Trying Something New

This year, I did something new.

For as long as I can remember, I thought it would be fun to work at a garden center. I mean, if you know me at all, you know how much I love plants. The timing never seemed quite right, and honestly, I'm not sure this year was the perfect time either. But when I received an email from Plum Creek Gardens announcing they were hiring for their short pop-up season, I decided to apply.

To my delight, they offered me the job.

For the past several weeks, I've been working a few hours each week surrounded by flowers, herbs, vegetables, and enthusiastic gardeners. The work is physical—lifting plants, watering, unloading deliveries, and helping customers—but it feels surprisingly good. I spend my time there surrounded by living things and get to help people find plants that will bring beauty, nourishment, and joy into their own gardens.

It has reminded me that growth doesn't stop simply because we've reached a certain age or stage of life. There is always something new to learn, a new experience to embrace, or a different way to connect with what we love.

That same spirit of curiosity and learning showed up again this past weekend.

For the second year, I organized a field trip for my students to Desert Canyon Farm in Canon City, Colorado. A group of us carpooled down to visit Tammi and Chris Hartung's incredible medicinal herb farm.

Tammi and Chris have been farming there for more than 30 years, and their knowledge is evident everywhere you look. Tammi shared the history of the farm, gave us a tour of their propagation tunnel, and walked us through fields where medicinal herbs are grown for seed production.

Their five-acre farm is both beautiful and inspiring.

One of the things I love most about herbalism is that there is always more to learn. The plants continue to teach us. Every season brings new observations, new relationships, and new experiences.

Tammi's book, Homegrown Herbs, is one of the required texts in my Essential Herbalism Foundations Program because she offers practical, accessible guidance for growing, harvesting, and using medicinal herbs at home. Seeing those teachings come to life on the farm was especially meaningful for my students.

Watching students deepen their relationship with the plants is one of my favorite parts of teaching. They aren't simply memorizing what an herb is "good for." They are learning to grow it, harvest it, prepare it, and develop a personal relationship with it. Over time, the plants become trusted allies rather than entries in a book.

That kind of learning changes us.

It slows us down. It invites us to pay attention. It helps us remember that we are part of the natural world, not separate from it.

This coming week I'll be teaching at Hudson Gardens about medicinal herbs that grow well here in Colorado and how they can support everyday health. We'll explore the herb garden together, learn about common medicinal plants, and each participant will make an herbal honey to take home.

And next Sunday, a new group of students will begin the six-month Essential Herbalism Foundations Program and Hands-On Herbal Medicine Circle.

Summer is one of my favorite times to learn herbalism because the plants are abundant. We can touch them, smell them, taste them, harvest them, and make medicine from them. The learning becomes immediate and alive.

As I reflect on this season, I keep coming back to the same thought:

Maybe growth doesn't always arrive as a grand transformation.

Sometimes it looks like filling out an application for a part-time job you've always wondered about.

Sometimes it looks like driving a few hours to visit an herb farm.

Sometimes it looks like planting a new herb in your garden.

And sometimes it looks like saying yes to learning something you've been curious about for years.

The plants have a way of reminding us that growth is rarely dramatic. Most often, it happens slowly, one small step at a time.

Maybe this is your season to try something new.

Looking for Support?

In addition to classes and group programs, I also offer one-on-one herbal consultations for women seeking personalized support for stress, sleep, digestion, hormonal balance, perimenopause, menopause, and other life transitions.

If you've been feeling that something is out of balance—or simply longing for a space to be heard and supported—I would be honored to connect with you.

Sometimes trying something new begins with asking for support.