I lived in what would be considered “lower income” housing in the “snow belt” outside of Buffalo, NY. As the youngest of 10 children, my impressive parents really made it work with a big garden and lots of “putting up” for the winter. I think my main job in the garden was to tend the bushels of beans, keep them weeded, pick them, clean them, snap them and bag them after my mom blanched them, etc. Fast forward 20 or so years. My husband, my 6 year old son and I live on a little piece of land, growing our own veggies, raising a menagerie of animals and utilizing the herbs and wild medicine in our backyard to help and heal our family and friends.
I have always had the heart of an entrepreneur, and after a multitude of “stepping stone” businesses, Wild Roots Apothecary was born. I love herbs for all sorts of reasons but mostly because they are empowering. I get to save my doctors visits for “real” emergencies, I get to eat the weeds that are everywhere for nourishment and then spread the word on what works.
With Wild Roots Apothecary, the plan for success is to use the flagship product, a Botanical Cocktail and Soda Syrups, to introduce people to the concept of herbalism. This business’s heart is to help and heal, but I know that people need a little convincing. The vision of growth is to give back my community, by investing in the DC area through part of our profits, creating herbal gardens in the community and eventually sponsoring free clinics for those in need. I have completely gone “all-in” by quitting my job, joining up with the helpful folks at Union Kitchen DC, which is a food incubator and committing to be the best business that we can.