This past Sunday was the 5th Annual HerbFest at Keepsake Cidery. A special thank you to those who came to participate - as an attendee, as a vendor, and/or presenter 🥰 You are the reason events such as these continue. And although I may be biased, I truly believe that we as a community need places to gather, to learn from one another, and to connect with one another, face-to-face. Each year, after this event, I find myself reflecting upon it and all that it is. HerbFest, alt

Two plants that are fairly well known: Chamomile and Catnip. They are growing right next to one another in my garden this year so let's take a closer look at them because despite having some similarities, they are not interchangeable. Each of these plants has a tendency to support a certain pattern. The basic similarities of these two plants, things you may not pick up on through observation alone: Both are nervines (they support the nervous system). Both support digestion.

Summer Solstice has passed (it was June 21st) which means we are in the most “Yang” time of the year. “Yang” is a term used in Chinese Medicine which is associated with: light, sun, heat, energy, fire, dryness… etc. Yang is “masculine” - it is outward and active. Peak summer, as we are currently in, is Yang in season form. Summer is a prized season in our society: It is the season to be living life to its fullest, filling the schedule with family/friends, vacations, outings,

As I write to you today, there’s the most perfect cool yet warm breeze coming through my window and birds of many species chirp and sing outside. If I am being honest, I am re-writing my letter to you today. The original letter felt a bit too heavy (linked if you’re curious). Instead, I wanted to share something lighter, something a bit more in rhythm with the season. It is summer after all and hopefully we are finding ourselves connecting more with Nature than we are our scr

Happy June to you! As we enter into June, so many plants are either flourishing or are on their way toward flourishing. Throughout the summer I find myself often meandering through my chaotic yet “organized” garden, admiring each of the plants. Noticing them. Learning from them. Marshmallow as the sun sets. Within the last week, I’ve really noticed their vibrancy. The Yarrow is forming flower buds. The Elecampane is sending up its flower stalks. The Marshmallow nearly comes u

I am officially married and although my website, newsletter header, or anything else for that matter doesn’t yet mirror it, my name will be changing to Kara Fischenich. So, if you see this name instead of Kara Swenson in the future, no need to be alarmed. It is still me… Kara, Thistle Patch, “The Herbalist” 😉💜 This said, I am not in my office this week. Instead, Aaron and I are away for a week to relax, make some memories, and explore some new lands. I thought it’d be perfe

A little (big) life update seems in order for the letter today. Plus, I’ll be sharing some of the herbs and practices I’ve been leaning on - because I know I am not alone in the experiences I have 💜 Life has been especially full the last couple of months: House remodeling (and re-re-doing - if you’ve ever remodeled, you know!). Taking (scary yet exciting) steps with Thistle Patch Wellness. And… planning my wedding, which is May 16th! This full season of life has come with lo

When you think of Spring, what associations come to mind for you? For me, Spring is my favorite season - for many reasons. Spring is the emergence after a long, cold winter. It is resilience, it is hope. Spring is fresh rain that brings out the most beautiful shades of green and brown. Spring is the flowing of sap which offers us the opportunity for the sweetness of Maple Syrup. Spring is the reemergence of so many dear plant friends, and it is a tender “hello” after a season

Over the last several weeks, the plants have slowly started to wake up. The other day, however, I spotted the first handful of garlic sprouts popping up in my garden. Although I can’t say there is any proof to this statement, I personally have noticed that once my garlic begins to sprout, the dormancy of winter has worn away and nature is ready to flourish. Is there a spring plant that you are or have been particularly excited to see? -:-:- A couple of letters ago, I started

My previous letter was the first of a short series of answering some of the most common questions I get when folks learn that I am a practicing Herbalist. In my last letter, I answered the question “What is an Herbalist?” - or at least started to answer this broad, deep question! Today, we will explore the question of: “Why might someone seek out the support of an Herbalist?” -:-:- For the sake of keeping this letter a little more focused, I am approaching this common quest

Growing up, I didn’t know Herbalists existed. So when I get asked the question sounding something like,… “You’re an herbal - what?” - or - “What is an Herbalist?” …I understand where their confusion or lack of understanding comes from. However, considering the great majority of folks tend to ask others what they do for work when they first meet them, I have experienced the above questions quite frequently. Even when I meet someone who knows about herbal medicine, they may not

Seasons. Cycles. Rhythms. Flow. They are foundational. Nature moves in seasons and cycles. Our bodies move in seasons and cycles. There is a rhythm and a flow to all things in balance. When flow is stagnated or rhythm is disrupted, we feel it. We feel it when it occurs in Nature. We feel it when it occurs in our Communities. We feel it when it occurs within our own bodies. In my last letter, I took this topic and went in the direction of cycling women. Today, I take this topi

Seasons. Cycles. Rhythms. .. Flow. They are foundational. Nature moves in seasons and cycles. Our bodies move in seasons and cycles. There is a rhythm and a flow to all things in balance. When flow is stagnated or rhythm is disrupted, we feel it. We feel it when it occurs in Nature. We feel it when it occurs in our Communities. We feel it when it occurs within our own bodies. Although I could go in numerous directions with this thought of rhythms and cycles, I would like to g

Darkness has been on my mind . Winter being the dark season of the year, it makes sense. The current events around both the people and the land of Minnesota carry darkness too. -:-:-:- Darkness. Darkness is inevitable. It is a part of life and it is a part of nature itself. And whether we always like it or not, it is a crucial part of life… For too much of anything, even light, can be detrimental. Darkness is powerful. Powerful in both life-giving ways and powerful in life-

This Winter, I have shared a fair amount about the wisdom and medicine that the season of Winter holds but I haven’t yet shared about the physical medicines that are available to us. Certainly, we always have access to herbs in preserved forms, such as dried or tinctured, and we can purchase fresh herbs at the grocery store year round. But many think that because the ground is frozen and there aren’t plants actively growing or blooming that harvesting plants for medicine isn’

How are you doing? Might you take a moment to check in with yourself (and comment below or send me an email if you would like to share!)? Since my last letter to you, we have been amidst the darkest days as well as the “in between” days. Last week as well as this week have a different kind of energy or feel to it than any other time of the year. Maybe you feel it too. Beneath the busyness of the season, there is an undeniable stillness calling as the darkness is still very pr

This coming Sunday, December 21st marks the Winter Solstice - the darkest day of the year and the holder of peak Winter energy. Winter, at its most basic, is a season of rest, of replenishment, of reflection, and of condensing and/or refining to what is truly needed. It is going back to our roots, just as the trees have done. Going back to our roots. Winter, according to the Five Element Theory used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), is the season that generates Spring an

The other day after the fresh snowfall, I sat on the forest floor and admired the “new” landscape. Snowfalls such as the one we just received often feel like a gift in these early Winter days as the darkness is now just a few short weeks from its peak (on Winter Solstice, December 21st). With December and January being two of the darkest months of the year, this snow offers us, inspires us, and/or nudges us to do some of the very things that our bodies need in order to thrive

With the holidays (and all of the festivities and gatherings that seem to go along with them) right around the corner, I am pondering how to best support the digestive systems of my loved ones, clients, and you, of course! Last week, I shared an impactful story of one of my clients in which his abdominal pain and digestive system made him a frequent visitor to the emergency room. This gentleman’s story is very real and there are far too many individuals who share similar exp

If you are a client of mine, you know that I will ask you about your digestive system often if not at each visit we have together. The digestive system is central, literally, to every single one of our beings. Every other system of our body relies on the digestive system being able to do its job well. And yet, the digestive system is one of the most common systems for folks to experience symptoms - either directly or indirectly. In 2019, the results of a rather large survey w