What is your business’ name? Jade Rabbit Apothecary and we are Jeanie Roberts-Wyatt and Kim Ivey-Bourne!
What sort of items do you make? We are a small local herbal
business operating in Greensboro, North Carolina. We offer therapeutic skin
care products, teas and other herbal products with consulting services. We
maintain an inventory of Western herbs available for purchase and are available
to teach classes in soap and salve making as well as other topics.
When and how did you learn your craft? A combination of formal and
informal training as well as many years of self-study and practice – there is
not a “standard” approach to the practice of herbalism in the U.S. Herbalism is
an ongoing “practice” of participating in a wide variety of activities and
forums that allow practitioners to teach and be taught and to be exposed to
both formal and informal types of information about plants and their
applications in health and diet. There is a tremendous need for all of us to
reduce our exposure both internally and externally to chemicals and
pharmaceuticals and herbal plant use offers easy, safe and approachable
alternatives – this drove our early interest in herbals. Our mid-Atlantic
region in the eastern U.S. has a rich and diverse amount of some of the world’s
most powerful plants.
Where do you get your inspiration from? From the plants themselves! Even
the most cursory journey into medicinal plants and the global history of
herbalism will excite and educate readers. Plants were our first food and
medicine and continue those primary roles today. Basic knowledge of herbs and
their uses can greatly and safely enhance our personal and family health and
nutrition. There has been tremendous interest in alternative medical approaches
as more knowledge and research becomes available and consumers become more educated
in health choices. It’s a very exciting time to see Eastern and Western medical
communities move closer together in a more holistic approach to medicine and
health. It’s hard not to be inspired!
How did you get started doing this as a business? After spending many years working in a variety
of settings with people, animals and herbs we decided to formalize this by
establishing the business. We wanted to
professionalize the practice as we have established customers and growing
interest in the community. As we
continue to grow our skills, products, and practice, we have found this creates
more opportunities to share our passion for these magic plants that are all
around us.
Do you have any advice for other crafters/artisans just starting out? Start with the plants themselves.
Learn about just a few native botanicals and what their uses are and then have
fun! Pick an area of interest and concentrate your efforts and study in that
area. Always remain governed by your
passion and integrity to represent these wonderful allies well, find wonderful
teachers and create opportunities to use herbals in all areas of your own life.
From every day health support for yourself and your family to a rigorous
clinical practice, there is a place for every role in the practice and use of
herbals. All of us from the most novice to the most experienced practitioner
need to teach, share and communicate our knowledge and learning in our
respective communities. Know your limits and never stop learning about the
magic that is all around our feet in our gardens – the weeds!
Jade Rabbit Apothecary will be a featured artist at the First Friday Indie Market on April 4, 2014. The market is located on the corner of MKL and Elm St in Downtown Greensboro, NC and is open from 4-9pm.
Want to see more of Jade Rabbit Apothecary? Check out Jeanie and Kim's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Jade-Rabbit-Apothecary.
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