December 27, 2024 • 29 mins
Craft an herbal apothecary that’s not only functional but also a reflection of your personal wellness journey with insights from Demetria Clark, director of Heart of Herbs Herbal School. Imagine having a beautifully organized space where each herb, tincture, and salve is perfectly stored and easily accessible, empowering you to take charge of your holistic health practices. This episode invites both novice and seasoned herbalists to explore the essential elements of an apothecary, including the choice of appropriate containers like amber and cobalt glass to protect your precious concoctions from harmful UV light, and the importance of proper labeling to maintain their potency.
Discover strategies for preserving the quality of your herbal products and learn why glass jars, lined metal tins, and BPA-free plastic containers are recommended for storing salves and creams. Demetria shares practical tips on reusing bottles, purchasing lids separately to save costs, and trusted resources for getting your supplies. This episode is packed with advice on creating a serene apothecary space where order reigns, ensuring your connection to nature and traditional herbal practices is both honored and enhanced. Whether you're setting up your herbal apothecary for the first time or refining your existing setup, this conversation will inspire you to curate a wellness sanctuary that aligns with your lifestyle.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, this is Demetria Clark, the director of Heart of
Herbs Herbal School, and today,on the Heart of Herbs Herbal
School podcast, we're going tobe talking about organizing your
herbal apothecary.
So welcome to the podcast.
This is your go-to resource forherbalism, wellness and natural
living.
We offer herbal andaromatherapy education and
certification programs tostudents worldwide.
(00:22):
I'm your host, demetria Clark,the director and founder of
Heart of Herbs Herbal School.
Founded in 1998, we've beenhelping students all over the
world achieve their herbal andaromatherapy educational and
career goals.
As a seasoned herbalist what anice way to say it I'm excited
to share my knowledge on a topicthat's close to the heart of
many herbal enthusiastsorganizing your herbal
(00:45):
apothecary.
I know whenever one of ourstudents shares their apothecary
setups in our student group,everyone gets excited and
inspired.
We love seeing how everyonesets up their storage and their
apothecary for their herbalcreations.
Whether you're just startingout or looking to refine your
current setup, this episode willguide you through creating a
(01:06):
practical, efficient andbeautiful space for your herbs
and herbal formulations.
We'll cover how light affectsyour herbal products, the best
labeling practices and choosingthe proper containers and tips
for organizing by type.
So let's get started.
I will say.
I have a feeling this is goingto become one of our most
popular episodes, because thisis a question people ask all the
(01:28):
time.
So what is the value of an athome herbal apothecary?
So why should you even have one?
The answer lies in the benefitsof having quick, easy access to
natural remedies and wellnesssolutions whenever you need them
.
An at home apothecary allowsyou to take control of your
health and well-being by usingnatural, time-tested herbs and
preparations.
(01:49):
It empowers you to addresscommon ailments, boost your
immunity and support overallwellness without needing to rely
solely on commercial products.
Your herbal apothecary can alsohave products made by other
herbalists, so you don't have tomake everything in your
apothecary.
Building your herbal apothecarycan also deepen your connection
to nature and understanding thetraditional herbal practices.
(02:11):
It's a way to incorporatesustainable living and holistic
practices into your dailyroutine.
Plus, an organized apothecarybrings a sense of peace and
readiness, helping you feelprepared for anything from
seasonal cold to stress relief.
There's nothing like knowingthat you can have solutions for
many of your family's healthneeds.
If you can't sleep, we have atea blend or a tincture for that
(02:34):
Kids got the flu, cough or cold.
Elderberry syrup in the winteris already made Essentials to
include in your herbalapothecary.
So what should you have in yourat-home apothecary?
So here are some items that canhelp get you started.
So listen, you are going tochoose the herbs and nobody's
apothecary looks the same Okay.
(02:55):
So these are just suggestions.
I like to keep my apothecaryfull of things I can grow in the
garden that are natural andnearby apothecary, full of
things I can grow in the gardenthat are natural and nearby,
things that are in my yard, inmy fields, in our woods.
So that isn't something thateverybody can do right or even
wants to do.
(03:15):
So you can have dried herbsthat you purchase from stores or
from friends.
You don't have to do all ofthis yourself.
So be kind to yourself and usewhat works for you and your
family.
So for dried herbs, I have tons, but you know, for starting off
things from the mint familyspearmint, peppermint you can do
(03:37):
herbs like lemon balm, lavender, calendula, elderberry,
chamomile, nettles, rose hips,you know there's all kinds of
things that you can use.
So get your dried herbs andthey're really great because
they have a lot of versatileuses for teas, infusions,
topical preparations.
(03:57):
You can put them in tinctures,make tinctures out of them.
Another thing you can have inyour herbal apothecary are
tinctures, so tinctures that arealready made.
So you can have ones likeechinacea, valerian oats, lemon
balm for relaxation, echinacea,ginger, garlic, oregano for
immune health.
You can also make tinctures,for you know oh, the fall's
(04:20):
coming and I know my kids alwaysget this.
I'm going to make sometinctures.
You can also purchase tincturesand put them in there.
You don't have to makeeverything in your apothecary.
Um, another thing to have inyour apothecary are salves and
balms.
So keep healing.
Salves made with calendula orplantain for minor cuts and
scrapes, soothing balms for dryskin, soothing balms for dry
(04:43):
skin, sore muscles, like youknow.
You can also do, you know,arnica for bruising, st John's
wort.
You know there's lots and lotsof great salves out there and we
have tons of salve recipes inour programs, but we also have
them in, you know our blog.
So there's lots of great salverecipes out there and salves,
(05:05):
once you get the hang of it, arepretty easy to use.
The next is herbal oils, andthese are infused oils like
arnica, st John's wort.
I always keep a ton of StJohn's wort oil in hand.
I love it.
It makes me feel good in thewintertime, but they're also
excellent for muscle aches andbruises.
You can have um plantain,comfrey, chamomile, calendula, I
(05:32):
mean there's all kinds ofinfused herbal oils that you can
make or purchase and put themin your apothecary.
Now this next one is really umdepends on you and how you
practice.
So I'm also an aromatherapist,so I also like to have some
essential oils in my apothecaryand although they're not herbal,
(05:55):
they're herbal adjacent.
