This year, Athens was ranked 61 out of Ohio’s 88 counties in terms of health, and local herbalists are wondering why so many Athenians are unhealthy when the solution is right beneath their feet.
American ginseng, cohosh, bloodroot and goldenseal are all medicinal plants on United Plant Savers’ “at-risk” list, but they’re growing fruitfully in Southeast Ohio. In fact, herbalists from all over the country have settled in the region to exploit its rich soil.
“We are at the top in diversity as far as plants go,” said Rebecca Wood, retired professor of herbal studies at Hocking College and founder of Hopewood Holistic Health. “This is one of the most diverse biomes in the world.”
Paul Strauss, one of the area’s pioneer herbalists, left his hometown of New York City in search of something greener during the ‘70s. After hitchhiking cross-country, he found himself on a vacant piece of land in Meigs County, where he bought 80 acres for $100 per acre. Broke as he was, he had no choice but to live on the land.
“When I got to this farm, I had a backpack and $100 per month,” he said. “I couldn’t afford doctors, so I had to do what I was preaching.”
In 10 years, Strauss had acquired 700 acres. When he couldn’t afford to maintain them, he started selling them to people with similar ideas.
That 80-acre lot has grown into 3,000 acres occupied by more than 65 people, all hosting organic farms. Strauss continues to harvest medicinal herbs on his own piece, which he calls “Equinox Botanicals,” where he has catalogued more than 600 medicinal plants to date.
“I’m passing on the green spark,” he said. “If I teach someone about a plant, that person takes that spark and passes it on. In the end, that’s really what I’m trying to do.”
Nearby, on the 300-acre United Plant Savers Botanical Sanctuary, Strauss invites interns from all over the country and holds workshops on swapping pharmaceuticals for herbs, a lesson that could be advantageous to the entire region.
A study by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation revealed that 18 percent of Athens County residents don’t have health insurance. It also calculated 96 preventable hospital stays, more than double the national benchmark.
“We live in Appalachia and education isn’t very good around here, so people eat canned food,” Strauss said. “People are eating like crap. They like fast food, they smoke cigarettes and drink too much.”
The region’s herbalist network is now thriving and diverse. Some teach, others focus on cooking with herbs, acupuncture or clinical herbalism.
Maureen Burns-Hooker puts her herbalism to use by making teas. Burns-Hooker, who was once Strauss’ apprentice, founded the Athens-based Herbal Sage Tea Company about 15 years ago.
“I was interested in sustainability in the form of taking care of yourself, your family and your community,” she said. “When I think about growing my own food, I think about growing my own medicine.”
Herbal Sage’s about 30 teas help with pregnancy, weight loss, the common cold, upset stomach, insomnia and everyday health. On her Meigs County property, Burns-Hooker harvests mint, sassafras, red raspberry leaf and elderberries for her tea blends.
While Burns-Hooker blends herbal teas, Rebecca Wood uses her homegrown herbs in food — cohoshes, ginseng, wild lettuce, bergamot and lemon balm.
Unlike clinical herbalists, Wood said other types of herbalists cannot legally diagnose ailments or prescribe medications. But rather, they can provide the resources and teach.
“My goal is to teach people how to use what’s in the environment to improve their health,” said Cindy Parker, founder of Healing Heart Herbals.
Parker attended the California School of Herbal Studies before settling in Meigs. She focuses on teaching herbalism as a lifestyle, not a substitute for traditional medicine.
“I don’t think of my herbalism as my career; it’s my way of life,” she said.
oy311909@ohiou.edu
