What is an Herb Pantry & Apothecary?
Not so long ago the idea of an herb pantry and keeping herbs on hand was a common practice. Homesteaders, mothers, and families from all origins would have gathered and stored herbs to help with any ailments that might occur throughout the year. Similar to stocking your bathroom medicine cabinet, you can stock your herb pantry with remedies for your ongoing health concerns or that you anticipate encountering.
Herb Pantry Versus Apothecary: What’s the Difference?
The terms herb pantry and apothecary are now used interchangeably, but just a few generations ago it would have referenced old time pharmacies. These pharmacies generally included medications alongside medicinal herbs. Pharmacists were well trained in dispensing herbs using precise preparations like those found in the King's American Dispensatory. I like to think of herb pantries as a stock of herbs and spices for everyone in a household or family and an apothecary as an extensive herbal dispensary for a community or clinical herbalist.
You are free to decide what to label your herb storage, just promise you will start one today!
Why You Need an Herb Pantry:
The reasons for starting an herb pantry are as varied as the households that have them. Here are a few that I hear most often from students & clients:
Reduce dependence on pharmaceuticals- The number of people who understand the limits of modern medicine is growing. Maybe like them, you want to reduce drugstore dependency and go a more natural route.
Self Sufficiency- Making and storing your own herb pantry is akin to stocking a food pantry. It is one more step in bringing you closer to self sufficiency.
Learn Herbal Medicine- Building your own herb pantry is a powerful method of learning to make and use herbal medicine with confidence. Students who join the Homestead Herb School Membership will get step by step support on how to stock, use and grow their own Herb Pantry & Apothecary. See links for details and a Free Herb Pantry Inventory download.
Save Money- Remedies both natural and otherwise have skyrocketed in price. Having an herb pantry and making your own is a great way of saving money while giving your family the best quality.
Superior Quality & Effectiveness- Just like making your own food yields superior quality stocking and making your own herbal preparations will give you the greatest likelihood of getting great results.
Where to Start:
Starting your own herb pantry is easy and fun and you will learn a lot of exciting skills all herbalists need along the way. The next few articles will be dedicated to giving you an outline for this activity. I will cover the items you will need, herbs to include, where to get supplies, and how much you should keep stocked, how to use your herb pantry and much more!
Herbs & Farm Store
For a quick start to stocking your herb pantry & apothecary check out the Firefly Farmstead & Apothecary Shop where you can get the single herbs, teas, & topical remedies that I always keep in stock in my herb pantry.
Check out our favorite items for healing in the Professional Quality Supplements link. (Not Medical Advice. See Disclaimer).
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