How to find a source of good herbs

[Guest guest]

How do you find a source for herbs?

 

Trade online as this forum suggests. But when you trade, send full leave and

flower

samples so the species can be confirmed by your trading partner.

 

Alternatively, buy direct. They are called wildcrafters and botanists. The

difference

is that the first is a specialist in making medicine from plants and the latter

is a

specialist in idenfifying plants and understanding plant communities (ie,

ecology). If

you want a prepared product or want to learn how to make you own, go to the

wildcrafter. If you want fresh herbs harvested in an ecological manner... or to

know

how to identify your own plants, go to the botanist. Some wildcrafters are also

educated botanists. Some are not.

 

Both usually work for the larger herbal companies, but by the time their hard

work

gets on the retail shelf, time has rendered their efforts much less useful.

There is

shelf life at the manufacturer, shelf life at the wholesaler, shelf life at the

retailer.

And like the issue with meat packaging earlier this year in the press, if a

product

gets old, the USDA allows it to be repackaged AND RE--DATE STAMPED.

 

If you want to buy fresh prepared medicines, find a wildcrafter. If you want to

buy

fresh herb, look for a botanist.

 

I know so much about this because I am a botanist (northwest wild or native

american herbs only).

 

Here is the key: they will be able to send you a full fresh leaf or flower

sample so

that you can confirm the species and what you are buying.

 

Here is the second thing you look for: they can sell fresh herb to you before it

is

processed or dried (pellitized, bottled, wrapped, and put in a fancy package) -

again,

so that you can confirm what you are getting and to assure it is absolutely

fresh.

 

Thirdly, go visit them. Most will be doing business out of their home on very

little

income. And yet, many have a formal degree. Ask them about their formal training

and beware a response from 'such and such instititute' or some other cover for

the

large corporate herbal companies. Look for formal University degrees in botany

or

medicine. Mine is in Range and Wildlife Habitat Ecology from Washington State

University (emphasis in botany and ethnobotany). I do not make herbal medicine

for

other than myself. But... I do know and supply fresh plant materials.

 

And finally, the real suppliers are typically anti-corporate. We do not enjoy

selling

herbs to the large corporations but, hey, most folks want convenience and seldom

seek out the folks working out in the field (rather than the sweet talking

salesman in

a corporate office). It is a sad fact of our world. We are a corporate world. So

we are

sorta forced into supplying the larger corporate outfits to make a living (and

yet still

willing to criticise them in quiet little corners like this).

 

Search the web for wildcrafter or botanist. Look for a local supplier. Stop by

and

visit them. Stay clear of the corporations, fancy words, pictures and websites

full of

advertisements.

 

-Ken

ken

 

 

 

 

> > I don't like buying herbs in general from anywhere because I

> > mean how much trust can you put into what you read

> >

> > Are you talking about bulk herbs or herb caps that you can buy already made

> > up? I deal with a couple bulk herbs companies that I totally trust. I've

> > gotten herbs from them and they are the best. I can tell immediately when I

open

> > the bags. The herbal tinctures I make from them are strong and work

> > extremely well. I don't know of any Consumer Report type places that

evaluates

> > commercial herbal manufacturers.

>

> > Gloria

[Guest guest]

Great info, Ken! THANKS!!!

 

Johnken wrote:

How do you find a source for herbs?Trade online as this forum suggests. But when you trade, send full leave and flower samples so the species can be confirmed by your trading partner.***