Welcome to the outdoor Apothecary
The Outdoor Apothecary inspires naturally minded people to live with the seasons, become self-reliant, connect with nature, and protect their health through herbal living. We love celebrating “the old ways” of living to bring blessings to ourselves, our families, communities and to Mother Earth. We offer articles, tips, recipes and ideas on practical self-reliance, simple herbal remedies, foraging, gardening and reconnecting ourselves to our natural world and sacred ancestral traditions.
About Me: Barbi
I’m a bookish “earth mother” who loves to read and walk in the woods. I’m a wildcrafter & herbalist, avid gardener, collector of nature specimens, and field guide enthusiast.
I spent most of my childhood exploring our natural world and I’m now devoted to reviving the ancestral wisdom of plants as medicine and healers. I love spending hours outside tending to my gardens, gathering plants and herbs, being in nature,and learning skills of self-reliance like homemade soapmaking.
I give deep thanks and gratitude to my Chaubunagungamaug Nipmuck family for inspiring me to honor our Mother Earth by dedicating myself to studying and sharing ancient lifeways and reviving the wonderous arts of plant medicine and nature connectedness. I sincerely hope you’ll join me on this journey.
Return to Our Roots
Connecting with nature is more than a walk through the woods. It’s about being conscious of seasonal changes, becoming attuned with the plants around us, and relearning the nature-language we’ve forgotten through our modern lives. We believe that incorporating the “old ways” of doing things, growing and harvesting our own food, and having a do-it-yourself spirit, promotes self-sufficiency and is an important part of leading a healthier lifestyle, closer to nature.
We hope to provide you with a foundation to rewild yourself through aligning with the cycles of the seasons and to help you in discovering the energies of the seasonal cycles.
Nourish Yourself with Nature
Free 29-page Guidebook to Celebrating the Seasons
A Guided Workbook to help you celebrate nature’s seasonal cycles with mindfulness and meaningful intentions – our gift to you! Learn how to live a mindful nature-connected life.
Recent Posts
Easy Herbal Healing Salve Recipe for Hardworking Hands
Learn how to make this simple but effective healing salve made with comfrey, calendula and purple dead nettle that’s perfect for hard working hands.
Amazing Country Rhubarb Wine Recipe
If you grow a lot of Rhubarb, consider making some delicious wine with some of your harvest. It’s tasty and easy to make – here’s how to make Rhubarb Wine.
Making Country Wines: Super Easy 6 Step Method
Making country wines with homegrown, foraged, and handpicked fruit, vegetables, herbs, and flowers is easier than you think! Learn the ins and outs with this fool-proof basic method.
Wildcrafting Purple Dead Nettle for Food and Medicine
Purple dead nettle is a highly nutritious wild edible herb that also has many medicinal properties. Learn how to identify, prepare and use purple dead nettle.
Chickweed Identification: Wild Edible Weed For Culinary and Medicinal Uses
You’ve most likely got some growing in your own backyard. Read more to learn chickweed identification, health benefits, poisonous look alikes,,,and more!
Easy Dandelion Root Tincture Recipe
This easy dandelion root tincture recipe is perfect for beginners. Can be used to support overall health and wellbeing as well as for liver, kidney, digestive, and gallbladder support.
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Situated in the heart of Northeastern Connecticut, Barbi Gardiner is a bioregional herbalist and a proud member of the Chaubunagungamaug Nipmuck tribe. With a homestead recognized as a certified wildlife habitat by the Wildlife Federation and a native medicinal plant sanctuary by United Plant Savers, Barbi is a leading voice in permaculture and regenerative gardening. Passionate about seasonal living and ancestral wisdom, Barbi aims to reconnect people with the natural world and the ancient knowledge of their forebears. Through engaging articles and resources, Barbi is a beacon for sustainable living and earth-centered spirituality.