Chestnut Herbal School
The risks of using AI in herbalism. An AI-generated image of a robot in an herbal apothecary.
Last updated on March 21st, 2024

Risks of Using AI in Herbalism

Like it or not, artificial intelligence (AI) is now interwoven into the basic technology we use daily. Like all technology, it’s only as helpful or harmful as the intentions of the people using it. Mostly, we hear about the dangers of using AI and how it can be used in nefarious ways, yet it also offers promising solutions to some of the world’s most complex problems. In this article, we’ll primarily explore the risks of using AI in herbalism, especially herbal education.

A person wearing an apron holds two jars filled with dried herbs, standing in front of a home herbal apothecary cabinet.
Last updated on November 13th, 2023

10 Best Herbs to Start Your Home Herbal Apothecary

Our apothecary at the Chestnut School is no mere medicine cabinet; it holds the stories and healing signatures of herbs gathered from local wildlands, cross-country travels, and our school gardens. The medicine in its bottles is much more than roots, leaves, and bark. It’s the essence of fields and forests, birdsong and butterfly kisses, babbling streams and fertile dirt, sunshine, and cool afternoon breezes. Are you curious about how to start a home apothecary of your own? We’ve simplified the process by choosing the ten best herbs to start your home herbal apothecary.

Juliet Blankespoor teaching medicinal herb gardening at her farm in NC. Photograph by Emily Nichols.
Last updated on October 6th, 2023

Becoming An Herbalist: Juliet Blankespoor’s Dance With The Plants

Stamens, stigmas, and anthers were my first dates in what would become a lifelong love affair with plants. Today, I plan my vacations around botanical gardens and keep random pieces of colorful bark in my pocket in case I need an icebreaker in an awkward social situation. Three decades into this journey as a plant–human matchmaker, I’ve owned almost every herbal business you can imagine: an herbal nursery, a medicinal products business, a clinical practice, and now an online herbal school specializing in bioregional, hands-on herbalism.

Two glasses filled with hibiscus ice cubes and garnished with a yellow flower.
Last updated on November 27th, 2023

Isis Hibiscus Sun Tea Recipe

The following is an excerpt from Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz’s book, Earth Medicines: Ancestral Wisdom, Healing Recipes, and Wellness Rituals from a Curandera, taken from the “Fire” chapter. It’s an easy recipe for iced hibiscus tea using fresh mint (Mentha spp.) and dried rose petals (Rosa spp.), harnessing the power of the Sun. She calls it Isis Sun Tea. The main ingredient in Isis Sun Tea are the calyces of the Hibiscus sabdariffa shrub, also known as roselle or by its common name, hibiscus.

Jars of red fire cider sitting on an outside table surrounded by oranges and hibiscus branches.
Last updated on March 7th, 2024

Hibiscus Pomegranate Fire Cider Recipe

One of my favorite ways to use hibiscus (oh, count the ways!) is in fire cider. Fire cider is basically a spicy herbal vinegar, often sweetened with a little honey. It’s taken by the dropperful or spoonful, depending on the cider’s strength and imbiber’s palette. Fire cider helps to clear out the sinuses and wake up the immune and circulatory systems. It can be taken to ward off a cold or other respiratory infection.

A jar of Lemon Balm Pesto and small bowls of the ingredients.
Last updated on April 12th, 2024

Lemon Balm Pesto Recipe

Back in the day, when I ran an in-person herbal school, my students would pick one herb and give a presentation on its medicinal qualities along with a sample: a spot of tea, a taste of tincture, or sometimes a nibble of the plant. When a student told me she’d be preparing lemon balm pesto, I gave an encouraging smile, belying my apprehension. I am a decidedly adventurous eater, but this pesto felt wrong. Never have I been so happy to eat crow.

A person holding a wicker basket of lemon balm.
Last updated on April 15th, 2024

The Medicinal Benefits of Lemon Balm

With its citrusy aroma and quilted lime-green leaves, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) brightens our gardens and kitchens alike. This mint family medicinal is known as the “gladdening herb” for the uplifting qualities it brings to the spirit. Children have a particular fondness for its sunny aroma and sour flavor. Bees are equally fond of the herb—so much so that the Greek word for bee, melissa, is another name for the plant.