The Empirical Herbalist

The Empirical Herbalist Master Herbalist working for 20 + years with people of all ages and plants from all around the globe In the checkout I picked up a magazine that I often read.

I wish I could say that I was bitten by a radioactive dandelion or had a massive dose of chlorophyll and BAM I was on my way to being part of the “Herbvengers” but truth is NOT stranger than fiction. I had my lightbulb moment about a career change way back in the year 2000 doing something incredibly mundane. I was driving to a job that while it was fun and easy, it was just me going through the mo

tions and didn’t spark any passion in my life. While stuck in traffic, I was staring at these giant mounds of upturned soil, and remembered all the fun I had as a kid playing in my great grandmother’s garden when it struck me that I should be working in the dirt. An odd thought, since I lived with my hubby in a one bedroom apartment located in the heart of the the city, but it definitely struck a nostalgic chord. Later that day for lunch, I stopped into a health food store to grab a meal. The first thing I saw when I opened it was a full page spread about an herbalist school, I felt the bulb get brighter. By the end of the day, I had a plan and I just needed to convince people I knew what I was doing. By the end of the week I was enrolled and as the cliche says- The rest is history. Over the next few decades, I’ve worked at an herb farm, taught classes on almost every herbal subject, and opened up a clinical business. Oh and yeah, there has been so much time spent in the dirt growing around 33% of the organic and biodynamic herbs I use to make products. I never knew that I would find my life’s passion on that day but every bit of me is so grateful that I did. I bring over 20 years of study and experience into every case but what I also work with a tenacity and I’m not afraid to try new approaches and get creative with herbal formulations. I often combine herbs from around the globe that belong to different modalities to get a formula or plan that most matches your situation not just the Western mindset of this issue gets treated with this herb. Both your health condition and the herbs that will help are multi layered. The benefit of working with an herbalist is the expert knowledge of the plants being used and how they work best in a treatment. Ruth (she/her) is happily married with 2 teenage children. Her passions include all things plants, great food and drink. She’s an avid reader and loves the challenge of a good board game. Her ideal day involves some time outside, several cups of tea, at least an hour reading and spending time with her family and friends, not in any particular order. Oh, Pina Coladas and getting caught in the rain sounds pretty groovy too. My motto- “ A Better Life Through Herbs” extends to all aspects of life so working with me extends to all of them too. Whether you are looking to improve your culinary choices to be healthier and more tasty, you need some help with a flu bug or you are looking for help managing your chronic condition, there are herbs for it all. Communities Served

Clients of all ages- from birth through all stages of life

LGBTQ+


Specialties

Detoxes and Cleanses
Inflammation
Infertility
Unusual and rare cases
Sleep issues
Lactation Herbs
Utilizing Cell Salts
Hormonal issues such as Menopause, fertility, balancing hormones whether it’s Estrogen, Progesterone or Testosterone
Restoring Gut Health



History working with
Parasite Cleanses
Auto Immune Issues
Rebuilding the immune response
Cancer and Pre Cancerous conditions
Anxiety and Depression
ADHD
Typical health and wellness issues such as colds, flus, stress, insomnia, etc

The other day I harvested tea leaves from my Camilla plant- processed them and dried them- the basket was overflowing an...
06/05/2026

The other day I harvested tea leaves from my Camilla plant- processed them and dried them- the basket was overflowing and this is what it looks like dried. This is why I harvest something daily during peak growing season. This tea will find its way in my Staffordshire Tea!

06/05/2026

Get your orders in by noon today to ensure that they go out Monday before I’m closed while I teach in the Gap

All right STOPCollaborate and listen TEH is back with a not so brand new invention Something grabs ahold of me tightly H...
06/03/2026

All right STOP
Collaborate and listen
TEH is back with a not so brand new invention
Something grabs ahold of me tightly
Herbs helping me daily and nightly

Will they ever stop
I don't know
but let's learn about them all that we can
Ways to cool down in this heat without a fan

😂🤣

Sorry- last month while teaching I heard the call to teach a fun class on ways to use herbs in the Summer to cool down and I mentioned it in class and a friend said "OH it's gotta be called "Ice Ice Herbal" and that just popped up in my head.

This class will be focused on using herbs to make cooling and refreshing treats like drinks, popsicles, ice creams, salads and more. We'll taste a bunch of yummy things, take home recipes and facts about herbs that we can all reach for in those long hazy days of Summer.

I'm keeping the sale price low on this class and if I make the minimum- there will be scholarships. Link to sign up in the comments.

Class is June 30th at 6:30 and is only 25.00

Happy June NewsletterWe are at the half way mark of the calendar year and in the thick of garden season. The last few we...
06/02/2026

Happy June Newsletter

We are at the half way mark of the calendar year and in the thick of garden season. The last few weeks have been overflowing with rain here and the plants are thrilled- they are getting pretty jungle-y. I’ve been harvesting daily and drying and tincturing everything that I can. What are you all preserving or tending? And this isn’t just about the plants but what are you preserving or tending in your whole life?

