Welcome to BOHO BOTO ~ Bohemian Botanicals! An apothecary of herbal goodness striving to bring wild and organic harvested herbs + mushrooms into folks’ daily rhythms. I offer bioregional small batch organic and sustainably wild harvested high quality herbal extracts {tinctures}, tonics, skin care and teas. I am a one woman owner operator, gardener, forager, potion maker and herb slinger based in the fertile Willamette Valley of Cottage Grove, Oregon, Kalapuya lands.
I have been a student of Herbalism since 2011. I am a Graduate of the Wisdom of the Herbs School, Woodbury, VT; Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism (VCIH), Montpelier, VT; Herb Pharm, Williams, OR and Columbines School of Botanical Studies, Eugene, OR. In 2024, I continue to be a student of the plants and mushrooms. I participate in educational classes and workshops but perhaps most importantly ~ I spend time in my garden, in the fields, forests and meadows, listening, learning and building bridges of connection.
I didn’t always know my purpose or place in this world…it was hidden deep down, oscillating between my heart center + gut. I slowly pulled it up, and up, and up, out of the depths, through a messy bunch of years. I smoked a hella lotta marijuana during college while attempting to navigate socializing and coming into adulthood. I adored vintage clothing so…!? Lift Off, I declared a fashion marketing major! After graduating, I went on to work in fashion and retail for 10 years. I worked my tail off for corporations, styling things to look pretty so they could acquire more and more money. It was an intense ‘work hard, play hard’ lifestyle. I worked a ton, drank even more and battled tons of migraines. I luckily managed to transition myself within the realm of nonprofits and public health for several years following thanks to the help of a friend. But, I continued searching for a deeper connection.
I discovered my path to Herbalism in 2010 in downtown Montpelier, Vermont. I saw a flyer for an immersion folk herbalism, primitive skill building and botany field program. I applied, received a grant from the beautiful state of Vermont and was accepted in 2011! I was enamored by this program and subsequently continued to advance my studies over the next 7 years.
In 2014, I took a risk. I stopped my exhaustive search for herb jobs {all over the Country!} I was willing to go anywhere and was driving my parter a bit mad as we had just settled in Oregon the year prior after traveling for a year. But, I was so ready to make this thing my thing. Make it real. I had been studying plant medicine for four years. I had participated in several different herbalist training programs in Vermont and Oregon. My studies ranged from folk to clinical herbalism, small to large scale medicinal gardening and farming. I took the plunge, reassured myself I knew enough to begin sharing knowledge & selling my herbal goodies.
It’s been 13 years since my herbal education journey began + 10 years since I made a go with my herbal products biz! I’m still learning. I’m still studying. I’m still growing. I am profoundly grateful my path found me {grateful I finally listened!} In the early years of studying herbalism, I initially shied away from telling others my history. I allowed for the idea that folks thought I grew up a medicinal herb gardener, an herbalist. But, I absolutely didn’t. I grew up in the suburbs of Massachusetts eating canned vegetables and store bought cookies and had no idea what I wanted to “be” when I grew up! But, I did know I loved to be outside, around the plants, trees and wild animals.
I found my purpose in this world to be a conduit – connecting humans to plants + mushrooms. To their energy, their magic + their healing. I don’t make the amount of money I used to make in fashion and I don’t have any paid vacation or sick time. But, when my community tells me that the medicine I make / the plants I connect them to are getting them back to health and helping them navigate this wild ride of life ~ my soul couldn’t be happier!
In deep reverence to the plant + mushroom world.
