Our regular customers and especially those of you who’ve been with us from the beginning may have noticed that our prices have increased. Since its inception, Feather Catcher Apothecary has made efforts to keep our products accessible to the community. We always hated the idea of charging bougie artisan prices. But we aren’t Amazon. We…
Dormilón*, or Blue Vervain (Verbena spp), is tall and graceful with spikes of violet-blue flowers. It’s been used for centuries as both medicine and magic. It was considered sacred by the Druids and widely used in European folk traditions. In New Mexico, it’s traditionally been used to treat insomnia and cold/flu symptoms. Blue Vervain is…
We were invited once again by Española Humane to participate in their annual Puppy Love Virtual Auction. And of course we said yes! The “little shelter that could” holds a virtual auction every February leading up to and through Valentine’s Day. It features donated items/services from local businesses in various categories like arts, crafts, healing…
Cannabis has over 100 cannabinoids and over 150 terpenes (volatiles). It’s packed with lots of medicinal properties. You can do a regular cold extraction, which is my personal preference, to gain the benefits of these constituents. But if you want your extraction to have THC, which is the primary psychoactive constituent, then the process is…
Winter is a great time to harvest Barba de Viejo (Usnea). There are several Usnea species in New Mexico which can be used interchangeably. We usually harvest Usnea cavernosa as it grows in abundance nearby, but we try to make it a point to gather Usnea from downed tree branches. This special lichen has immuno-stimulating,…
This season of giving, we have teamed up with Colibri Corazon to curate and donate a package of herbal goodies for one lucky winner! When you DONATE $20 or more to Breath of My Heart between Giving Tuesday and December 15th you’ll automatically be entered to win this holiday giveaway, valued at $300. Here’s what’s included:…
Have you ever wondered why we call liquor “spirits”? Recently, a friend was asking me about our spagyrics – what are they? But before you can understand what a spagyric tincture is, you’ll need a crash course in alchemy 101. In the alchemical tradition, alchemists used distillation to purify a liquid and then collect the…
Admittedly, I used to have a strong preference for common names because 1) they’re rooted in place/geography, culture, and language; and 2) let’s face it – they’re way easier to pronounce and remember! But over the past several years as I’ve deepened my practice as a community herbalist, I’ve really grown to develop an appreciation…
I was admiring Sacred Datura blossoms while I was comforting my dog against the blasts of fireworks last night. Datura is well known for being poisonous. But it’s actually a really good pain killer in some cases when used topically as a salve or oil. It’s also known for its traditional use as an entheogen…