Why Mountain Rose Herbs Chooses Oregon Tilth as Its Organic Certifier
In 2001, when we moved Mountain Rose Herbs from California to Pleasant Hill, Oregon, we made the move to be closer to our farm partners, wildharvesters, and processors. But another key factor in our decision was Oregon Tilth Certified Organic (OTCO), a Corvallis, Oregon nonprofit that was reimagining how the world’s food systems could work better for people and the planet. Founded on the fundamental belief that our food and agricultural systems should be sustainable and equitable, Oregon Tilth has spent nearly fifty years working for organic food and farming.
Within a year of moving to Oregon, Mountain Rose Herbs became a certified organic processor through OTCO and began a relationship that we have cherished now for two decades. From the beginning, our experience with OTCO has been invaluable. Working hand-in-hand with this outstanding organization has enabled us to create alliances and sustainable systems that are the bedrock of our business. Their expertise and dedication have helped us put in place the tools and relationships we need to provide our customers with the finest organic botanicals—from our state-of-the-art onsite laboratory and quality control department to long-lasting working contracts with certified organic farmers and wildharvesters that we know we can trust. We would not be able to do what we do today without OTCO’s half-century of experience.
Cultivating Goldenseal: The Quest to Protect an At-Risk Herb
Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) is one of the most at-risk plants in North America. It was used by First Nations peoples for hundreds of years before Europeans arrived and by the 1830s was also a favorite of herbalists and practitioners of Eclectic medicine. Today, due to relentless wildharvesting and habitat loss, this age-old herbal ally has been reduced to scattered remnant populations and is at risk in much of its native range.
7Song’s Scientific & Humorous Approach to Herbalism
In the summer of 2022, our Creative team traveled to Ithaca, NY, to spend a few days learning about 7Song (@7Songsevensong) and his Northeast School of Botanical Medicine. Our friend, esteemed herbalist 7Song, has been inspiring herb students at his school since the early 1990s. While some herbal schools are rooted solely in plant medicine, the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine focuses on the human body, critical thinking, and botany. As a self-described cynic, 7Song brings humor and practicality to an often challenging field of work.
Visit 7Song at 7song.com
Follow him on Instagram @7songSevenSong
Follow him on Facebook @Sevensong.Sevensong
Mountain Rose Herbs’ Alternative-Fuel and Electric Vehicle Fleet
We’re always looking for ways that we can make smart business choices that address climate change and invest in the health and wellbeing of our community and our planet. So it’s no surprise to the people who know us that our entire fleet of commercial vehicles runs on electricity, alternative fuels, or is an electric hybrid. For us, the decision to commit to an alternative fuel and electric fleet is all about reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combatting climate change. It is the same reason we invest in our Alternative Commute Program, because we want to encourage everyone to reduce their carbon emissions, and we want to lead by example.
A Behind-the-Scenes Look at How Mountain Rose Herbs’ Tea Blends Are Made
Ever wonder how Mountain Rose Herbs’ tea is made? Production Supervisor and 20-year team member, Julie DeBord, gives us an inside look at what goes into serving up the freshest and most potent cup of tea. She says it largely comes down to the quality of ingredients and our hands-on process.
Join us for this exclusive look behind the curtain to see how our loose leaf tea is crafted with your health and pleasure in mind.
Herbal Extracts: Made with Care at Mountain Rose Herbs
Have you ever wondered how extracts are made here at Mountain Rose Herbs? Our dedicated extract production team carefully oversees the process from delivery of fresh plant material to bottling, packaging, and shipment to our customers. We use only the freshest cultivated and wildharvested plants, organic grain alcohol, and reverse osmosis water to create these handcrafted herbal extracts.
Mountain Rose Herbs’ Extract Production Supervisor, Keegan, shows us the ins and outs of our extract facility here in Eugene, OR, where we mill, tincture, and bottle all our herbal extracts.
From fresh plants and organic alcohol to quality control checks, our line of single and combination extracts is crafted with care and attention to detail.
