I’ve known Thomas Elpel for several years, and was really excited to have the chance to talk with him again. Tom sat down with me to discuss how a basic understanding of botany can be helpful for herbalists, but our conversation went way beyond that. While not strictly an herbalist, Tom is definitely a plant person through and through, and his curiosity about the natural world is infectious!

Tom has written many books about a variety of subjects. His book Botany in a Day, which can help you learn to recognize and identify plants through their botanical families, was transformative for me when I was first learning to identify plants! Tom has shared a sample page from Botany in a Day about the oleaster plant family with us; you can download your copy here: https://bit.ly/40PkFNr

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► How learning to recognize plants by the patterns of their botanical families can be useful to herbalists and other people who work with plants

► Why it’s so important to actually go out and experience the natural world – the way the deer do!

► Why “invasive plants” is a complicated term, and how working to eradicate plants with this label can sometimes do more harm than good

► Four ways that plants in the oleaster family can benefit the environment around them

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know him, Thomas J. Elpel is the director of Green University in southwest Montana, and is the author of nine books ranging in topics from wilderness survival to consciousness. He is best known for his book Botany in a Day: The Patterns Method of Plant Identification. With his background in wilderness survival skills, Tom applied a self-sufficiency ethic to all aspects of his life, from living in a tent and building his own stone and log home to later launching his own publishing company. Tom has produced two card games that teach plant family patterns and one that teaches wildlife ecology. He is presently writing a book about the ecology of the American West.

I can’t wait to share our conversation with you today!

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Get full show notes and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

The secret to using herbs successfully begins with knowing who YOU are. Get started by taking my free Herbal Jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book...

I’ve got something a little bit different for this week’s episode!

You know all those commercials for pharmaceutical drugs? The ones that list all the crazy side effects while showing people strolling on the beach or at a dinner party having fun? Well, for this week’s episode I envisioned what it might be like if there was a similar ad for herbs.

You’ll also hear about one of my online courses, Cooling Inflammation. Not all inflammation is bad, but when it runs amuck, it causes all sorts of problems, including chronic pain and illness. With Cooling Inflammation, you’ll learn how to get real results with herbs so you can have more energy, less pain, and resilient health without buying expensive supplements or eliminating your favorite foods. Get more information and sign up here. Through Thursday, Cooling Inflammation is available at a reduced price, but after that the course won’t be available at all for a while – so don’t delay!

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Get full show notes and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

The secret to using herbs successfully begins with knowing who YOU are. Get started by taking my free Herbal Jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.

I’ve known Beth for many years, and I knew from experience that the two of us were going to have a lively conversation! It was a joy to sit down with her to discuss kava - a plant that has been supporting her since day one of her herbal journey, and one that I have also found to be super helpful in times of stress and anxiety. Beth has gotten to know this plant so well that her friends sometimes even refer to her as the Kava Queen!

Beth has worked with kava in so many different ways, from tinctures to powders and even chocolate bars! One of her favorite ways to take kava is in her delicious smoothie recipe, which she calls Kava Kolada. You’ll find a beautifully illustrated recipe card here, so that you can give it a try too: https://bit.ly/3YBeQQJ

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► How kava can help you lower your walls and speak from your heart

► Why kava is so great during times of grief, stress, and anxiety

► Five different herbal preparations for kava

► An unusual way that kava affects you - and how that might help you when you go to the dentist!

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know her, Beth’s love of nature came from growing up on her family farm. She spent years walking the woods collecting treasures (bluebells being her favorite), and "sucking the sugar" out of red clover blossoms. A sun worshipper at heart, at 26 she fled the snow & moved to the desert. There she discovered the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), where she studied herbalism, hypnotherapy, aromatherapy, astrology & more. She graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Holistic Healthcare with a specialty in Western Herbalism, taught by the brilliant herbalist JoAnn Sanchez. She worked for Whole Foods, herb shops, Dr. Hauschka, SWIHA, and many herb companies, and she taught herb classes. In 2009, life led her to Austin, and her dream of owning an herb shop came true. Sacred Moon Herbs came to birth on April 17th of 2012 in Dripping Springs, Texas.

I’m excited to share our conversation with you today!

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Get full show notes and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

The secret to using herbs successfully begins with knowing who YOU are. Get started by taking my free Herbal Jumpstart course when you sign up for my newsletter.

If you enjoy the Herbs with Rosalee podcast, we could use your support! Please consider leaving a 5-star rating and review and sharing the show with someone who needs to hear it!

On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book