Borealis Backwoods Apothecary

ABOUT US

"What is your apothecary" is such a loaded question, and its certainly changed over the years as life tends to do. But, as plants also do, the roots always remain all the while growing, intertwining and transplanting, finding soil to truly thrive. 

One day if I ever have the privilege of becoming old and grey, I hope to write a book. A memoir of sorts, full of remedies, experiences and adventure. This apothecary means SO much. Born from the ground up out of pure fiery passion.  Every year it changes and evolves, the harder years on a personal level end up providing the most lessons and clarity. Dreams and goals come to fruition, sometimes through failures or family health struggles. Sometimes through joy, hard work and perseverance.

A couple years ago (2021) we had what felt like a devastating diagnosis with my youngest boy. This diagnosis ended up leading us to the north woods. That feeling of Hiraeth that I felt so deeply in my soul for so long, was gone. The borealis forest called me home and now forever and always will be my home. I didn't know it at the time, but what was to come was going to be an incredibly difficult and transformative sequence of experiences that would lead me to really dig inward and re-find myself. I found myself by losing myself. Losing myself in the back woods, where not a soul could find me or reach me (and coming to love the lack of cell service), exploring the shorelines, waterfalls, rivers and coves. I found myself by heading into the darkness by myself on clear nights to chase the northern lights. I found myself in the fires I would make on the beach when not a soul was around and the only sounds were the crashing waves on the shoreline. I found myself when I was in the middle of nowhere, looking up at the night sky full of more stars I had ever seen since I was a kid on Big Island. I found myself in my hunting blind, countless hours of sitting and taking everything in and sitting with your thoughts. It's all an indescribable feeling, to feel so safe and at home in a place that is physically foreign to you.

My passion has always laid with growing and foraging medicine. The blocks and frustrations that have presented themselves over the years all were guidance to this present moment. I am so incredibly thankful everything happened as it did because it led me to the now. I'm thankful for the people in my life that led me to the present in both good and bad experiences, and I'm most thankful for those in my life now. The borealis forest is so rich and full of life. It has always been loved and cherished and we will continue to respect and cherish it through daily life, foraging, harvesting and growing practices. My hopes for the future are to create a permaculture style small farm for medicinal herbs as well as cold climate permaculture forest farming and log mushroom farming. I'll be reintroducing beekeeping back into my life this coming Spring as its something I so badly miss from our old farm.

I'm not aiming for widescale production and distribution. I want to keep the biodiversity up, focusing on medicinal natives, and of course always giving back to the land. This apothecarys goal, both present moment and future is to bridge the gap between traditional and modern approaches to wellness, both in children and adults. Even just from working with dried herbs to fresh as the season allows. Working with nature and not against it to bring sustainably grown healing plants and animal derived remedies to our community and beyond. Using regenerative methods to reduce pests and disease. The passion here is to grow, forage and harvest clean medicine and food. Grown and raised in pristine soil, air and water. The passion is to provide you with nature how the earth intended it to be. As medicine, not poison. 

On the apothecary side of things, we still craft all of the Blessing Moon Herbs remedies. Though, the focus of the apothecary is to create a rhythm with the seasons. Harvesting food and medicine with the plants the season is giving us to support the body.

On the technology side, I'd like to continue to use technology for the good it can provide. To get folks involved in herbalism from seeing where and how these wonderful plants grow to crafting remedies for your family. You can tell a lot about a plants medicinal properties by how it grows. Does it love wet soil? Is it mucilaginous? I'll have video foraging classes on the patreon along with recipes and tips. This is to strive in getting the communities hands in the soil and creating something bigger than ourselves. That may not always be possible in person (though seasonal in person workshops will be held in Manistique and surrounding areas) which is where utilizing the tech we have access to today comes in. I also will still be offering the 1:1 consultations, zoom or in person for the folks that are up here or can make it up. 

As you can see, "What is the Borealis Backwoods Apothecary" is a loaded question. It represents life, love, healing, second chances and joy. The borealis forest is a place for children's squeals of delight when they smell fresh wintergreen, or learn how to make a plantain poultice. A place to watch the awe in their eyes as you cruise through the giant pines. A place to feel okay about dragging your kiddos out of bed on a school night to watch the northern lights dance. A place to harvest your food and medicine in a traditional way. A place that our adult worries can be released and our sense of wonder and awe restored. Its a place that balances the give and take. This apothecary represents hope, the rainbow after a heavy rain. It represents forgiveness in your heart and all of the lessons learned through storms. It represents healing and reconnecting with the earth. Both in the physical body and the soul. Thank you for being a part of this journey