Description
Our Process
An herbal extract can only be as good as the plants that go into it. At Pine’s Herbals, we take great care in choosing which plants we use to make our tinctures, glycerites, and oils and use only the highest quality herbs. Herbal extracts are not made from inert chemicals like pharmaceuticals, but come from living plants, and the quality can be highly variable depending on how and when they’re harvested. It’s important to know which part of the plant to select, the right time of year to harvest, and whether the plant is best used fresh or dried.
Sourcing
As much as possible, we harvest from the woods and fields of western North Carolina, with a primary focus on sustainability. To us, sustainability means we only harvest plants that grow abundantly in our area. We take only what we need, being mindful of plant populations, the animals that graze upon them, and future generations. We also support these principles when we buy from other wildcrafters, only purchasing from ethical harvesters.
Several of the herbs in our apothecary are not native to our region; in these instances, we are grateful for the contributions provided by local organic farmers, with whom we have forged relationships over the years. When necessary, we may also source from herbal distributors, always buying organic or wildcrafted when available.
Medicine Making
We use different percentages of organic cane alcohol and distilled water to extract various plant constituents, sometimes adding vegetable glycerine or vinegar to improve the solubility thereof. In addition, some of our dried herbs are tinctured using a special percolation process. In this method, the dried herbs are ground, moistened, and packed into a cone, like a giant pour over coffee. Then the alcohol and water mixture is slowly added and the finished tincture drips out the bottom. Historically, this was the preferred method pharmacists used to make potent and effective tinctures.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information provided here is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgement of your physician, pharmacist or other healthcare provider and should not be construed to indicate that the use of this herbal product is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. Consult your healthcare provider before taking this herbal product.
