Name: Sarah Adams
Owner, Veriditas Herbal Shoppe
How did you get into the field? I started studying plant medicine when I was 17 years old, and really it started through coming across common ailments, dealing with colds, dealing with injuries and finding simple remedies that I could make at home or on the go. The more that I learned about it, the more fascinating it became. It opened up this whole other world that I didn’t realize was constantly around me. It really sparked the passion.
What are some medicinal herbs you use on a regular basis in your life? What impact have they had? The beautiful thing about having this shop is I have access to these things all the time. I test things out – on a daily basis, I’m doing something different. Burdock root is a really fantastic one, it’s a great blood cleanser, it’s gentle enough that you can use it as a food and it’s fantastic for the liver. And nettles are really beautiful, They’re very high in vitamins and minerals.
Explain what you do here: do people come in and buy what they need, or do they describe a specific problem and let you direct them? We get all over the board, down to the people who come in for change for the parking meter who say, whoa, what is this? And they leave with something, and if they don’t leave with something in their hand, they leave with something in their mind to think about. But we get people who will come from far away looking for specific herbs they would have otherwise had to order online from far away, and then we get a lot of people who are interested but don’t really know much about it, so I’m always happy to walk people through whatever questions they have. I also do private consultations with clients.
What are common herbs people come in looking for or common ailments they seek help for? Stress, insomnia, those are common, and some of our single herbs that sell the most, the nettles are one of those ones that a lot of people come in for. Also holy basil or lemon balm. And everyone loves lavender.
Do you get any of this stuff sourced locally? We have quite a few prepared products, and those are virtually all made in the state. Our products are all made by other local herbalists. And in terms of the bulk herbs that we have, we have a couple of things that are wild crafted in New Hampshire, but for most herbs, the closest place we have is in Vermont, from Backwoods Herb Farm. They are still a small, organic farm.
Do you mix tonics or syrups at the store? Yes. Every single recipe I have here is original. Well, I mean, it’s my job. And also trying it out, putting it together and seeing what works well together. You just see what people like and see how it makes them feel.
You offer classes, including shamanic plant circles – what is that all about? It’s another way of learning about plants. We see plants as having their own energies, their own personalities, so it’s a way of connecting with the plants. We sit down in a circle and we’ll do guided meditations. For every group that we do, we’re focusing on one plant.
Where do you pick up knowledge on these topics? The first formal education I did, I interned at a large organic herb farm in Oregon called Herb Farm. They’re a large herbal product company and they have a great internship and educational program. Then I studied at the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine in Ithica, N.Y., and then studied at the Boston School of Herbal Studies in Arlington.
Is there a certification requirement? There are certifications. Herbalism is unique in the fact that we don’t have a regulated guideline for a degree, but there are lots of schools that will offer certifications based on different levels of study. So the school I did in Boston, I did the advanced training program, so you’re doing diagnostic and clinical skill work and working with clients.
If you weren’t doing this, what would you be doing? Maybe a restaurant? Cooking is one of my passions.
Hidden talent? Cooking, and it’s not hidden at all. In a lot of my classes I’ll incorporate recipes or examples of sharing food. I just love it, it’s one of my creative outlets.
Guilty pleasure? One of the concepts I am constantly trying to share and inspire in people is to avoid guilt at all costs. There’s lots of things I take pleasure in; but I don’t experience guilt. I feel that guilt is detrimental to the health, so if you are going to do it, love it. I do kickboxing, yoga, dance. And sometimes we have to leave the herbal shop to get a cup of coffee.