About Us

Fresh sustainable herbs are the best…this is what we do.

The Short Version:

Formally Urban Herbs, these culinary and wellness tea herbs were grown in our home garden with care and learning. We grow plants from Northwest certified sources suited to our climate. Dried herbs are stored whole immediately to give the richest aroma, flavor and potency. Our products can be seen at local fairs, festivals, markets and online. We love to continue to learn and share our knowledge. Our vision is to make herbs a part of all everyday quality lifestyles…and fun to use! It’s in the part-time stage now…grow with us and enjoy the fruits of our labor!

Local, sustainable

growing

is the key to success

The story:

Loving to learn new things and “doing it right” has brought me to some great techniques and associations. At MSGU “Home Grown” I learned the newest research on sustainable growing that goes beyond organic to responsible community based agriculture. You’ll see us at the Clark Fork Market and the Missoula Valley Winter Market along with many other Home Grown growers year round in Missoula, MT.

Other affiliations include: NSAC-National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, AEO-Alternative Energy Resources Organization, Montana Native Plant Society.

Sustainable herbs are in innovative arrangements, spice blends and teas…unique gifts for the health conscious foodies or herbal tea lovers (wannabes welcome too)

Loving education…Learning that uncrushed herbs keep their potency and shelf life longer, we developed “Herb Pinching for the Kitchen”and herb tributes in pots and wreathes. Then, hand crushed herbs become gourmet culinary blends, wellness tea blends, wellness teas “In the Raw” bags, sets and “Rescue boxes”. We package most of our Wellness teas separately so you can see which herb works best for particular needs. Our display collection is usually at many Missoula area “cold” weather art, craft and gift shows, at the home Crafting Room and online.

Make cooking fun and healthy again with the class Cooking with Herbs 406

Learn to incorporate herbs into your everyday lifestyle by creating

mouth-watering meals, snacks and drinks with a gourmet touch

During January through March, between Craft Fair Season and the growing and market Season…I work on research and development and have events which include Classes and sales of all my “creations” from the last harvest season. My goal is to use everything so you only get the freshest at the store, where you can also see and buy all the latest products.

The History of the Herbs Obsession

I’m doing it! Who would have thought that growing some companion plants for my veggie garden about 20 years ago in Spokane, WA would turn into a half-acre (so far) herb garden in Missoula, Mt! Back in Spokane, I was directed to get some info from the State AG Association to answer some questions on growing healthy plants organically in the shorter growing season of the Inland Northwest. Some of the plants listed were traditionally medicinal herbs. I was intrigued when I got some books on herbs that include the folklore, research and history of herbology. I thought,”I’m going to grow some things that help my family health issues.” One of the listed sources in my first book was The Herb Farm in Carnation, WA, so I started buying their organic herb starts and seeds and making my own little garden. By the time we moved to Missoula, my husband thought I was nuts to move 135 buckets of perennial herbs with me…everything from nerve tonics to respiratory help species. We didn’t need all those herbs for our personal use, but by then I was thrilled with making dried herb teas and crafts and selling at local craft fairs helping people. I even got some info from a niece of a Medicine man of a local tribe that got me thinking and learning more. I really believe that God put plants in each area of the earth to benefit the inhabitants in that locale. Now, I’ve added as many local species to my garden as I can. This is happening during my “spare” time since I work full-time. I am not a herbalist, but a herb enthusiast just learning and growing as I go. Some day, when I get to retire from my profession, I want to have a full acre U-Pick Herb Park where people can come to pick fresh herbs in a beautiful setting and learn how to incorporate both culinary and traditionally medicinal herbs into a quality lifestyle during our growing season as well as dried herbs out of season. Each year, I take another baby step in my dream as time and materials allow. I have u-pick appointments July through September and more…

How we roll throughout the year

January…

We actually start making solid goals and plans for the growing season right after Christmas “last year” from notes and ideas gathered throughout the year and from our yearly research theme. There are always interns and volunteers to acquire so we can accomplish all our goals and learn together. In Montana, our growing season technically begins with planting seeds indoors and working with our plants that we brought in from the garden. This usually happens around Feb. 15. We usually make our own starting soil and start some of our plants from seeds we’ve saved from last year. Each year, we find more local sources as growing sustainably and permaculture becomes more popular and permeated into our community.

Montana’s Best Herbs!