We recently connected with Madrone McCarthy & Teresa McKee and have shared our conversation below.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Hedgerows are places of medicine, a site where human kind and the natural world intersect. The hedgerow is a natural or man made border, housing small creatures and wild herbs. These living borders are as well known to be a place of magical happenings, an entry to the otherworld.
At Hedgerow Herb Co, we aim to heal and re-enchant you with our practice of communal herbalism, small-batch folk remedies, tea service, and educational events.
Hedgerow Herb Co. was born in May of 2024 after some hard toiling months of renovation to the shopfront. With the help of some dear friends, we designed and executed the build-out of our dream apothecary, it was truly a communal labor of love. We met while working at another Portland based apothecary, where we bonded over our shared passions for antiquity and traditional folk ways. We loved supporting the local community with herbal consultation and hand-made remedies, which have been the peoples’ medicine for time immemorial. When news of that shop’s closing reached us, we knew that the people still needed a place to turn for practical medicine. Having worked together in herbalism for years, it only seemed natural that we would open our own practice. We value place-based community herbalism and highly prioritize sourcing botanicals as locally as possible, ensuring vibrant and effective medicine while supporting farmers and foragers within our vibrant bioregion.
“Historically, the apothecary is a place for folks to receive affordable care and attention from community members. We aim to keep this tradition alive.”
Hedgerow Herb Co. is a place to gather, serving tea during the day and hosting a variety of classes and community events in the evenings. Some of our upcoming classes include plant dye, beekeeping, and herbal medicine making. Stay tuned for Hedgerow’s first birthday party this coming May!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Having built the shop from the ground up, starting with a vision, we learned the value of relationships when starting a business from nothing. We learned quickly how to communicate well and play off of each others strengths – Tessa taking on most of the design and Madrone making the remedies. Community played a massive role in getting the shop open, showing up to help us build for days on end and staying with us until 2am before our opening day to ensure everything was ready for our customers. Folks who knew us from our previous place of employment began coming to Hedgerow, as we had forged meaningful relationships with them in the prior space.
Staying aligned with our vision has proved to be impactful on the shop. Folks come in daily and remark at the uniqueness of our shop. We always tell them that it is simply an outpouring of our inner worlds and our values combined. We created a space that we would love to be in every day and that is felt by the folks who come in to enjoy the space and pick up their remedies.
We value quality when it comes to herbal remedies, and source organic or wildcrafted herbs from as locally as possible. This makes our remedies stand out in their taste, smell, and efficacy. Having had hands on experience with growing and wildcrafting our own herbs, we know the importance of quality and hold that in high regard when choosing the sourcing of our ingredients.
For folks starting out in herbalism or who have aspirations to open a small shop that serves the community, focus on your relationships to the plants and the people in your life. Community starts with your inner circles and extends to how you show up for the other small business you collaborate with and the greater community at large. We would not have been able to achieve such a beautiful space without the help of those who love us and believe in our vision. And not without our time spent in the fields and forests with the plants.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hedgerowherbco.com
- Instagram: @hedgerowherbco
Image Credits
Teresa McKee and Madrone McCarthy
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
