Herbalist Val Elkhorn on Biodynamic Gardening as Spellcasting [episode 22]
Watch this episode on YouTube!
Val Elkhorn is a herbalist living in the enchanting northwoods of Michigan. Through her business Woodspell Apothecary she grows, harvests, and makes medicine to the rhythms of the moon, using the practice of Biodynamic farming. Woodspell Apothecary gracefully melds science and spiritually, through research and ritual. Val strives to create products that are as sustainable and Earth conscious as possible by sourcing from local businesses, using recycled bottles, and using organically grown plants.
In this conversation Val shares her journey to find her place in the Universe, and how chronic digestive issues led her to a path of herbalism with a focus on herbal bitters. Take the Find Your Bitters Quiz on her webpage!
LISTEN VIA PODCAST:
LISTEN TO HEAR:
Reconnecting with our ancestors and their land based practices
Val’s existential crisis at the age of 10
Val’s psychedelic packaging and her training as a Graphic Designer
Identifying as an Earth tender, activist, and herbalist
How Val found her place in the Universe, and her path to the plants
Gardening with the cycles of the moon
The chronic digestive issues that led Val to herbalism
How a Naturopathic approach to health and healing, allowed Val to feel truly heard for the first time
The spectrum of healing, and the time and place for conventional medicine
Creating sustainable, plastic free products
Nature as a guide to being present and connected to your body
Disconnecting from the busy minds, to be held by the Earth
Finding a sense of belonging with the plants
Earth altars and rituals - as therapy
Honouring beauty for the sake of beauty
Coming out of the broom closet to your family
Feeling out of place and being the “rock-star rainbow of the family”
The unique catalysts for transformation in our lives
Melding spirit and science in gardening
Val shares her dreams of making her own biodynamic calendar and garden journal
Biodynamic farming as spellcasting
Balancing the cosmic forces of the garden
Staying curious and being open
The mainstream misconceptions of what is means to be a Witch
Being disconnected as a society from the energetic forces of nature
Moon gardening as a link to our ancestors
Matching herbal blends to bodies
Secret Episode! Get the secret episode with Val Elkhorn on the co-evolution of humans and bitters, at https://www.earthspeak.love/secret.
Links:
Learn more about Val’s offerings at https://www.woodspells.com/
Connect with Val on Instagram @woodspell.apothecary // https://www.instagram.com/woodspell.apothecary/
Connect with Val on Facebook @woodspellapothecary
Explore Val’s YouTube channel
Take the Find Your Bitter’s Quiz https://www.woodspells.com/quiz
Get the secret episodes at https://www.earthspeak.love/secret
References:
Spiritual Ecology: The Cry of the Earth https://amz.run/3InV
Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism http://clinicalherbalism.com/
Herbalist, Jim McDonald https://www.herbcraft.org/
Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine https://chestnutherbs.com/
Juliet Blankespoor https://bit.ly/3hz6e76
Lemon Balm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemon_balm
St John’s Wort (St Joan’s Wort) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypericum_perforatum
Herbal Bitters https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitters
The Wild Medicine Solution: Healing with Aromatic, Bitter, and Tonic Plants https://amz.run/3In4
Urban Moonshine https://www.urbanmoonshine.com/
Kate Clearlight https://www.instagram.com/kateclearlight/
Theodore Rosevelt quote - https://bit.ly/37LqCx6
The Loon (bird) call - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFpU22rTqPc
Biodynamic Gardening and founder https://bit.ly/37OTWTB
Herbalist, Deb soule https://www.debsoule.com/
Rosemary Gladstar https://bit.ly/310O2xb
Stella Natura Calendar http://www.stellanatura.com/
Theme music is “It’s Easier” by Scarlet Crow http://www.scarletcrow.org/ and “Meeting Again” by Emily Sprague https://mlesprg.info/
Learn to trust your intuition and activate your Earth magic + sign up for our delightful newsletter at https://www.earthspeak.love
Follow Earth Speak on Instagram and tag us when you share @earthspeak https://www.instagram.com/earthspeak