Now I would like to say thatessential oils are not always
the best way to use herbs forthe environment, because it
takes tons and tons of plants tomake the essential oil.
So educate yourself on that andif you're really finding that
you're into aromatherapy, get aquality education so you can
(06:17):
have best practices for safetyand the environment.
But I like to have things likeyou know, lavender, tea tree,
eucalyptus, frankincense, themints.
You know I just I have a ton ofessential oils because I'm an
aromatherapist, so I have themall in my apothecary.
But you can also get essentialoils that are already
pre-blended, so there's blends.
(06:39):
You can just have one or twoessential oils if you're not
sure how you feel about them.
So you can definitely make yourown decisions about essential
oils and then herbal powders andI'm not a huge powder person
because I don't do tons ofcapsules, but some of the herbs
that I do like and powder areturmeric and ashwagandha,
(07:00):
because I use them in differentapplications regularly.
Make sure that you customizeyour apothecary with herbs and
products that suit your personalneeds and preferences for your
family, so you don't need toworry about what other people
have in their apothecary.
You need to worry about what'sin yours.
So some useful appliances tohave.
Now, listen, do not use yourkitchen appliances for herbal
(07:26):
medicine, particularly if youare using essential oils,
because if there's anythingthat's plastic, the essential
oil is just going to be absorbedinto that.
Or if you're using anythingthat you know.
If you decide that you're goingto make a body scrub with some
soap in it or something and youuse the family blender, there's
a good chance you're not goingto get it all the way out.
So if you don't have the moneyto right away, go and buy all
(07:51):
these things new, you can checkout flea markets, thrift stores,
facebook marketplaces all kindsof places to buy things.
The only thing that I thinkwould probably be fine in the
home and in the apothecary arethings like a dehydrator and a
freeze dryer.
So a dehydrator is essentialfor drying fresh herbs
(08:13):
efficiently and evenly.
You can air dry them, you canscreen dry them.
This just makes life a littlebit easier and it also keeps
dust and contaminants fromgetting on your dried herbs,
unless you have a herb dryingroom.
So I could have like an herbdrying room if I wanted.
Like I have the space for that.
Not everyone has space for that.
(08:34):
My kids are gone, you know.
They've moved out, so like Ihave a lot more space in my
house than someone who haslittle kids running around.
Another one, and this isn't amust, but I got to tell you I
love mine and I use it topreserve herbs from our farm
with the least amount of coon,stichoint and nutrient loss.
But it is an expensive tool, isa freeze dryer and I think that
(08:56):
they for me, it's a mustbecause it just gives me so much
more power over how long I canpreserve my herbs, because I
cook with tons of herbs too, soI'm like a huge cook.
Um, the joke is is I probablyshould have uh, you know, I
easily could have been, you knowa chef.
I just love cooking, I loveexperimenting with food and it
(09:18):
has a lot of herbs in it.
Everything I make is just soherbally rich, like even my
garlic butter is just crazyinsane, chock full of herbs.
So you want to.
If you have like a freeze dryeror something like that, you'll
want to make sure that you knowyou can use it.
Um, family and herbs that arefor your apothecary, but if
(09:43):
you're selling your herbs youneed to have separate tools.
The next is an herb grinder.
So an electric or manual herbgrinder can be a game changer
for making fine herbal powders.
This appliance ensures that youcan have a consistent, easy to
use powder.
The next is a blender or a foodprocessor.
So there's all kinds of reallypowerful blenders out there.
(10:06):
When I first started in theherbal world, there was like the
Vitamix and that was it.
It was like Vitamix or regularstandard blender, and that one
was so, oh my gosh, it was likeI mean, back then, a three $400
blender was just insane amountof money, was just insane amount
of money and for years andyears and years I went without.
(10:26):
I just like I can't afford thatfor a blender.
It's a you know, a secondaryblender, and eventually we got
one and it was great.
But so and nowadays, though,there's all kinds of brands of
very high speed blenders.
There's Blendtec.
I think Ninja makes one that'sgot a lot of power.
The Nutribullet seemed to havea lot of power, so having a good
(10:47):
blender is definitely important.
A high speed blender is perfectfor creating herbal blends,
lotions and infused oils.
It can help mix the ingredientsseamlessly for herbal use.
The ingredients seamlessly forherbal use.
The next is a scale and thatcould go back and forth between
your house and your apothecary Adigital scale.
They're pretty cheap.
(11:07):
I remember when I first wasbuying digital scales back in
the early 2000s.
You know everyone would go oh,you're a drug dealer.
But they're really importantbecause some recipes are based
on weights or some creationsthat you're going to make are
based on weights, and having agood digital scale is really
important.
You don't need one that can doa few hundred pounds unless
(11:28):
you're going to be doing a fewhundred pounds or something.
A devil boiler is great formelting wax and oils.
You can also have a melting pot.
This is useful for salves,balms and creams.
A mortar and pestle while notelectric, a mortar and pestle
are indispensable for handgrinding herbs and releasing
their essential properties.
(11:48):
You may also want to look athaving a small crock pot or slow
cooker for creating crock potlong infused herbal oils without
the risk of burning.
Crock pot long infused herbaloils without the risk of burning
.
Um, an electric kettle is great.
I love having electric kettle.
I really, when I was living inEurope, I just fell in love with
(12:09):
them.
And now that we, you know, havea wood stove and stuff in the
shop, I, you know, I'mdefinitely looking at other
kinds of kettles to have on thewood stove in the middle of
winter just to save some energyand, you know, double dip on the
on the heat that's coming fromit.
The next is knives and scissors.
Good knives are reallyimportant.
I know sometimes it's hard forpeople to be like.
(12:29):
Knives are expensive, but goodknives are going to protect your
hands.
They're going to make your jobmuch easier when it comes to
processing herbs and having, youknow, separate apothecary
scissors are great.
We have tons of scissors allover the place, because I'm one
of these people that seems toalways lose scissors and then I
find like four of them all inthe same place, and then cutting
(12:51):
boards.
So you're going to want yourcutting board to be able to be
sterilized and cleaned reallywell.
So just make sure that you getsomething that's a surface that
you're comfortable working with.
I work with wood and stone.
If I was doing large-scalemanufacturing, I may look into
other kinds of surfaces.
