Sara Rose Scudere is a gardener at heart and that passion grew into a medicinal herb business. Known as Abundant Mother Medicine Gardens Herbal Apothecary, which currently operates out of her home – will soon be located inside 202 East Main Street.
“I’ve been gardening now for probably close to a decade and so I started growing medicinal plants and learning about them. I ended up with all these products and learned what to make them into,” she said. “I do herbal-infused oils and teas, tinctures – all the herbal medicine things like syrups and flower essences. I also do bulk apothecary jars – big jars of herbs for people to come and try single herbs or make a specific tea blend for them.”
It’s important to Scudere to stay connected to and depend upon the Earth; thus the name of her business.
“We’re living in this mindset that there’s never enough or that someone is going to get more than us. The Earth teaches us that’s not true. Abundant Mother represents the abundance of Mother Earth,” she said.
Scudere grows many of her own plants, but since she has begun clinical studies to become a clinical herbalist, she has been outsourcing some of her herbs.
Using herb-based products is a great health foundation; products lack preservatives and chemicals and are pure.
“It’s like exercising. It will make you healthier, but it won’t cure all your problems,” she said.
Abundant Mother carries all sorts of concentrated liquid herbal tinctures; those for mood, immunity, overall being, and specially formulated ones for specific health issues. Also on the helve will be pottery from local potters, books and other items.
“I’ll also have fresh-cut flower arrangements and different things to decorate your house,” Scudere said.
I want to bring a lot of plant material into the shop and hang to dry so they can be seen, smelled and experienced before they are dried and turned to tea.”
It was never a goal to open a storefront, but when the opportunity for the Main Street space presented itself, Scudere said it made sense. It’s a much better option for sharing the products stored in her home than taking them to fairs and festivals.
The herbalist said he is constantly learning and looks forward to sharing that knowledge – and learning from others.
“I would love to meet a community of people interested in this. I want the store to be a type of hub for that community. Come share with me,” Scudere said.
She said she has all sorts of ideas associated with her business, including the potential formation of a co-op. Scudere hopes to open later this spring or early summer, after she transforms her space.
Also located at 102 East Main Street is SunmoonApparel and the upcoming Mountain Mama Magick.
Editor’s Note: Photos were taken at Lost Creek Farmers Market, where Scudere was set up with her product last season.