The Herbalist Gift Guide
Do you have an herbalist loved one, and you are wondering what the heck to get them for Christmas? If the answer is yes, I got you! I put together a list of products herbalists will love!
So let's get started:
Gift Cards
Buy them a gift card to their favorite herbal store. Here are some ideas.
Mountain Rose Herbs - This online herbal store has top quality herbs in bulk, teas, mushrooms, and so much more. If you are in Eugene Or, they also have a brick and mortar store there as well.
Frontier Co-op - Sells herbs and spices in bulk. Most local health food stores get their herbs and spices from Frontier Co-op
Starwest Botanicals - Is another great herbal bulk provider. I am starting to notice that more and more health food stores are starting to carry this brand as well.
From a favorite herbalist. - There are so many small business herbalists that would love the business.
From your local health food store - Most…if not all health food stores have a bulk herb and spice section. This is where you can find me most of the time in a health food store.
A local nursery - I live in California so I know they are open year-round here, but I am not sure where you are at. If they are open this time of year, some nurseries carry dried herbs. Most nurseries carry live herbs. Most herbalists are also huge fans of plants!
Amazon - There are a lot of herbs, books, and accessories we can find on Amazon. Just make sure to read the recent reviews to make sure you are getting good products.
Herbal tools and Accessories
There are so many little accessories that make our job a little easier.
We love jars! This is the number one thing we will hoard! We don’t care about size. We can find a use for huge jars and tiny jars. Simple and fancy. Just a tip, I have found they are way more expensive on Amazon, so I buy them at Walmart, Target, or feed stores.
Labels, we need to label our jars! You can’t go wrong with any labels. Most of us like to mix it up.
Salve jars. 1 oz, 2, oz, and 4 oz are great. If you ask me though, for most jobs, 2 oz is the best.
A teapot with an infuser or any infuser for that matter.
Strainers, we are also straining things.
Canning funnels. We are known for making huge messes and canning funnels can curb the messes some.
Pestle and mortar. This is a must-have for herbalists.
A good dehydrator. This isn’t a must, but more of a luxury for herbalists. It’s helpful for the wildcrafter/foragers who want to dry what they harvested. I also buy shiitake mushrooms fresh from the store and dehydrate them myself.
Books
I haven’t met an herbalist that isn’t obsessed with herbal books. Here are some of my favorites.
Anything by Rosemary Gladstar is great! However, my favorite is ‘Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide’. I have a blog post on this book.
You can not go wrong with ‘The Modern Herbal Dispensatory: A Medicine-Making Guide’ by Thomas Easley and Steven Horne. This is a favorite for most herbalists. I have a blog post on this book as well.
‘Body into Balance: An Herbal Guide to Holistic Self-Care’, by Maria Noel Grove, is beautiful and packed with information. I just love how it is laid out. I also have a blog post on this book.
For your herbalist that may be a little more advanced, ‘Medical Herbalism: The Science Principles and Practice of Herbal Medicine’ by David Hoffman. I love this book because it helps herbalists make more customized herbal formulas.
‘Evolutionary Herbalism: Science, Spirituality, and Medicine from the Heart of Nature’ by Sajah Popham is another one of my favorites. Another book for an herbalist that is a little more advanced. This book is packed with information! A lot of info on Ayurveda, elements, tastes, and astrology.
I also love books that share info on plants in the area like: ‘Pacific Northwest: Medicinal Plants’, ‘Northeast Foraging’, ‘Southwest Foraging’, and ‘Southwest foraging’. You can also go more generic and go for books like ‘Edible Wild Plants’ or ‘Master the World of Edible Plants’
Grocery Items
I know that some people might think this is tacky, but I am convinced that if you buy an herbalist these items, they will love you forever! These items are how we make a lot of our creations.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Olive Oil
Avocado Oil
Coconut oil
Raw Honey (local is best)
Shea Butter
Vitamin E
Beeswax
Vodka
Bourbon
