A day in the life

My days and weeks are busy with all things herbal.

A typical sunny day in the spring will have me out in the garden, harvesting fresh herbs that are in their prime. Flowers and leaves are generally harvested as soon as the sun warms them up and all moisture has evaporated; berries are often harvested in the afternoon; roots and bark can be harvested at any time of the day. If I don't have the luxury of waiting for the sun to dry the plants, I harvest them carefully and put them in the dehydrator to ensure they're dried efficiently.

When I'm not seeing patients, another typical part of my day is making up repeats of tailor-made formulas, capsules and teas for patients to come and collect.

And another typical part of my day is either starting a new oil or tincture with fresh or dried plants, or pressing existing ones. Once pressed, they either go into my herb storage shed or into my smaller apothecary to have on hand for future patients.

I also spend a lot of time studying and learning from herbalists around the world, as well as in New Zealand.

In this age-old profession, you never, ever stop learning.

Fresh and dried herbal tinctures underway. L-R fresh Fennel seed, fresh Amanita, fresh Greater Celandine, fresh Oregano, fresh Barberry bark, fresh Hawthorn berry