These appliances can help youstreamline your herbal process,
(13:15):
saving time and ensuringconsistent results.
Try not to use your family'stools.
It's really good for herbalmedicine making production and
food production to have them beseparate so you can eliminate
crossover contamination.
Also, sterilize your tools andcontainers to lessen potential
(13:36):
contamination.
If you plan on starting abusiness, you're going to have
to do all of that anyways.
So the next part is yourcontainers.
So tinctures and extracts.
When storing herbal tinctures,it's essential to use proper
containers.
Tinctures are prepared with ahigh percentage of alcohol and
they can last for years, evendecades, as stored properly.
Alcohol is a solvent andshouldn't be stored in anything
(13:57):
other than glass.
You can use amber glass.
You can use cobalt or green thedarker the better.
We use amber glass dispensingbottles with polysealed caps.
When it's time to dispensetinctures, we recommend
transferring them to dropperbottles.
This is because long-termstorage with the dropper can
cause it to deteriorate.
These are usually called Bostonrounds or amber glass bottles.
(14:21):
The bottles are designed toprotect your medicine in several
ways.
The brown glass helps preventlight from degrading the
medicine over time and it blocksout the light which can be
damaging.
Though cobalt and green glasscan also be used, the amber does
block out the most light.
The polyseal cap is resistant tosolvents and is manufactured
for chemical storage, making itperfect for storing tinctures.
(14:43):
However, although the caps areplastic, we are still seeking a
better lid solution and rightnow there really isn't one.
You may be tempted to tryalternative solutions like wax,
metal or cork, but make surethey're made for the food or
chemical industry.
We buy the bottles in bulk tosave money, and if you want to
(15:05):
save money, you can purchasethem with friends and split the
cost.
You can also reuse and recyclebottles.
Bottles can last for decades ifproperly cared for, but you may
need to replace the lids.
So each time there's a newapplication, you may need to
replace the lids.
So each time there's a newapplication, you may need to
replace the lids, and often fromthe bottle companies, you can
just purchase lids.
(15:25):
So if you're reusing yourbottles, you can purchase new
lids.
Choosing the right containersfor your salves and creams is
essential for preserving theirquality, ensuring easy use.
So here are some types ofcommon containers Glass jars
amber or cobalt glass are idealfor salves and creams because
they block UV light and helpmaintain the integrity of the
(15:45):
contents.
They're also non-reactive andsafe for long-term storage.
Now metal tins these are reallypopular for salves due to their
lightweight and durable nature.
Ensure the tins are lined toprevent new reactions between
the metal and the herbalproducts.
Ensure the tins are lined toprevent new reactions between
the metal and the herbalproducts.
Plastic jars high quality orfood grade.
While less preferred than glass, they can be a practical option
(16:05):
for short-term storage ortravel.
Please make sure they're BPAfree and food grade.
Pump bottles and dispensersPump bottles can provide a
hygienic and convenient way todispense creams and lotions
without contamination.
Glass or plastic balm tubes Nowthey also have cardboard ones
now, so you can definitely lookat those.
(16:25):
These twist-up tubes are idealfor smaller, portable amounts of
salves and balms.
They're also good for lip balm.
They're perfect for theon-the-go application.
So when selecting containers,consider factors like opacity,
size and airtight seals topreserve the freshness and
potency of your products.
Some of my favorite companiesto get bottles and containers
(16:47):
from and they don't pay me, aresks-bottlecom,
berlinpackagingcom,specialtybottlecom and
birchbottlecom.
I'll try to make sure I put thelinks in the description, so
understanding how light affectsherbal products.
First and foremost, let's talkabout one crucial element that
(17:12):
can impact the longevity andeffectiveness of your herbal
products light.
Herbs and herbal preparationsare sensitive to light,
particularly direct sunlight andfluorescent lighting.
Prolonged exposure can degradethe essential oils, active
constituents and pigments withinthe herbs, leading to
diminished potency and qualityover time.
Direct sunlight accelerates thebreakdown of compounds due to
(17:35):
UV rays.
This is particularly relevantfor herbal oils, tinctures and
dried herbs.
For example, st John's Wort oilis highly photosensitive and
can quickly lose its efficacy ifit's exposed to light.
So pro tip store your herbs in adark, cool place.
Use amber or cobalt glasscontainers to block out harmful
UV rays.
(17:55):
If you prefer clear glass forvisibility, make sure your
storage area is shielded fromdirect light or use opaque
covers.
So we put all of our herbsinside of cabinets.
So our apothecary is closedcabinets and we have them in a
boot room which is off the house.
It's a little bit cooler.
It's you know it's between thehouse and the garage and you
(18:20):
know it's a tile floor.
It just really makes it easierfor me to know where everything
is.
I know the temperature isalways a little bit cooler in
there and I know that all of mycupboards are light type.
Choosing proper containers foryour herbal products.
Choosing suitable containers isvital for preserving the
(18:43):
quality of your herbs.
The container type you usedepends on the form of herbal
product.
Here's a quick rundown driedherbs.
Glass jars, tight ceiling lids,mason jars or ball jars are
perfect.
They have an airtight lid.
I also use a vacuum sealer forcanning jars and I reseal them
once I open the jar.
It's a small handheld devicethat allows our herbs to last
(19:06):
longer.
Glass is non-reactive and won'tleach chemicals into your herbs.
The airtight seal helps tomaintain freshness of the herbs.
One of the problems is they'reoften clear, so that's why a
cupboard is a really great thing.
Or you can spray paint theoutside of them and use the
(19:26):
chalk markers to label what'sinside, or you could put a label
sticker on the top.
If it's like in a drawer.
Anything that you can do tokeep light away is really the
best.
Glass is non-reactive anddoesn't leach into your herbs.
The airtight seal helps tomaintain freshness, so this
would work for tinctures too,and we talked a little bit about
(19:50):
amber or cobalt dropper bottlesbeing the best for storing
tinctures.
It's just don't use the.
Use the regular lid, not thedropper lid, for long-term
storage.
You can also find the bottlesin green, red and purple and
blue, and that's fine too, butyou really want to make sure
that it's as dark as possibleand as long as the light can get
(20:14):
in, it should keep thempreserved for a lot longer.
