Tending the Heart of RavenCroft

A 30 Year Journey with Simpling

My herbal journey started when I became a mother and wanted the best care for my children. I was uncomfortable with the choices the medical model offered. I wanted accessible and easy to use information that I could use to create and maintain health, build my confidence and feel empowered to simply care for myself and my family.

I have always loved nature and the earth, so I turned to Gaia, the mother earth, and my garden. I realized there were many paths to take to learn with herbs. It was when I found the Wise Woman Tradition that I found the path I have been on for the last 30 years. Little did I know that this journey would transform my world into one of connection, wisdom and beauty.

To approach the world of herbs and the plethora of information was overwhelming at first. In the Wise Woman Tradition what supported and inspired my learning was the practice of Simpling, where we use one herb at a time in our preparations and food. This practice develops our senses, builds familiarity and creates a relationship with an individual herb. Simpling practices bring awareness and discernment within ourselves and how each herb supports our health. Simpling shines a light on the uniqueness of each plant and each person.

My first herb was nettle, I drank her in nourishing herbal infusions, my family ate her as a pot herb in the spring, we collected her fresh and added her to miso, soups, stews, casseroles. We dried her and set her aside for the coming year’s nourishing infusions. I made nettle tincture, and nettle vinegar, and learned how to incorporate her into my life in these simple forms.

I kept a journal of all the recipes, herbal and personal insights. At the end of my year long journey of Simpling with Nettle, I had learned many medicine making skills, become a better observer of the natural world, and had a foundation of learning that made the next nourishing herb, Oatstraw, easier to incorporate into my life. Again, I found this Oatstraw ally, by Simpling with a nourishing infusion and eating her Oats, cooked, on a regular basis a fantastic benefit to my nervous system health and a mineral rich food.

This year after 30 years of purchasing oatstraw for our use, a farmer friend shared a small patch of ground to grow this ally. So now I add to my journaling and information bank all that I have learned in watching her grow, from seed to harvest. We invite you to join us on our Oastraw Field Day to stand in a patch of milky oats and harvest in community with the land of this brilliant ally.

Green Blessings Your Way,

Sally