How to bring your herbal products to Market

Have you created a product you would like to bring to market?
Or a service that you wish to charge money for? 

Come join us for an informative workshop on all the basics to help you set up your own herbal product or service based business.

•  How to set up Federal and State identifiers
•  Which is a good fit for you: Self Employed vs LLC vs S-Corp?
•  Do I need to have business insurance?
•  Do I need to charge Sales tax or not?
•  Basic record keeping requirements
•  Basic product label requirements – what you can and
cannot say on your labels
•  How to price your products and make sure you are being profitable
•  DSHEA regulations: What is this and why do I need to know?

​Disclaimer:  This information/seminar does not include the legalities of a Cannabis business.

When: Saturday, February 24th, 2018

Time: 1 – 4 pm

Where: the Acorn School of Herbal Medicine

              580 Searls Ave.

              Nevada City, CA 95959 

Cost:  $30

Click Link to sign up

2017 Workshops

 

In March Tincture Making with Percolation Method

Nevada City, CA –   One of my favorite methods of making Herbal Tinctures is using the Percolation Method.   Have you been put off by thinking it is too technical, need a lot of special equipment?   Don’t be let me show you how easy it can be and with little investment.   Join me at the Acorn School of Herbal Medicine for a fun evening.

To sign up Herbal Tincture Making Intensive

 

Having fun with herbs

On Saturday June 11th, 2016 We get to spend the entire day doing one of the things I love best….   Talking, Teaching and Making herbal products.    Over the past years I have expanded my knowledge and experience, sometimes with good results and sometimes not.   However, each time is always a learning experience.

Whether you like to do the mad scientist routine or consider yourself a kitchen witch, come and join me for a fun filled learning action day. We will be spending the day in a real certified lab (location divulged to paid students) making Tinctures, Lotions, Salves and Powdered extracts.     Sign up before May 28th and receive $15 off the day.   For more information check out the workshops or products tab.

Looking forward to seeing you all

MJ

 

Female Transitions

No matter how much we want to ignore it, Ladies it is inevitable.   The winding down of a phase of our life and the Beginning of a wonderful new phase.   Here is a quote:

Wise Woman Perspective (Susan Weed):

The joy of menopause is the world’s best-kept secret.  Like venturing through the gateway to enter an ancient temple, in order to claim that joy a woman must be willing to pass beyond the monsters who guard its gate… as thousands of women from all cultures throughout history have whispered to each other, it is the most exciting passage a woman ever makes. 

I whole heartily agree.  In my 30’s and 40’s this was not discussed as so much as “Just happens and you suffer thru it”.

Now that I have gone thru 2 of the phases and well into the 3rd my reaction is WooHoo!!.  Yes there some unpleasant moments and more that we have to be cognizant of, but nothing unsurmountable.  If we learn to take care of ourselves and really understand what is happening.

With healthy nutrition, some herbal and supplemental support we can make this a no brainer.   Oh don’t forget taking time for ourselves to do what makes us happy and relaxed.

More info coming

Workshops

Traveling Herbalist

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Even when traveling always save room for medicine making on the go. Thanks to my awesome gardening friend Sarah Targett Wadleigh I have the start of a fabulous winter tonic. Can’t wait to get home and add the honey and elderberries. Fresh Echinacea, beautiful Roses, fresh Thyme, oregano and Prunella adding brandy to keep for the next few days. YUM!!!

 

 

Natural Products Expo West 2014

Natural Products Expo West 2014

This the  second year that I have attended the Natural Products Expo and I was not disappointed.  More than 2,600 Vendors attended this year’s Expo in Anaheim CA, what an awesome experience.   After walking my way thru aisles and aisles of Food,  Supplements and Body Products, what an information overload.    I tasted organic, gluten free, dairy free, pizzas, cakes, cookies, protein bars, gummy vitamins, vitamin waters, veggie juices, fruit juices I think you get the picture.

Every day and night I tasted, applied and read about all kinds of products.    Listed below are some of the companies that really stood out for me

Heavenly Organics www.heavenlyorganics.com   Awesome dairy free dark chocolates honey patties.  Don’t forget to check out their Floral honeys, yummm!!!

Red Ape cinnamon   http://redapecinnamon.com/ Sumatra Cinnamon blends for all kinds of cooking.   Here is a company that stands behind their blends.   Also, 5% of their profits protect orangutans and their habitats.   Love the community spirit here.

Mamma Chia drinks.   Thumbs up.   Available in pretty much every natural food store.

Bgreen food.  http://bgreenfood.com/ Coolberry is a pitted dehydrated Hawthorne berries, add it to smoothies, hot teas, desert sauce, add to vodka for a great cocktail.    They also carry a black rice that is too die for.

Ohana organics ohanaorganics.com. Small skin care company located in Humboldt county, CA.   For those tattoo-ing friends they make a great  “Tattoo balm” to maintain your artwork.

Purely Elizabeth   www.purelyelizabeth.com  Tasty gluten free baking mixes.  Bread, pizza, etc

Perky Jerky perkyjerky.com.  Greatest flavor and tender jerky.  Two Thumbs Up

KettlePop popcorn.   Sorry not crunchy as advertised.  Dull tasting.

Veggie evolution www.ittakesavillagefoods.com.    Awesome kale and beet chips. Gluten free.   Not overpowering taste like some other brands of Kale Chips.  2 thumbs up.

Parmela Creamery www.parmelafoods.com Minimal ingredients in these Treenut Cheese and WOW are they delicious.   For those of us who can not eat dairy it is a must.

SoapBox www.soapboxsoaps.com This is a great idea and company.   Purchase a bar soap = donated bar,  Liquid Hand Soap = a month of clean water thru RainCatcher,  Body Wash = a year’s supply of vitamins thru vitamin angels.   If you don’t find a local retailer you can order online.

Urban Moonshiner  www.urbanmoonshine.com   Love this company started by Guido Mase.   Great bitter formulas and herbal tonics.   Especially love the Joy Tonic, bring some Joy to your life.

Balanced guru www.balancedguru.com  Meeting this small company for the first time at the expo I was totally won over by their passion for their aromatherapy line and the overall kindness.   Their products  are fresh and exude great energy.

Sevierly GOOD www.sevierlygoodgf.com  Rich full flavor and texture baked goods, you wont know the difference.

Floradix & Floravital Liquid Iron from FloraHealth.com   Highly soluble iron gluconate, non-constipating.   Great for pregnant women.   Naturopath and midwife recommended.

Red Beet crystals from FloraHealth.com   Supports liver function, circulatory health, blood pressure and more.   Note:  kills the stevia taste in drinks.   Tasted the crystals and they were yummy.  I can see myself adding this to my protein shakes.

Good Clean Love  www.goodcleanlove.com   All natural 95% organic ingredients.    When you need a personal lubricant or some Love Oils and Body Candy to spice up things a bit.

Vitanica Tonics Vitanica formulated by Dr. Tory Hudson ND.  www.vitanica.com  New Digestion Tonic tried this at the Expo after grazing at various vendors, worked wonderful to help settle my stomach.    If you are not an Herbalist with an Apothecary of your own, I highly recommend Vitanica Tonics.   Also, check out the Adrenal Tonic formula, I am

Effer-C Acai Berry from NOW  Need a way to enhance your water try adding this and getting your Vitamin C and Electrolytes.

Tart Cherry Concentrate by Pure Planet www.pureplanet.com Sour Tart Cherries is a nutritionally dense food.   Containing antioxidants and phyto-chemicals.   Contains melatonin which may help balance circadian rhythms for proper sleep.

Mushroom Matrix mushroommatrix.com   100% Organic Mushroom Powders.   Check out their different formulas.   You can’t go wrong with Mushrooms

Harmony Ear Candles by Dr. Harmony www.harmonycone.com   Promotes Fair Trade, creating Opportunities for Economically disadvantaged producers.   Even had my ears candled right at the Expo, helped me with the trials and tribulations of traveling with a cold.    Great new information regarding how it really works.

 

Wine Vinegars:  If you are like me you know that the benefits of Wine Vinegar should far outway the taste.   Pro and Prebiotics,  Freshen your mouth, Treat acid reflux, alleviate GI distress, prevent indigestion, halt hiccups, soothe a sore throat, fight the itch, brighten skin, decrease glucose levels, lower cholesterol and high blood pressure, lose weight.   However, I just can’t get past the vinegar tastes.  That has now changed.   I met two companies at the Expo who have made me a convert

Honey Wine Vinegar by Slide Ridge  www.slideridge.com   Their Harvest Apple and Nature’s Honey flavors should be in every kitchen cabinet.   The Harvest Apple was definitely my favorite, can’t wait to try it on salads, marinades and a daily teaspoon full straight to help heal the digestive tract.

The other company is located in Portland, OR  pok pok Som  www.pokpoksom.com.  Their drinking vinegars come in a range of flavors (Pomegranate being my fav).   Take them straight up or get creative in making alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

 

Humio humidifier  by Tribest  www.tribest.com  Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier & Night Lamp.   Loved this humidifier that has an Aroma Oil Compartment.   Add your essential oils as needed without worrying that you are going to melt or damage your humidifier.   I have been looking for a long time for a way to put gentle moisture in the air, especially with living in CO and AZ.

Sambazon is not just Acai Juice.   They have 3 new products  Protein Recharge, Purifying Greens and Purifying Cleanse.   All three are delicious and great additions to increasing your nutrition.   Especially the Purifying Cleanse, a gentle way to get rid of toxins in a whole food safe way.

Prequel

After starting Part 1 of the Traveling Herbalist,  I figured I should give some background to all this.   (unless of course you read the About Me page)

Also,  let you know this is not a forum where I am going to tell you my deepest hurts and fears, that is between myself and whomever it may apply to.

Wont go to far back but around 2005 I started to revisit natural ways of doing things.   Call it Mid-life crisis (dislike the term) or just had enough toxic things in my life.   I always enjoyed exercising and being outdoors.  Even if it was doing un-healthly things.    A dear friend contacted me with news that she had cancer and heard about an energy healing process called Reiki and tried it out with awesome results.   She knew I was “into” Angels, Energy and Alternative ways, thought I would be interested.    Took my first level Reiki and was hooked.   In 2006, another dear friend heard about this Goddess Bootcamp being held at Kripalu in Massachusetts and did I want to go for the 5 days.   Heck Yes!!  5 days of Yoga, being outdoors!!  Home life was pretty miserable and I would do anything to get away for a few days.    So off we went.   Here I met Sierra Bender.   Well let me tell you by the end of the bootcamp I was ready to seriously look at my life and see where it was going.

Now you are probably wondering, “You are 45 years old, don’t you know by now!”   Not!  I had lived in NJ my entire life,  at 19 started raising a beautiful daughter, worked at the same company for 25 years.   Took my responsibilities fairly seriously.   You must have a job because you must have insurance and a retirement plan, etc etc.   I was far from perfect but we don’t need to go into that now.   Suffice to say did a few things I am not proud of but glad I grew out of it.  Married for the second time, because tired of being alone, needed some financial stability.   The more you make the more you spend.    Ok I think you have the picture.

My first bootcamp was a eye opener.   Spending 5 days with a large group of women, all going thru some sort of process or another is not a walk in the park.     Now I am not a large group type of person, prefer to suck it up and get on with it.   So here are 30+ with 30+ issues, lives and stories.  Ahhhh!!  This is not me, I don’t have these kinds of issues or stories, I’m just a somewhat normal person, leading a somewhat normal life.    Isn’t this what we should be grateful for and deal with it.   Guess what NO we don’t have to be grateful for a house that is almost paid for, a husband who takes us out to dinner on sat to nice restaurants and vacations once or twice a year,  grateful for a good job $$ that maybe 40% of the time we enjoy.

OK so after first bootcamp I really started to look at what was around me, was I happy with my life.   The BIG question came:  Could I see myself doing this for another 20 years till I retired and maybe see what else there was out there?   The answer was NO!

Part 1

MJ Beaupre The Traveling Herbalist

Part 1 Coming from sunny Phoenix, AZ

What is a traveling herbalist?   If anyone knows the answer please let me know.   About 6 months ago I decided to uproot myself from awesome Colorado and check out the different parts of the Southwest and Pacific areas.   After spending my entire life on the East Coast (beautiful in its own way) it has taken me sometime to learn how to slow down and just smell the flowers.   So here I am.

Getting back to the herbalist question:   #1 one what is an herbalist?   an Herbalist is someone who looks at the whole body, spirit and life  of a person and tries to find a natural way to make it align in a healthy way.    This could be thru herbs, diet, life style changes.   Sometimes it is just a matter of getting us to acknowledge we have only one body this time around and we need to understand it and get to know it.

More to come