Herbs and salves.
For ease of access, use widemouth glass jars, preferably
dark in color.
Metal tins are great we alreadytalked about that a little bit
and you can use plastic or thetubes.
It just really depends on whatyou're making and what you want
to use it for Powders, tightlysealed glass or food grade
(20:38):
plastic containers.
I just keep everything in glass.
I'm sorry.
I'm not sure what's in plasticand it freaks me out.
It's just a preference for me.
So if I do use plastic, I makesure that it's like from a
company that I know and thatit's made in the United States
and that I know where theingredients come from that are
in it and that's becomingincreasingly hard to do.
(20:59):
Avoid using thin plasticcontainers.
They're prone to breaking downand they can compromise the
quality of your herbal products.
High quality food gradeplastics are an option, but
glass is generally preferred forlong-term storage.
Label, label, label Labelingyour apothecary.
Proper labeling is essentialfor keeping your apothecary
(21:21):
organized.
Like, with all seriousness,know what's in your apothecary.
So on your labels you're goingto want to include things like
the name of the herb, the Latinname, the product.
Be specific.
So chamomile matricaria redic.
Sorry, I always screw up theLatin names Like people are.
(21:46):
Like you.
Can't you run an herbal school?
No, I totally can, because I,you know, trip over myself when
I'm talking.
Date of harvest preparation thishelps you track the age of your
herbs, the source, whether itwas wild, crafted, homegrown,
purchased.
So if I purchase herbs, I cutoff their label that has all
that information on it and tapeit right on the side of my jar.
(22:07):
Makes my life easier because ithas the common name, the Latin
name, where it came from, andthen I just write the date on it
, so the parts used.
That's a good thing to put onyour label, especially when
you're first starting out andyou're not sure.
And then, if it's a blend, putthe intended use and name your
blend.
If you can create customizedlabels using printable sticker
(22:31):
paper or pre-made label sheets,make sure your label is
illegible and use waterproofmarkers or print in waterproof
ink to prevent smudging.
Early on, before we had a laserprinter, this was probably like
a gazillion years ago.
It was just amazing to me howquickly labels would smudge and
we eventually just startedtaping over the label and then
(22:53):
after that we started printingthe labels with the laser.
Now laser printers are veryaffordable, so having a laser
printer can really definitelymake your life easier.
Now let's talk about organizing.
An organized system helpsstreamline your process with
making remedies or blends.
So here's a method to considerby form group dried herbs,
(23:17):
tinctures, oils and powdersseparately.
This ensures similar productsare stored optimally for their
preservation.
So we have all of our driedherbs in one cupboard and then I
have all of my tinctures insome drawers under one of those
cupboards and I have all of myyou know oils and fats.
Those are together, and part ofthe reason why I do this is
(23:40):
because it just makes my lifeeasier.
Or if I'm telling someone to goget something, I'm like it's in
the fat drawer so, and then youcan group them by usage.
So if you have herbal products,you can do them by purpose.
So if you have salves made andyou know teas for digestive
health or whatever, you can sortthem together if you want.
(24:02):
This can make it really easy tograb what you need when you're
crafting remedies.
Another way is alphabeticallyfor those who have a more
extensive apothecary.
So arranging herbsalphabetically can save time
when searching for a specificitem.
So I have my stuffalphabetically.
Now I will say I don't alwaysput things back where they
(24:23):
should be because I'm alwaysshort of space, like I'm always
expanding and needing more.
So it's definitely.
You know, I even use the drawer, the shelf divider, so I can
double stack stuff and, with allhonesty, I probably need to
just invest in a few morecupboards I just haven't gotten
(24:44):
around to it yet because I liketo find those locally made or
used and sturdy.
So you know sometimes thattakes time.
Seasonal herbs so if youpractice seasonal herbalism,
organizing your herbs by theirpeak use or harvest season can
be really important, especiallyif you do like seasonal eating
(25:05):
and seasonal like herb using.
You know that could be a waythat works for you.
So you can use stackablecontainers to make life easier,
or tiered shelving to maximizevertical space.
Drawer organizers or dividedtrays can also help keep smaller
items like tincture bottles inorder, or divided trays can also
help keep smaller items liketincture bottles in order.
(25:27):
So the next part of this is tocreate a functional workspace.
So once you have this allorganized, then you should start
thinking about a functionalworkspace.
Your herbal apothecary should beorganized and functional.
Make sure you have a dedicatedworkspace for blending and
creating herbal products.
It should be well-lit,clutter-free, easy to clean.
Like you're going to make sucha mess all the time, like you're
(25:50):
just going to spill it.
You're going to be like, oh, Idon't need a funnel, ha ha.
The next thing, you knowthere's stuff everywhere.
Store your most used tools,such as measuring spoons, scales
and mixing bowls, within reach.
Considering adding labels ortags to shelves for quick
identification to help youremember where everything
belongs.
Especially if you have limitedspace, keeping things really
(26:12):
organized will help you feelless cluttered.
You can also use a rolling cartor a portable shelf, so I like
to go to restaurant supplystores and get some of that
stuff.
Like a rolling cart that canhold a few hundred pounds is
perfect and they're not superexpensive.
You can probably even get themat big box places online, but it
just kind of makes makingthings movable and I'm not going
(26:36):
to hurt myself, moving them isalways a big bonus.
So creating and maintainingyour well-organized herbal
apothecary does take time andeffort, but the benefits are
worth it.
But, however, be mindful ofpotential pitfalls such as
exposure to light, impoverishedlabeling or using the wrong
containers.
By avoiding these, you'll notonly keep your herbs fresh and
(27:00):
potent for longer, but it'llalso make your practice smoother
and more enjoyable.
Remember, the more love andattention you put into
organizing your space, the moreinspired you'll feel to create
an experiment.
So decorate your space.
Paint the walls, paint yourshelves, hang up posters or
pictures.
Make it beautiful.
Make it a place that you wantto be.
(27:20):
I have some of those likeruggable type rugs in mine, so
when they get dirty, I just headover to the laundromat and wash
them in their machines.
Um, so I always have like.
I just always feel like myspace is beautiful and I love it
.
Um, but it's really personaland how you do it is up to you.
So thank you so much forjoining me today.
