locally through Portland Adult Education, Justice in the Body, and in her kitchen.
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