One of the things I love most about this blog is my readers – YOU are the reason for the Homestead. I love your comments and questions, keep ’em coming! We’ve traded recipes, ideas and inspiration, and many of you have found greater health and well being. That is the real goal of The Holistic Homestead. All of you know me but many of you don’t know my wonderful husband, Greg, and our sweet baby Jimmy.

Behind the scenes, my family has been integral to the success of the Holistic Homestead. The Holistic Homestead started in 2012 when Greg and I moved into our cabin in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. I wasn’t aware of the medicinal herbs that surrounded us until one day Greg tripped into a nettle patch growing right by our front door! Poor Greg – I could hardly contain my elation at discovering nettles as the welts bubbled up on his arm. The wild nettles that grow in such abundance on our property are just one of so many precious, medicinal gifts that we have discovered since living here.

The most popular product that we make is Dr. B’s – which I wouldn’t have without our roommate “Uncle”
Cory. That first winter in our cabin when I was pregnant, Cory came home with a handful of herbs from his personal herbalist, a local healer named Bea. She gave him a bit of lobelia, horehound, cherry bark and licorice root to make into a strong tea for his terrible, chronic, spasmodic cough. Well…I watched as those herbs sat in the cupboard for months! Finally, I asked Cory if I could make something for him with those herbs. After some trial and error, the winning recipe for Dr. B’s herbal cough syrup was born. Of all the rave reviews and testimonials I receive about Dr. B’s, Cory’s is the best: “Eeewww, it tastes gross! But I didn’t cough all night!”

Every time I hike around our property I learn something new. Last summer I had the honor of going on a “weed walk” with my mom, Peggy Elk, my original teacher about all things herbal. I remember her crouching down with a smile, and gently plucking a tiny purple flower: “You have wild violets – violet is an important herb for preventing and treating cancer.” Blessings abound!

Want to join the family? Make a donation today! We exactly half-way through our annual fundraiser and have raised $217…we’re still a long way from our goal of $1,000 to becoming a non-profit next year…

If ALL of YOU, my wonderful, loyal followers, donated just $7 we would reach our goal!

For every donation of $21 or more, you will receive a one year subscription to the print edition of the Holistic Homestead Newsletter.

If you have a small business you can become a sponsor for just $50…I will post your logo and link on the front page of this website for one year and print your advertisement in my newsletter. (Thanks to Dr. Kathi Fry for becoming our first official sponsor!) 

Thank you for your support! Warmly, Arwen and family