(27:41):
I hope this episode inspiresyou to take your herbal
apothecary to the next level.
I even know someone who wasteasing me because at one point
I had like an old chandelier inmy space.
I just, you know, just have funwith it.
You know, upgrade in littleways to make you feel really
creative and inspired.
(28:01):
So remember to subscribe andshare the podcast with fellow
herbalists and leave us a reviewif you found this helpful.
If you're looking to take thenext step and pursue your herbal
education for a fun careerchange, check us out at
heartofherbscom.
Until next time, happyorganizing and happy herbal
formulating.
Hi, this is Demetria Clark, the director of Heart of
Herbs Herbal School, and today,on the Heart of Herbs Herbal
School podcast, we're going tobe talking about organizing your
herbal apothecary.
So welcome to the podcast.
This is your go-to resource forherbalism, wellness and natural
living.
We offer herbal andaromatherapy education and
certification programs tostudents worldwide.
(00:22):
I'm your host, demetria Clark,the director and founder of
Heart of Herbs Herbal School.
Founded in 1998, we've beenhelping students all over the
world achieve their herbal andaromatherapy educational and
career goals.
As a seasoned herbalist what anice way to say it I'm excited
to share my knowledge on a topicthat's close to the heart of
many herbal enthusiastsorganizing your herbal
(00:45):
apothecary.
I know whenever one of ourstudents shares their apothecary
setups in our student group,everyone gets excited and
inspired.
We love seeing how everyonesets up their storage and their
apothecary for their herbalcreations.
Whether you're just startingout or looking to refine your
current setup, this episode willguide you through creating a
(01:06):
practical, efficient andbeautiful space for your herbs
and herbal formulations.
We'll cover how light affectsyour herbal products, the best
labeling practices and choosingthe proper containers and tips
for organizing by type.
So let's get started.
I will say.
I have a feeling this is goingto become one of our most
popular episodes, because thisis a question people ask all the
(01:28):
time.
So what is the value of an athome herbal apothecary?
So why should you even have one?
The answer lies in the benefitsof having quick, easy access to
natural remedies and wellnesssolutions whenever you need them
.
An at home apothecary allowsyou to take control of your
health and well-being by usingnatural, time-tested herbs and
preparations.
(01:49):
It empowers you to addresscommon ailments, boost your
immunity and support overallwellness without needing to rely
solely on commercial products.
Your herbal apothecary can alsohave products made by other
herbalists, so you don't have tomake everything in your
apothecary.
Building your herbal apothecarycan also deepen your connection
to nature and understanding thetraditional herbal practices.
(02:11):
It's a way to incorporatesustainable living and holistic
practices into your dailyroutine.
Plus, an organized apothecarybrings a sense of peace and
readiness, helping you feelprepared for anything from
seasonal cold to stress relief.
There's nothing like knowingthat you can have solutions for
many of your family's healthneeds.
If you can't sleep, we have atea blend or a tincture for that
(02:34):
Kids got the flu, cough or cold.
Elderberry syrup in the winteris already made Essentials to
include in your herbalapothecary.
So what should you have in yourat-home apothecary?
So here are some items that canhelp get you started.
So listen, you are going tochoose the herbs and nobody's
apothecary looks the same Okay.
(02:55):
So these are just suggestions.
I like to keep my apothecaryfull of things I can grow in the
garden that are natural andnearby apothecary, full of
things I can grow in the gardenthat are natural and nearby,
things that are in my yard, inmy fields, in our woods.
So that isn't something thateverybody can do right or even
wants to do.
(03:15):
So you can have dried herbsthat you purchase from stores or
from friends.
You don't have to do all ofthis yourself.
So be kind to yourself and usewhat works for you and your
family.
So for dried herbs, I have tons, but you know, for starting off
things from the mint familyspearmint, peppermint you can do
(03:37):
herbs like lemon balm, lavender, calendula, elderberry,
chamomile, nettles, rose hips,you know there's all kinds of
things that you can use.
So get your dried herbs andthey're really great because
they have a lot of versatileuses for teas, infusions,
topical preparations.
(03:57):
You can put them in tinctures,make tinctures out of them.
Another thing you can have inyour herbal apothecary are
tinctures, so tinctures that arealready made.
So you can have ones likeechinacea, valerian oats, lemon
balm for relaxation, echinacea,ginger, garlic, oregano for
immune health.
You can also make tinctures,for you know oh, the fall's
(04:20):
coming and I know my kids alwaysget this.
I'm going to make sometinctures.
You can also purchase tincturesand put them in there.
You don't have to makeeverything in your apothecary.
Um, another thing to have inyour apothecary are salves and
balms.
So keep healing.
Salves made with calendula orplantain for minor cuts and
scrapes, soothing balms for dryskin, soothing balms for dry
(04:43):
skin, sore muscles, like youknow.
You can also do, you know,arnica for bruising, st John's
wort.
You know there's lots and lotsof great salves out there and we
have tons of salve recipes inour programs, but we also have
them in, you know our blog.
So there's lots of great salverecipes out there and salves,
(05:05):
once you get the hang of it, arepretty easy to use.
The next is herbal oils, andthese are infused oils like
arnica, st John's wort.
I always keep a ton of StJohn's wort oil in hand.
I love it.
It makes me feel good in thewintertime, but they're also
excellent for muscle aches andbruises.
You can have um plantain,comfrey, chamomile, calendula, I
(05:32):
mean there's all kinds ofinfused herbal oils that you can
make or purchase and put themin your apothecary.
Now this next one is really umdepends on you and how you
practice.
So I'm also an aromatherapist,so I also like to have some
essential oils in my apothecaryand although they're not herbal,
(05:55):
they're herbal adjacent.
Now I would like to say thatessential oils are not always
the best way to use herbs forthe environment, because it
takes tons and tons of plants tomake the essential oil.
So educate yourself on that andif you're really finding that
you're into aromatherapy, get aquality education so you can
(06:17):
have best practices for safetyand the environment.
But I like to have things likeyou know, lavender, tea tree,
eucalyptus, frankincense, themints.
You know I just I have a ton ofessential oils because I'm an
aromatherapist, so I have themall in my apothecary.
But you can also get essentialoils that are already
pre-blended, so there's blends.
(06:39):
You can just have one or twoessential oils if you're not
sure how you feel about them.
So you can definitely make yourown decisions about essential
oils and then herbal powders andI'm not a huge powder person
because I don't do tons ofcapsules, but some of the herbs
that I do like and powder areturmeric and ashwagandha,
(07:00):
because I use them in differentapplications regularly.
Make sure that you customizeyour apothecary with herbs and
products that suit your personalneeds and preferences for your
family, so you don't need toworry about what other people
have in their apothecary.
You need to worry about what'sin yours.
So some useful appliances tohave.
Now, listen, do not use yourkitchen appliances for herbal
(07:26):
medicine, particularly if youare using essential oils,
because if there's anythingthat's plastic, the essential
oil is just going to be absorbedinto that.
Or if you're using anythingthat you know.
If you decide that you're goingto make a body scrub with some
soap in it or something and youuse the family blender, there's
a good chance you're not goingto get it all the way out.
So if you don't have the moneyto right away, go and buy all
(07:51):
these things new, you can checkout flea markets, thrift stores,
facebook marketplaces all kindsof places to buy things.
The only thing that I thinkwould probably be fine in the
home and in the apothecary arethings like a dehydrator and a
freeze dryer.
So a dehydrator is essentialfor drying fresh herbs
(08:13):
efficiently and evenly.
You can air dry them, you canscreen dry them.
This just makes life a littlebit easier and it also keeps
dust and contaminants fromgetting on your dried herbs,
unless you have a herb dryingroom.
So I could have like an herbdrying room if I wanted.
Like I have the space for that.
Not everyone has space for that.
(08:34):
My kids are gone, you know.
They've moved out, so like Ihave a lot more space in my
house than someone who haslittle kids running around.
Another one, and this isn't amust, but I got to tell you I
love mine and I use it topreserve herbs from our farm
with the least amount of coon,stichoint and nutrient loss.
But it is an expensive tool, isa freeze dryer and I think that
(08:56):
they for me, it's a mustbecause it just gives me so much
more power over how long I canpreserve my herbs, because I
cook with tons of herbs too, soI'm like a huge cook.
Um, the joke is is I probablyshould have uh, you know, I
easily could have been, you knowa chef.
I just love cooking, I loveexperimenting with food and it
(09:18):
has a lot of herbs in it.
Everything I make is just soherbally rich, like even my
garlic butter is just crazyinsane, chock full of herbs.
So you want to.
If you have like a freeze dryeror something like that, you'll
want to make sure that you knowyou can use it.
Um, family and herbs that arefor your apothecary, but if
(09:43):
you're selling your herbs youneed to have separate tools.
The next is an herb grinder.
So an electric or manual herbgrinder can be a game changer
for making fine herbal powders.
This appliance ensures that youcan have a consistent, easy to
use powder.
The next is a blender or a foodprocessor.
So there's all kinds of reallypowerful blenders out there.
(10:06):
When I first started in theherbal world, there was like the
Vitamix and that was it.
It was like Vitamix or regularstandard blender, and that one
was so, oh my gosh, it was likeI mean, back then, a three $400
blender was just insane amountof money, was just insane amount
of money and for years andyears and years I went without.
(10:26):
I just like I can't afford thatfor a blender.
It's a you know, a secondaryblender, and eventually we got
one and it was great.
But so and nowadays, though,there's all kinds of brands of
very high speed blenders.
There's Blendtec.
I think Ninja makes one that'sgot a lot of power.
The Nutribullet seemed to havea lot of power, so having a good
(10:47):
blender is definitely important.
A high speed blender is perfectfor creating herbal blends,
lotions and infused oils.
It can help mix the ingredientsseamlessly for herbal use.
The ingredients seamlessly forherbal use.
The next is a scale and thatcould go back and forth between
your house and your apothecary Adigital scale.
They're pretty cheap.
(11:07):
I remember when I first wasbuying digital scales back in
the early 2000s.
You know everyone would go oh,you're a drug dealer.
But they're really importantbecause some recipes are based
on weights or some creationsthat you're going to make are
based on weights, and having agood digital scale is really
important.
You don't need one that can doa few hundred pounds unless
(11:28):
you're going to be doing a fewhundred pounds or something.
A devil boiler is great formelting wax and oils.
You can also have a melting pot.
This is useful for salves,balms and creams.
A mortar and pestle while notelectric, a mortar and pestle
are indispensable for handgrinding herbs and releasing
their essential properties.
(11:48):
You may also want to look athaving a small crock pot or slow
cooker for creating crock potlong infused herbal oils without
the risk of burning.
Crock pot long infused herbaloils without the risk of burning
.
Um, an electric kettle is great.
I love having electric kettle.
I really, when I was living inEurope, I just fell in love with
(12:09):
them.
And now that we, you know, havea wood stove and stuff in the
shop, I, you know, I'mdefinitely looking at other
kinds of kettles to have on thewood stove in the middle of
winter just to save some energyand, you know, double dip on the
on the heat that's coming fromit.
The next is knives and scissors.
Good knives are reallyimportant.
I know sometimes it's hard forpeople to be like.
(12:29):
Knives are expensive, but goodknives are going to protect your
hands.
They're going to make your jobmuch easier when it comes to
processing herbs and having, youknow, separate apothecary
scissors are great.
We have tons of scissors allover the place, because I'm one
of these people that seems toalways lose scissors and then I
find like four of them all inthe same place, and then cutting
(12:51):
boards.
So you're going to want yourcutting board to be able to be
sterilized and cleaned reallywell.
So just make sure that you getsomething that's a surface that
you're comfortable working with.
I work with wood and stone.
If I was doing large-scalemanufacturing, I may look into
other kinds of surfaces.
These appliances can help youstreamline your herbal process,
(13:15):
saving time and ensuringconsistent results.
Try not to use your family'stools.
It's really good for herbalmedicine making production and
food production to have them beseparate so you can eliminate
crossover contamination.
Also, sterilize your tools andcontainers to lessen potential
(13:36):
contamination.
If you plan on starting abusiness, you're going to have
to do all of that anyways.
So the next part is yourcontainers.
So tinctures and extracts.
When storing herbal tinctures,it's essential to use proper
containers.
