About Thirteen Moons Apothecary
Thirteen Moons Apothecary is a one human operation based in Portland, Oregon. I strive to create the very best botanical products available by using the very freshest, locally sourced herbs. The majority of the plants used used in Thirteen Moons Apothecary are either grown by me or ethically harvested by me in the nearby forests, marshes, mountains, and deserts. For more about Thirteen Moons Apothecary's philosophy and practices check out the 'About' tab
About Thirteen Moons Apothecary
Thirteen Moons Apothecary is a one human operation based in unceded Chinook territory, more commonly known as Portland, Oregon. I strive to create the very best small batch, craft botanical products available by using the freshest, locally sourced herbs. The majority of the plants used in Thirteen Moons Apothecary are either grown by me or ethically harvested by me in the nearby forests, marshes, mountains, and deserts. For more about Thirteen Moons Apothecary keep scrolling.
As a white settler on unceded native lands I acknowledge the deep debt that I and other settlers owe to the countless generations of native peoples that have tended these lands. I am forever grateful for the knowledge and relationships that have been created.
The name Thirteen Moons Apothecary comes from the roughly thirteen lunar cycles in a solar year. Each of these moons corresponds to part of the year, and in each of these moons there are plants to tend and harvest, medicines to make, and traditional knowledge and practices to insure good health during that time of year. In traditional times the moon and lunar calendars gave insight into the ebb and flow of the shifting seasons. I chose this name to reflect both the intimate ties that humans can have with the seasons, cycles, and traditional practices of the living world, and my own practice of medicine making. Through medicine making I have found myself tending a garden in the spring, wildcrafting up in beautiful alpine meadows in the summer, digging woodland roots in fall, and resting, studying (and often pressing lots of tinctures) in winter. By following the cycles of the plants that I work with, my life has been enriched by a deeper connection to self and place. Through Thirteen Moons Apothecary I am attempting to share the fruits of this connection.
My medicine making philosophy has always been strongly influenced by my practice as a clinical herbalist. I strive to make potent, effective medicines. For me this means meticulously using only the freshest ingredients, using traditional ratios, and honing in on the best herbal formulas through clinical use. I believe in using the medicinal plants that are closest and in most abundance while achieving the best clinical effects. This has led me to harvest many plants from the wild, while also growing a great many plants in my garden. It has also led me to grow and use many of the incredible medicinal plants from Chinese Medicine.
When harvesting I only harvest plants that are in great abundance and from populations that I am sure can handle the harvest. After harvesting from the same places for years it has been a great joy to see these plant populations not only bearing the harvest but thriving under the minimal tending they receive.
When growing plants in my garden I strive to mimic the native growing conditions where those plants produce the best medicine. A great many plants can be grown to produce good medicine here in the Pacific Northwest! By growing and harvesting these plants myself, I can insure that they are harvested at the right time, handled carefully, and carefully made into medicine in small batches to insure the very best quality products possible. I believe that the care and respect given to these plants, and the relationships forged in growing and wildcrafted makes for better medicine.
As a dedicated medicine maker for 10+ years, my herbal education has come in many forms. My first teacher was my mother, a folk herbalist who taught me how to identify common plants at an early age. From her I learned some of the uses of common plants like yarrow, nettle, and elder. These are still some of my most used herbal allies today! In 2014 I finished a three year clinical herbalist training program at The School of Traditional Western Herbalism where I studied with well known herbalists such as Paul Bergner, Larkin Bunce, Seven Song, Peter Holmes, and Mathew Wood. At the time of writing this I am finishing my third year of a masters of acupuncture and oriental medicine program at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine. I have maintained a small but consistent clinical practice for the last 8 years.