About Us
About Hearthside
Living in the 21st century has its difficulties. We’ve lost touch with the earth, and it has deeply affected not only our own wellbeing, but the health of our planet as well. We are living in an age of concrete jungles, of constant technological distractions, of industrial and chemical-laden agricultural processes that have been adopted for the sake of convenience. Not only has this led us to lead unhealthy and unbalanced lives, but it has also greatly damaged our local environments and ultimately, our global climate. We need to make a change and begin to heal both ourselves and the Earth.
I’ve founded Hearthside as a way to hold space and provide guidance for those with a desire to learn practices for connecting deeply with nature in an effort to reclaim their wellness. There are so many useful tools the natural world provides when it comes to improving your mental, physical, or spiritual health - edible gardening, cut flower growing, outdoor immersion, herbalism, wildlife habitat stewardship - the possibilities are endless - and I am here to support you in finding your own path. It is my hope that by guiding you to responsibly reconnect with nature, you will begin to restore your own vitality while also supporting the restoration of flora and fauna within your own local ecosystem.
I chose the name Hearthside in recognition of the women who worked folk medicine in my ancestral matrilineal line - the streghe and maghe who opened up their hearths and homes to their communities to provide connection and healing for those who needed it. Traditionally, the hearth was located in the kitchen, and this was the most sacred area of the home. It was here, next to the fire, where stories were told, plant medicine was taught and prepared, nourishing meals were cooked, and where the rural Italian rituals and traditions were passed down through each generation, from mother to daughter, just like they still are, today.
It is important to acknowledge that many plant medicine practices and traditions were originally derived from BIPOC people without proper attribution, and that colonialism and systemic racism have created a near erasure of indigenous herbal traditions. I will not perpetuate the silencing or colonizing of indigenous people by holding Western herbalism in higher esteem than other ancestral plant medicine traditions - I believe all herbal traditions should be held in equal value. I will challenge myself to actively engage in questioning appropriative behavior and I commit to work for the wellbeing of all interconnected life.
About Me
Hi, I’m Kate! I founded Hearthside. I am a highly sensitive INFJ-T with a penchant for plants. I am a creative director, a writer, and a grower. I am a curious person, a lifelong learner - and that tendency to learn and discover is what has brought me to this point in my journey.
I spent my childhood trailing my mother and grandmother on slow strolls through their shared garden, frolicking behind them in the lazy afternoon sun while they pointed out and discussed different patches of botanicals, admiring their beautiful blossoms or heady fragrances. These moments instilled in me a deep sense of wonder and appreciation for the natural world.
Later in life, I chose to trade in my rural homestead for a taste of urban living. A taste turned into a meal - I resided in cities for over ten exciting, fulfilling years. Though I relished in the feeling of community, I eventually began to grow weary of the abundance of concrete and steel. I felt a part of me was missing - I craved the feeling of soft earth beneath my feet - and so I returned to the land that raised me*, a tiny sprinkling of glacial-born lakes set within the Precambrian stone of the Appalachian range.
It was during this time that I found healing through cultivating a deep connection with nature, and the reciprocity of this relationship inspired a new sense of kinship and belonging. I began to educate myself further on environmental sustainability, organic and regenerative farming practices, and natural gardening methods. I delved into the history of plant tradition in my own lineage and learned more about the ways in which my ancestors lived in close relationship with the earth as farmers, landscapers, gardeners, and folk healers. I proceeded to spend an unforgettable season apprenticing at Stonegate Farm, where I gained invaluable knowledge and experience helping to grow and harvest medicinal and culinary herbs and florals. I am currently working towards certifications in both Permaculture Design and Botanical Medicine.
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* I acknowledge and respect the original custodians of the stolen land I currently reside on - the Lenni-Lenape people of the Algonquin nation. I commit to continue my own education of Indigenous people so that I may be more inclusive and sensitive to racial injustice in my work and life.