Root Values: Looking Back on the Early Days of the ‘Herbal Renaissance’

As Herbalists

When Sara Katz and Ed Smith founded Herb Pharm back in 1979, they ended up as pioneers in what we’ve come to call the “Herbal Renaissance,” a resurgence of interest in herbalism after decades where such practices were largely dormant. Even natural food stores in the ‘70s didn’t really have a section for herbal products. If you were lucky, you could find a few tinctures but nothing more.

Word spread quickly that there was a new company offering herbal products — with a commitment to quality unlike any other. People were eager to connect with nature through plants and to find an alternative to the status quo.

The few herbal products you could get back then were made from dried-out, conventionally grown herbs, often sourced from a commercial warehouse. Sara and Ed were collecting and organically growing herbs like Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) in small batches and either processing them fresh or immediately drying them to preserve their quality.

Over time, they began using restaurant-size equipment to accommodate growing demand. After burning out what Ed said was a “record number” of coffee grinders, they upgraded to large-scale production and quality testing equipment — but those traditional formulations stayed the same.

Now, more than 40 years later, Sara and Ed are proud to know that families have been using their products for generations. They know that here at Herb Pharm, our commitment to doing things right will never change.

“Herb Pharm has stayed true to our values as we've grown, and it's taken a village to do that,” said Sara.

Hear Sara and Ed share the story of those early days: