Resources & Tools

Do you find yourself asking these questions?

These were questions I first had when starting out on my herbal journey. I felt like I didn’t know how to get started, what I needed immediately, if I was even doing things right and so on. I have to admit, it was pretty scary.

I spent a lot of time researching, Googling and watching YouTube videos to teach myself a lot of what I know today. I did learn a lot along the way and got to know some of the background layout. But I also lost a lot of time learning on my own. Sometimes it would have been nice if someone had shown it all to me right from the get-go.

So now that I have all that behind me, I want to share with you what has worked for me and save you some time. Below are some recommendations for you. I have used or still use them in my herbal practice.

Important Disclosure: Please Read Before Proceeding

I am a proud affiliate for some of these recommendations below. Affiliate links are used for each tool that I am an affiliate of, which means that if you click that link and subsequently make a purchase, I will earn a commission. You pay nothing extra; any commission I earn comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that my recommendations are based on deep experience with and knowledge of these companies. I recommend them to online entrepreneurs like you because they are genuinely helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I receive if you choose to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.

Classes I Highly Recommend

There are a multitude of herbal classes and courses available. Some are free and some have a cost. For those that you have to purchase, I recommend doing some research on the instructor or institute before buying, and look for reviews if possible. Make sure it is what you are looking for and it offers what you want to get out of it. Here are some classes that I have taken and highly recommend. If you have any questions on them, please reach out to me at theherbalcache@gmail.com.

3 Seasons of Herbal Wisdom

This is one of my favorites! I took this class in 2018 and learned so much. Lise Wolff shares a lot of herbal knowledge and client experience. Click on the image for current class information. You can also reach out to me if you have questions as well.

She is a registered herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild and in 2008 graduated from the Scottish School of Herbal Medicine in Herbalism, the highest level of academic training available in the profession.

Lise has also taught at various institutions and colleges since 1995. You can check out her website HERE for more information.

Matthew Wood’s Freebies

Matthew Wood, RH (AHG), is a renowned herbalist and I’ve had the pleasure of being a student in a number of his classes.

Matthew Wood has been practicing herbalism since 1982. He has lectured and taught throughout the world and has written a number of books. Through his online school, the Matthew Wood Institute of Herbalism, he offers a multitude of courses and is continually adding more.

Click on the image to check out his courses he offers for free. I highly recommend taking a peak at them.

Gadgets That Come in Handy

There are some key tools or gadgets that every herbalist should have in their possession. You can have more or less, you just find out what works for you. Here are a few that I have and use on a consistent basis.

Hori Hori Knife

This is one of the best investments I made! I use this tool all the time. It works great for digging up roots, even those stubborn dandelions! Its serrated edge comes in handy for cutting root systems or small plants. One side of the blade is also a measuring tool. How cool is that!

It also comes with its own carrying sheath. You can loop it around your belt to have it handy, or just throw it in your bag.

Check out my video on how to use a hori hori knife.

Just click on the image for more information.

Magnifying Glass

This comes in very handy when looking closely at plants I’ve found and looking for those features that help to identify it. This is the one that I have and I love that it folds up nicely and is compact.

It magnifies 5x and is 1 1/2 ” in diameter. The cover is black vinyl with felt lining.

There are many different kinds available, so just look for one that suits your style.

Funnels

I am not very steady at pouring from one vessel to another, so funnels come in very handy. I have a set that includes a number of sizes.

I use funnels for straining my tinctures (liquid extracts) and then for filling up my small 1 oz amber dropper bottles.

You can find a large selection online. They come in stainless steel and plastic. I advise you to buy a set that has a variety of sizes so you have the flexibility of uses.

Bottles and Jars

Because I’m thrifty, I save jars and bottles and reuse them. And I like to think it makes my apothecary look unique, as you can see to the right.

I like to have a variety of styles and sizes on hand. Some make nice storage containers for dried herbs/plants, while others make great tincture making jars. I’ve tried many jars and now have some favorites for certain tasks. For instance, I like to use my empty wine bottles for tincture storage, my antique jars are for dried herbs and the random recycled jars are for making plant tinctures or oils.

Dropper Bottles

Dropper bottles come in either amber or blue. They’re especially designed to withstand certain levels of UV light, thus being and ideal storage solution for tinctures.

I prefer the 1 oz amber colored ones because they are more earthy looking to me. I get my bottles from HERE.

Herbs, Oils and other Ingredients

I forage for most of the herbs I use in my products. But there is always a few that don’t grow here or I just can’t get me hands on that I like to use. And then there are the other items, like butters, oils, containers that obviously I need to get from somewhere.

In the many years that I have been doing this, there are some companies that I really trust and continue to do business with. In looking for companies, I like to look at their mission statement to better understand what they stand for.

barefut Essential Oils

This is one company from where I get my essential oils and have been using them for many years. I like that they are organic and 100% pure, with no fillers or additives.

And if you need carrier oils or butters, they have a nice selection to choose from. barefut also has a blog post where you can get information on their products, as well as recipes.

Click on the image for more information and to check out their large selection of single and blended oils.

Getting Techy…

For some, the technical pieces can be somewhat scary. For example, setting up a web-page or website, creating a webinar, advertising, etc. may be out of your scope or your wish to learn. I’ll admit, I started from the ground up on most of this. But I like to know the background and how things work behind the scenes. So I taught myself a lot of what I know. Find your strengths and go from there.