Christopher Smith from Tinderry Mountain Herbs, is an extraordinary person doing some really important work in the herbal community in Australia.
Christopher is a herbalist, horticulturalist and herbal educator who draws on over 40 years of horticultural experience to grow a line of rare and endagered herbs at the herb farm he runs called Tinderry Mountain Herbs, at Tinderry Mountain near Canberra. These herbs are supplied to herbalists in Australia, and Christopher has the noble vision of assisting Australia to become self-sufficient with it's herb supply- in particular Arnica, Goldenseal and Solomons Seal. This is a vision that we both share and are actioning in our own ways.
Christopher is passionate about sharing the world of plants and medicinal herbs with people. He runs regular workshops and classes through the Heirophant in Canberra teaching people how to make an array of herbal preparations. He also runs online workshops and classes, and has a potent online offering called the Herbology Hub. Check out the shownotes for his offerings.
In this conversation, we explore the diverse pathways within herbal medicine, emphasizing the importance of community, curiosity, and the non-linear journey of becoming a herbalist. We talk about the need for various niches in the herbal field, the significance of growing and guardianship of medicinal herbs, and the creation of a supportive ecosystem for herbalists. We discuss the value of unique experiences and the importance of fostering connections within the herbal community.
Random fact- the last time I interviewed Christopher, the episode was released on the Autumn Equinox (2023) and this time, this episode is released only a few days after the Winter Solstice!
You can visit Christopher's website here:https://tinderrymountainherbs.com.au/
You can also follow him on Facebook here:https://www.facebook.com/tinderrymountainherbs\
Herbology Hub:https://tinderrymountainherbs.com.au/pages/herb-growers-coaching-program
If you liked this interview, you would love his recent class he presented to Switch on Health- watch the video presentation here:https://tinderrymountainherbs.com.au/blogs/news/christophers-journey-into-the-plant-world
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The intro and outro song is "Sing for the Earth" and was kindly donated by Chad Wilkins. You can find Chad's music here and here.
** TATIANA's PERSONAL OFFERINGS **
Aside from founding and managing The Elder Tree, Tatiana runs Alchemilla Herbals, and is a herbal educator, community herbalist, medicine grower and medicine maker (among many other things).
Find her here:www.alchemillaherbals.com.au
www.facebook.com/alchemillaherbals