June is an assessment month for me personally and professionally. It’s the busy season of gathering and harvesting and planning for the rest of year. Contemplating what has worked so far and what needs to be corrected all while looking forward to a little rest and some adventure and hopefully some family time- even if all the family isn’t here. It’s a season full of duality, typical of Gemini season. Are you feeling the pull of rest or fun and the tug of work that needs to be done too? How are you balancing it?

Let’s see if we can combine those feelings of work and fun. The calendar is busy with lots of options. I am adding a few classes in there but I’m being mindful of the rising costs of every single thing and I’ve decided to offer them at discounted prices and as usual as long as the minimums are met- there will be scholarships. I’ve also added many items to the sale tab on the website in hopes to help you all out and keep a little cash flow to the business.

Is there a class, event or product that you think would be helpful for me to add to my plans? Please reach out if you have any suggestions.

Calendar-

June 8th- June 14th- Closed for Travel Teaching- I’m back up in The Gap for a sold out class- Stocking Your Herbal Medicine Cabinet.

June 20th- Lavender Festival- YES- it’s that time of year again. We’ll be set up at Lavender Fest at Jackson Square in our double booths with lots of “the greatest hits” and with new products! Come check us out. There will be an email reminder too.

June 25th- Our 6th Bookclub- we’ll meet in person and online to discuss Spellshop- Please reserve your spot if you are interested. Registration is how I know that people are coming and who to contact in the case of emergency cancellations. Only 1 penny to register. Both in person and online options are available.

June 30th- Ice Ice Herbal. A class dedicated to icy cold treats- we’ll cover some iced beverages, iced desserts, and cooling herbs in general. IN person Class only - 25.00 - 6:30- 8:30

July 18th- OPEN HOUSE- Summer Open House with LOTS of sales and fun. Mark your calendars so you don’t miss out.

July 20th- 24th- Kitchen Herbalism Week long course. You asked for it so I’m bringing my week long cooking class from Arts in the Gap to my classroom. We’ll spend roughly 15 hours going over the ins and outs of herbal cooking, whether it’s adding herbs to tried and true recipes or looking at new ones this class has you covered. There will be lots to taste, make and take home. There is a minimum to teach this class. Payment plans are available. Simply email me. If we reach the minimum there will be scholarships available. 60.00

Herbal suggestions for June

Flowers are always my favorite way to deal with heavy emotions so I’ve been relying on them often in the last few months.

The Wise Heart formula was something I created for myself to help keep my heart open and my mind focused. I’ve added it recently to the website.

Passionflower aka Maypop is a wonderful ally to help with stress, overactive thoughts, stress and difficulty sleeping.

Kalmegh is always my go to herb for the odd cold or cough that seems to be moving around with all the odd weather.

One of the Anti Inflammatories stays with me at all times- The Original AI is my go to for headaches, routine muscle aches from gardening or hiking.

The 3 Wisemen is wonderful for older injuries that may have been reactivated while you were playing in the pool with the kids or sleeping in a strange bed on vacation or when the ground at the campsite isn’t as comfy as it was when you were younger.

I never go to the beach without Bummed Beach Spray- if you know my jelly fish story you know why

Oh and Bug Spray - don’t forget the bug spray!

06/02/2026

IT person aka Hubby and I have been fighting with website host for a week- if you have any issues placing an order please email [email protected]

05/29/2026

Did you know lavender calms bees too? Yep they become less aggressive and a little slower while enjoying her. Herbs aren’t just for two legged beings!

05/29/2026

Thank you to everyone who came out for book club last night! If you like books, discussion and community- check us out next month- in person or online!

So much to see and do at Lavender Festival
05/27/2026

So much to see and do at Lavender Festival

With 150 artisan, food and activities vendors, Lavender Festival June 20 is... big... in the historic city center of Oak Ridge! 😎 So, we've put together this interactive map for you all.

👁️ Search for a vendor's name or product on our
🪻ONLINE Map: https://bit.ly/4utFVEe 🪻

🌸 Or, pick up a FREE PRINTED MAP on June 20 at one of our 3 Welcome Tents at each main entrance to Jackson Square (See the red circles of this post image):

📍 WEST End (W1) - Staffed by The REAL ESTATE Office . Be sure and ask them about homes and land for sale in the Oak Ridge region as well! https://realestateofficetn.com/

📍EAST End (P5) is staffed by home improvements company, Northend Studio. https://northendcabinetry.com/

☀️ SOUTH End (L10) will be staffed by helpful folks from . https://mcnabbcenter.org/

SAVE THE DATE -
🪻Lavender Festival Main Event - Saturday FREE June 20, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., in Jackson Square, Oak Ridge. Learn more at www.JacksonSquareLavenderFestival.org (link in bio)

05/26/2026
05/26/2026

Back in The Apothecary decanting, bottling and brewing! 😍

Address

Powell, TN
37849

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 12pm

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