My Herbal Journey: A Personal Exploration of Plants and History
My home is a living apothecary, with jars of herbs, some growing, some drying, some steeping, scattered across every room.
As a curious, overbooked woman, I’ve woven herbalism into my daily life, learning from history and nature to create a personal, meaningful practice.
1. Embracing herbalism as a beginner
I’m not a certified herbalist, and I’m not here to diagnose or prescribe. I’m just a full-time working, nighttime-reading, herb-loving woman who decided herbalism had to fit into my busy life to stick.
My journey isn’t from the mountaintop but from the trail, where I’m learning alongside others, following clinical herbalists, foragers, and folk medicine keepers.
My approach is shaped by the health needs of my family—my parents, brother, husband, and myself, focusing on strategic, plant-based remedies tailored to our unique patterns and goals.
2. Making herbalism practical and fun
Formal herbal courses haven’t fit into my life yet, so I’ve learned through a mix of textbooks, trial and error, and moments of “huh, that worked.”
I grow some herbs, forage others, and buy what I can’t source locally, keeping things practical and affordable.
My strategy ensures herbalism is empowering and doable, even with a full plate, blending science with the joy of discovery.
3. Questioning herbal efficacy
As I dove deeper, questions arose: How effective are herbs, really? Why did we stop using them? Why are some banned, and why do modern studies often end with “further trials needed”?
Reading YouTube comments on herbal videos showed me others want proof too. This led me to explore when herbs were last relied on at scale, and the answer was clear: the American Civil War.
4. Discovering Civil War medicine
During the Civil War, herbs were a necessity, not a trend, as hospitals were overwhelmed and supplies scarce.
Plants like yarrow, plantain, and willow bark, growing in nearby fields and forests, were used by nurses, soldiers, and doctors.
Visiting the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in Frederick, Maryland, opened my eyes. This small, carefully curated museum revealed how the war’s pressure cooker environment forced medical innovation, including the use of local flora.
Women like Clara Barton and Susie King Taylor stepped into new roles, documenting symptoms and legitimizing health as a profession.
5. Uncovering historical herbal wisdom
The museum’s display on native plants used by Civil War physicians was a revelation. These weren’t exotic imports but wild herbs gathered under dire conditions.
The museum shop’s bookstand, filled with titles by local historians, connected battlefield medicine to today’s herbal practices.
Three books stood out: Healing a Divided Nation: How the American Civil War Revolutionized Western Medicine by Carole Adrienne, Civil War: Plants and Herbs by the Mitchells, and Southern Folk Medicine: Healing Traditions from the Appalachian Fields and Forest by Phyllis D. Light.
6. Lessons from historical texts
Adrienne's book traces how battlefield necessity birthed modern medicine, with herbs as a key tool. She highlights how post-war pharmaceutical interests shifted focus from plants, not because they failed, but due to profit-driven systems.
A quote that struck me: “Battlefield necessity forced medicinal practitioners to rely on every tool available, including plant-based compounds, and then to record what actually worked under pressure.”
Light’s book blends history, culture, and tradition, detailing how European, Native American, African, and Irish practices formed Southern folk medicine.
The Mitchells’ book offers plant profiles, regional maps, and wartime documentation, showing how sage was used for dysentery and respiratory issues.
7. Building a regional herbal practice
These books taught me to prioritize regional herbs, which are free, fresh, and historically proven. I start with what grows in my area, like the woods behind my townhouse, then grow what I can in my small garden, and buy the rest.
This keeps costs down and roots my practice in my environment.
Historical records, like Civil War doctors’ notes and the Library of Congress’s Folklore Project, provide real data, free from modern funding biases, showing herbs were safer and accessible during crises.
8. My eclectic herbal library
My herbal library reflects my journey: eclectic and student-driven. It includes recipe-style books for quick remedies, deeper texts on how herbs work, thrifted older herbal books, and classics like Peterson Field Guides.
I also have books on herbal care for pets and livestock, dreaming of a future homestead. Some texts, like those on medical herbalism, are over my head but within reach for lifelong learning.
This collection isn’t about expertise. It’s about curiosity and growth. As I continue my herbal journey, I invite you to explore the plants and stories in your own backyard, connecting with the timeless wisdom of nature and history.
Next, check out my spring garden tour featuring 150 different plants grown on my townhouse deck.
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