In this episode, we’re speaking with Rosalee de la Forêt, author and Registered Herbalist passionate about helping people discover the world of herbalism and natural health. Rosalee is a wonderful storyteller with colorful tales that draw you into the experience. She does this beautifully with her teachings and books, and today we’re going to dive into her latest book co-written with Emily Han, called Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine.
In this interview, you’ll hear about Rosalee’s healing story and plant path - how she overcame a rare diagnosed terminal autoimmune disease within six months of taking herbs and changing her diet - free from her debilitating symptoms. She shares how a chance meeting with Tori Amos and magical synchronicities led Rosalee to write Wild Remedies.
If humans interact with the wild, is it still wild? This is a question we explore in this interview and why Rosalee’s life’s work is deprogramming the belief that we are disconnected from nature. Rosalee shares her belief on what is wildness and wild land and our role in relationship with the natural world and plants. She offers helpful questions to ask ourselves about how to support the resilience and livelihood of wild places and how to harvest with awareness and know when it is time to NOT forage.
Rosalee’s goal is to bring wild remedies into all areas of our lives, and I find her book Wild Remedies to be a lovely experiential exploration that awakens the senses and enlivens the connection to nature within.
While we didn’t go deep into specific recipes, Rosalee has been so gracious to offer listeners and Patreon supports a special gift! Click the links below to access a free herbal jumpstart course and access her Sweet Celebrations ebook full of delicious herbal recipes.
Rosalee de la Forêt, RH, is passionate about helping people discover the world of herbalism and natural health. Her teachings make herbs simple and practical for everyone. She is the Education Director at LearningHerbs and a Registered Herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild. Rosalee is the author of Alchemy of Herbs: Transforming Everyday Ingredients into Foods and Remedies that Heal, as well Apothecary: The Alchemy of Herbs Video Companion, and the online courses The Taste of Herbs, Herbal Cold Care.
Show Notes
In this episode, we discuss:
Rosalee’s healing and plant path story - how she overcame a rare diagnosed terminal autoimmune disease within six months of taking herbs and changing her diet - free from her debilitating symptoms
How a chance meeting with Tori Amos and magical synchronicities led to Rosalee writing her latest book Wild Remedies
Why Rosalee’s life’s work is deprogramming the belief that we are disconnected from nature
How to start out as a wild crafter no matter where you live
How to connect with the wild in urban settings, looking for nature in unexpected places
The importance of embodied knowing and experiential relationships with plants and nature in your surroundings
What is wildness and wild land, common myths about our relationship with so called wild land, and our role in relationship with the natural world and plants
The difference between lovingly tended lands and conversed untouched wild places
The nuances within concepts of preservation and conservation, and helpful questions to ask ourselves about how to support the resilience and livelihood of wild places
Rosalee’s relationship to the land she cares for, and considerations she takes into account to support growth and reciprocity
If humans interact with the wild, is it still wild?
Rosalee’s advice to take it slow, pause and ask how can we truly be helpful
Rosalee’s call to heal our wound around the damage humans have done and forming new life-affirming relationships to reverse that damage
How to harvest with awareness and how to know when is it time to NOT forage
The importance of getting to know the land in person
How Rosalee went from seeing wildcrafting as harvesting “free food” for “taking” to a deeper understanding of the energetic exchange and each bioregion as a dance floor
Venessa’s excitement about Rosalee’s herbal shampoo recipe and Rosalee’s goal to bring wild remedies into all areas of our lives, not just on the kitchen table or medicine kit.
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Connect With Rosalee de la Foret
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest
Resources + Links Mentioned
FREE GIFT FOR LISTENERS: Rosalee’s Herbal Jumpstart Course
Have you ever wondered what are the best herbs for you to take? The secret to using herbs successfully begins with knowing who YOU are!
Rosalee’s free herbal jumpstart course introduces you to personalized herbal energetics so that you can confidently reach for herbs that are best for you.
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE FREE COURSE >>
FREE GIFT FOR PATREON SUPPORTERS ONLY
Become a Patreon supporter of Feed Your Wild Podcast with Venessa Rodriguez to access Rosalee’s special gift: Sweet Herbal Celebrations ebook!
A note from Rosalee: “I believe that these challenging times call for deeper and more intentional celebrations, so that we can abundantly and deliberately grow joy within our lives. As a lover of herbs, celebrating with herbal recipes has become one of my treasured family traditions. Hardly a birthday goes by without my favorite carrot cake (page 15) and the holidays wouldn’t be the same without mulled cider or wine (page 7). I’ve gathered these recipes as a special thank you to you for being part of my herbal community. Thank YOU!”
Wildly Rooted Resources
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You’ll learn the top 5 things sabotaging your health goals and what to do about them (hint: it doesn't have to do with your willpower...)
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