Tinctures are prepared with ahigh percentage of alcohol and
they can last for years, evendecades, as stored properly.
Alcohol is a solvent andshouldn't be stored in anything
(13:57):
other than glass.
You can use amber glass.
You can use cobalt or green thedarker the better.
We use amber glass dispensingbottles with polysealed caps.
When it's time to dispensetinctures, we recommend
transferring them to dropperbottles.
This is because long-termstorage with the dropper can
cause it to deteriorate.
These are usually called Bostonrounds or amber glass bottles.
(14:21):
The bottles are designed toprotect your medicine in several
ways.
The brown glass helps preventlight from degrading the
medicine over time and it blocksout the light which can be
damaging.
Though cobalt and green glasscan also be used, the amber does
block out the most light.
The polyseal cap is resistant tosolvents and is manufactured
for chemical storage, making itperfect for storing tinctures.
(14:43):
However, although the caps areplastic, we are still seeking a
better lid solution and rightnow there really isn't one.
You may be tempted to tryalternative solutions like wax,
metal or cork, but make surethey're made for the food or
chemical industry.
We buy the bottles in bulk tosave money, and if you want to
(15:05):
save money, you can purchasethem with friends and split the
cost.
You can also reuse and recyclebottles.
Bottles can last for decades ifproperly cared for, but you may
need to replace the lids.
So each time there's a newapplication, you may need to
replace the lids.
So each time there's a newapplication, you may need to
replace the lids, and often fromthe bottle companies, you can
just purchase lids.
(15:25):
So if you're reusing yourbottles, you can purchase new
lids.
Choosing the right containersfor your salves and creams is
essential for preserving theirquality, ensuring easy use.
So here are some types ofcommon containers Glass jars
amber or cobalt glass are idealfor salves and creams because
they block UV light and helpmaintain the integrity of the
(15:45):
contents.
They're also non-reactive andsafe for long-term storage.
Now metal tins these are reallypopular for salves due to their
lightweight and durable nature.
Ensure the tins are lined toprevent new reactions between
the metal and the herbalproducts.
Ensure the tins are lined toprevent new reactions between
the metal and the herbalproducts.
Plastic jars high quality orfood grade.
While less preferred than glass, they can be a practical option
(16:05):
for short-term storage ortravel.
Please make sure they're BPAfree and food grade.
Pump bottles and dispensersPump bottles can provide a
hygienic and convenient way todispense creams and lotions
without contamination.
Glass or plastic balm tubes Nowthey also have cardboard ones
now, so you can definitely lookat those.
(16:25):
These twist-up tubes are idealfor smaller, portable amounts of
salves and balms.
They're also good for lip balm.
They're perfect for theon-the-go application.
So when selecting containers,consider factors like opacity,
size and airtight seals topreserve the freshness and
potency of your products.
Some of my favorite companiesto get bottles and containers
(16:47):
from and they don't pay me, aresks-bottlecom,
berlinpackagingcom,specialtybottlecom and
birchbottlecom.
I'll try to make sure I put thelinks in the description, so
understanding how light affectsherbal products.
First and foremost, let's talkabout one crucial element that
(17:12):
can impact the longevity andeffectiveness of your herbal
products light.
Herbs and herbal preparationsare sensitive to light,
particularly direct sunlight andfluorescent lighting.
Prolonged exposure can degradethe essential oils, active
constituents and pigments withinthe herbs, leading to
diminished potency and qualityover time.
Direct sunlight accelerates thebreakdown of compounds due to
(17:35):
UV rays.
This is particularly relevantfor herbal oils, tinctures and
dried herbs.
For example, st John's Wort oilis highly photosensitive and
can quickly lose its efficacy ifit's exposed to light.
So pro tip store your herbs in adark, cool place.
Use amber or cobalt glasscontainers to block out harmful
UV rays.
(17:55):
If you prefer clear glass forvisibility, make sure your
storage area is shielded fromdirect light or use opaque
covers.
So we put all of our herbsinside of cabinets.
So our apothecary is closedcabinets and we have them in a
boot room which is off the house.
It's a little bit cooler.
It's you know it's between thehouse and the garage and you
(18:20):
know it's a tile floor.
It just really makes it easierfor me to know where everything
is.
I know the temperature isalways a little bit cooler in
there and I know that all of mycupboards are light type.
Choosing proper containers foryour herbal products.
Choosing suitable containers isvital for preserving the
(18:43):
quality of your herbs.
The container type you usedepends on the form of herbal
product.
Here's a quick rundown driedherbs.
Glass jars, tight ceiling lids,mason jars or ball jars are
perfect.
They have an airtight lid.
I also use a vacuum sealer forcanning jars and I reseal them
once I open the jar.
It's a small handheld devicethat allows our herbs to last
(19:06):
longer.
Glass is non-reactive and won'tleach chemicals into your herbs.
The airtight seal helps tomaintain freshness of the herbs.
One of the problems is they'reoften clear, so that's why a
cupboard is a really great thing.
Or you can spray paint theoutside of them and use the
(19:26):
chalk markers to label what'sinside, or you could put a label
sticker on the top.
If it's like in a drawer.
Anything that you can do tokeep light away is really the
best.
Glass is non-reactive anddoesn't leach into your herbs.
The airtight seal helps tomaintain freshness, so this
would work for tinctures too,and we talked a little bit about
(19:50):
amber or cobalt dropper bottlesbeing the best for storing
tinctures.
It's just don't use the.
Use the regular lid, not thedropper lid, for long-term
storage.
You can also find the bottlesin green, red and purple and
blue, and that's fine too, butyou really want to make sure
that it's as dark as possibleand as long as the light can get
(20:14):
in, it should keep thempreserved for a lot longer.
Herbs and salves.
For ease of access, use widemouth glass jars, preferably
dark in color.
Metal tins are great we alreadytalked about that a little bit
and you can use plastic or thetubes.
It just really depends on whatyou're making and what you want
to use it for Powders, tightlysealed glass or food grade
(20:38):
plastic containers.
I just keep everything in glass.
I'm sorry.
I'm not sure what's in plasticand it freaks me out.
It's just a preference for me.
So if I do use plastic, I makesure that it's like from a
company that I know and thatit's made in the United States
and that I know where theingredients come from that are
in it and that's becomingincreasingly hard to do.
