About Me

Hello, my plant-loving friends! Does this sound like something you've thought before?

• Isn't herbal medicine like, obsolete? Like, we have ibuprofen and zoloft now...
• This seems fun, but with the Walmart health section 5 minutes away, herbal medicine is really not worth all that extra work.
• Herbalism is just too expensive of a hobby to get into.
• I love reading about plants but am so intimidated by all the experts on the internet.
• I could never figure out all those complicated recipes or medicines.
• I would love to try herbal remedies, but can't afford all that fancy equipment.
• I don't have any useful plants around here and I don't want to spend money buying herbs online.
• I don't even know what I could make to have on hand for my house.

If you're nodding along to any of those, you're in the perfect place! All of those are the things I said to myself during the years that I read (and read, and read...), longing to be like the homesteaders and plant medicine bloggers on Pinterest.

My name is Kaity. I'm a backyard herbalist, and I'm here to teach you how to be one, too! I LOVE plants, but more than anything, I love learning and sharing knowledge.

I started this blog because, quite frankly, everyone around me is exhausted of hearing about the plants everywhere we go and what you can do with them. I guess some people aren't obsessed with plants ?? So weird.

I started this because I want to share what I have learned and been able to put into practice, all on my own.

You don't have to be intimidated or overwhelmed about exploring and playing with plants.

I also made this to connect with other herbalists, plant lovers, excited learners, informative teachers, shared enthusiasts, and lovely friends.

We deserve to be able to talk to people who share our passion for the things we love.

(Like .. seriously, I'm so happy you're here.)

For years, I surfed Pinterest, reading every article that talked about herb uses, their history, recipes for tinctures or salves, pinning each one to one board until I had to start categorizing that one (you know what I'm talking about. All those amaaaaazing recipes you saved and then had to go back and sort into breakfast, lunch, snacks).

I was devouring these blog articles and herbalism books, but I was really hesitant to try it myself.

First of all, how am I supposed to justify to my husband that I need more stuff for yet another hobby?

It's SO complicated and expensive!! I can't spend all that money on something pointless, we have cold medicine and itch cream in the medicine cabinet.

I don't even know what I'm doing!! I'll never be able to get it.

It takes SO long to understand WTF is even going on.

I'm gonna mess it up and it'll be a waste.

So I didn't.

Until one hot, muggy summer day when I went to the river. I am a magnet for mosquitos. If you're around me, you don't need a bug light. Picture Pleakley on stakeout.

Even though I wore bug spray, some asshole bloodsucker left me a huge welt on the back of my shoulder. (What's their problem, anyway? Like I was gonna let you have the blood. ?? They're so rude about it.)

I looked around my feet and grabbed some of the plantain from one of their copious rosettes on the ground, chewed it up, spit it out, and put it on my bite, under a bandaid.

It was instant relief.

All the years I spent in swampy Florida, up late scratching and covered in tiny crimson spots from too many itchy bug bites... I mean, this was absolute MAGIC for me.

Not only did it instantly stop the itch, it took the swelling down within minutes. After that, I had no evidence of that huge, red welt, not even a spot.

Well, that was it! I was thrilled with my new confidence in my knowledge.

I dove into plants, buying herbs, making those recipes I had read about forever.

And it turned out, I was wrong.

So, so wrong.

Actually, none of this was too expensive.

I didn't have to buy much.

None of this was too hard.

It was so simple that I felt like a moron for being so anxious and intimidated.

Most exciting for me, even with the drugstore 2 minutes away, none of this was useless!

There is no reason to feel like you can't get into herbalism and play with plants.

If you have

• a slowcooker or stovetop
• containers with lids
• a strainer
• a flat surface
• a place you can get to that has natural greenery,

then you have almost everything you need!

The last part is just the knowledge and guidance, and that's what you've found here!

I want to share with you what I have learned in my own research and practice in areas like:

• Identifying Plants
• Best Practice for Foraging
• Preserving & Storing Plants and Medicines
• Things NOT To Do
• My Personal Medicinal Recipes

In sharing my own experience and knowledge with you, I invite you to share yours with me!

I want to hear about the regions where you live and the plants you have in your backyard.

I always want to learn something new!