Herb Mentor Radio

Herbalist and artisanal miso maker Gabe Garms joins us to chat about herbal misos, regenerative farming, and fermentation. 

Before I met Gabe this past summer, I thought that miso could only be made with soybeans. Little did I know that miso can be made with ingredients like dandelion root, mushrooms, and even bacon. Gabe opened my eyes to the exciting world of herbal misos — including how incredibly nutrient-dense they are — and his creativity and vast knowledge of fermentation totally blew me away.

Gabe Garms is the founder of Creative Koji, a Pacific Northwest-based company dedicated to crafting artisanal miso products using locally grown and sourced ingredients. Gabe draws on his background in permaculture and medicinal herbs to grow many of the ingredients for Creative Koji. He is passionate about fermented foods, natural medicine and teaching people how to grow their own medicinals/food within a permaculture system. 

Our conversation with Gabe will inspire you to get creative in the kitchen and embrace the many gifts of fermentation.

In this episode, Gabe shares...

• How to easily start fermenting at home
• The medicinal gifts of miso
• How miso can supercharge your herbal allies
• How to nourish your gut microbiome and much more!

In recent years, turmeric (Curcuma longa) has exploded in popularity. Chances are your favorite coffeeshop might now even include a golden milk turmeric latte on the menu. Turmeric, however, is not just a fad: this vibrant herb is a traditional Ayurvedic remedy with centuries’ of use as a traditional remedy.

Follow along with herbalist Tara Ruth to learn about 3 benefits of turmeric.

And after learning these 3 benefits of turmeric, you might be wondering how you can learn more about other common herbs.

Download a FREE deck of our top 12 Herb Notes. You’ll learn all about popular herbs like rosemary, catnip, aloe, elderberry, and more.

Lisa Fazio takes us on a journey through Italian-American folk herbalism, the healing power of food as medicine, and the medicinal properties of herbs like garlic, St. John’s wort, and olive. She shares her personal stories and ancestral wisdom, making this conversation a true gift for anyone passionate about herbal traditions.

When we first came across Lisa’s new book, Della Medicina: The Tradition of Italian-American Folk Healing, we knew we had to invite her to the show. Her book is a beautiful collection of stories and deep connections to beloved plants such as garlic, St. John’s wort, olive, and more.

We were especially excited to speak with Lisa because of our own Italian heritage and curiosity about ancestral traditions. However, the wisdom Lisa offers is relevant and deeply supportive, no matter where your roots lie. Her approach invites us all to reconnect with our ancestral medicines and understand how herbal practices have been passed down through generations.

In this episode, Lisa Fazio talks about:

• Practical traditions for honoring ancestors
• The protective qualities of garlic
• Benedicaria and the spiritual uses of herbs
• The connections between Catholic saints and herbs
• The rich herbal traditions of Italy and how they’ve evolved for Italian Americans and so much more

With its familiar sweet and pungent taste, cinnamon is a common spice that makes an exceptionally tasty addition to every meal it graces. Cinnamon’s gifts go far beyond its flavor, however: in fact, herbalists know that cinnamon offers many healing gifts.

Want to learn more about the gifts of cinnamon? Let’s dive into three key health benefits of cinnamon…

Follow along with herbalist Tara Ruth to learn about 3 benefits of cinnamon.

And after learning these 3 benefits of cinnamon, you might be wondering how you can learn more about other common herbs.

Here’s the easy way to learn more about our favorite common herbs: download a FREE deck of our top 12 Herb Notes. You’ll learn all about popular herbs like rosemary, catnip, aloe, elderberry, and more.

Chatting with Lucretia VanDyke for the first time ever immediately felt like catching up with a dear friend — we were totally transported and never wanted the conversation to end.

Lucretia is a phenomenal storyteller who weaves her tales with reverence, humor, and thorough research. As one of the foremost experts on Southern folk healing arts, she integrate rituals, plant spirit meditation, holistic food and herbal medicine, and ancestor reverence into people's practices. She is the author of African American Herbalism: A Practical Guide to Healing Plants and Folk Traditions.

In this episode, Lucretia shares...

• How to make your kitchen a sacred space for creativity
• Practical tips for for connecting with your ancestors
• Why poke changed her life and led her to New Orleans
• The important legacy of herbalist Emma Dupree and so much more!