(20:59):
Avoid using thin plasticcontainers.
They're prone to breaking downand they can compromise the
quality of your herbal products.
High quality food gradeplastics are an option, but
glass is generally preferred forlong-term storage.
Label, label, label Labelingyour apothecary.
Proper labeling is essentialfor keeping your apothecary
(21:21):
organized.
Like, with all seriousness,know what's in your apothecary.
So on your labels you're goingto want to include things like
the name of the herb, the Latinname, the product.
Be specific.
So chamomile matricaria redic.
Sorry, I always screw up theLatin names Like people are.
(21:46):
Like you.
Can't you run an herbal school?
No, I totally can, because I,you know, trip over myself when
I'm talking.
Date of harvest preparation thishelps you track the age of your
herbs, the source, whether itwas wild, crafted, homegrown,
purchased.
So if I purchase herbs, I cutoff their label that has all
that information on it and tapeit right on the side of my jar.
(22:07):
Makes my life easier because ithas the common name, the Latin
name, where it came from, andthen I just write the date on it
, so the parts used.
That's a good thing to put onyour label, especially when
you're first starting out andyou're not sure.
And then, if it's a blend, putthe intended use and name your
blend.
If you can create customizedlabels using printable sticker
(22:31):
paper or pre-made label sheets,make sure your label is
illegible and use waterproofmarkers or print in waterproof
ink to prevent smudging.
Early on, before we had a laserprinter, this was probably like
a gazillion years ago.
It was just amazing to me howquickly labels would smudge and
we eventually just startedtaping over the label and then
(22:53):
after that we started printingthe labels with the laser.
Now laser printers are veryaffordable, so having a laser
printer can really definitelymake your life easier.
Now let's talk about organizing.
An organized system helpsstreamline your process with
making remedies or blends.
So here's a method to considerby form group dried herbs,
(23:17):
tinctures, oils and powdersseparately.
This ensures similar productsare stored optimally for their
preservation.
So we have all of our driedherbs in one cupboard and then I
have all of my tinctures insome drawers under one of those
cupboards and I have all of myyou know oils and fats.
Those are together, and part ofthe reason why I do this is
(23:40):
because it just makes my lifeeasier.
Or if I'm telling someone to goget something, I'm like it's in
the fat drawer so, and then youcan group them by usage.
So if you have herbal products,you can do them by purpose.
So if you have salves made andyou know teas for digestive
health or whatever, you can sortthem together if you want.
(24:02):
This can make it really easy tograb what you need when you're
crafting remedies.
Another way is alphabeticallyfor those who have a more
extensive apothecary.
So arranging herbsalphabetically can save time
when searching for a specificitem.
So I have my stuffalphabetically.
Now I will say I don't alwaysput things back where they
(24:23):
should be because I'm alwaysshort of space, like I'm always
expanding and needing more.
So it's definitely.
You know, I even use the drawer, the shelf divider, so I can
double stack stuff and, with allhonesty, I probably need to
just invest in a few morecupboards I just haven't gotten
(24:44):
around to it yet because I liketo find those locally made or
used and sturdy.
So you know sometimes thattakes time.
Seasonal herbs so if youpractice seasonal herbalism,
organizing your herbs by theirpeak use or harvest season can
be really important, especiallyif you do like seasonal eating
(25:05):
and seasonal like herb using.
You know that could be a waythat works for you.
So you can use stackablecontainers to make life easier,
or tiered shelving to maximizevertical space.
Drawer organizers or dividedtrays can also help keep smaller
items like tincture bottles inorder, or divided trays can also
help keep smaller items liketincture bottles in order.
(25:27):
So the next part of this is tocreate a functional workspace.
So once you have this allorganized, then you should start
thinking about a functionalworkspace.
Your herbal apothecary should beorganized and functional.
Make sure you have a dedicatedworkspace for blending and
creating herbal products.
It should be well-lit,clutter-free, easy to clean.
Like you're going to make sucha mess all the time, like you're
(25:50):
just going to spill it.
You're going to be like, oh, Idon't need a funnel, ha ha.
The next thing, you knowthere's stuff everywhere.
Store your most used tools,such as measuring spoons, scales
and mixing bowls, within reach.
Considering adding labels ortags to shelves for quick
identification to help youremember where everything
belongs.
Especially if you have limitedspace, keeping things really
(26:12):
organized will help you feelless cluttered.
You can also use a rolling cartor a portable shelf, so I like
to go to restaurant supplystores and get some of that
stuff.
Like a rolling cart that canhold a few hundred pounds is
perfect and they're not superexpensive.
You can probably even get themat big box places online, but it
just kind of makes makingthings movable and I'm not going
(26:36):
to hurt myself, moving them isalways a big bonus.
So creating and maintainingyour well-organized herbal
apothecary does take time andeffort, but the benefits are
worth it.
But, however, be mindful ofpotential pitfalls such as
exposure to light, impoverishedlabeling or using the wrong
containers.
By avoiding these, you'll notonly keep your herbs fresh and
(27:00):
potent for longer, but it'llalso make your practice smoother
and more enjoyable.
Remember, the more love andattention you put into
organizing your space, the moreinspired you'll feel to create
an experiment.
So decorate your space.
Paint the walls, paint yourshelves, hang up posters or
pictures.
Make it beautiful.
Make it a place that you wantto be.
(27:20):
I have some of those likeruggable type rugs in mine, so
when they get dirty, I just headover to the laundromat and wash
them in their machines.
Um, so I always have like.
I just always feel like myspace is beautiful and I love it
.
Um, but it's really personaland how you do it is up to you.
So thank you so much forjoining me today.
(27:41):
I hope this episode inspiresyou to take your herbal
apothecary to the next level.
I even know someone who wasteasing me because at one point
I had like an old chandelier inmy space.
I just, you know, just have funwith it.
You know, upgrade in littleways to make you feel really
creative and inspired.
(28:01):
So remember to subscribe andshare the podcast with fellow
herbalists and leave us a reviewif you found this helpful.
If you're looking to take thenext step and pursue your herbal
education for a fun careerchange, check us out at
heartofherbscom.
Until next time, happyorganizing and happy herbal
formulating.
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