Copyright © 2025 by Bevin Cohen. All rights reserved.

Photo and illustration credits appear on here.

Hachette Book Group supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact permissions@hbgusa.com. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

Timber Press

Workman Publishing

Hachette Book Group, Inc.

1290 Avenue of the Americas

New York, New York 10104

timberpress.com

Timber Press is an imprint of Workman Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc. The Timber Press name and logo are registered trademarks of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

Text and cover design by Will Brown

Cover copyright © 2025 by Hachette Book Group, Inc.

The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.

The Hachette Speakers Bureau provides a wide range of authors for speaking events. To find out more, go to hachettespeakersbureau.com or email hachettespeakers@hbgusa.com.

ISBN 978-1-64326-196-6

eISBN: 978-1-64326-425-7

A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.

Disclaimer

It’s important that we’re always careful to identify any plant properly before harvesting it for food or medicine. Some of our herbal allies have toxic look-alikes, and we always want to make safe and healthy choices. Additionally, it’s just as important to responsibly harvest only what you need, and nothing more, to ensure that future generations can also enjoy these special plants.

Harvest responsibly.

Contents

Cover

Copyright Page

Title

Dedication

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 | Spring: Planning and Planting in the Season of Renewal

Arnica

Calendula

Chickweed

Cleavers

Dandelion

Dill

Horsetail

Nettles

Parsley

Poplar

Red Clover

Violet

Chapter 2 | Summer: Long Days and Big Rewards in the Season of Abundance

Aloe

Chamomile

Jewelweed

Lemon Balm

Linden

Mint

Monarda

Oxeye Daisy

Plantain

Rose

Self-Heal

Yarrow

Chapter 3 | Autumn: Celebrating Abundance in the Season of Transition

Chicory

Coriander

Echinacea

Ginkgo

Goldenrod

Oregano

Rosemary

Sage

Savory

Sunflower

Thyme

Valerian

Chapter 4 | Winter: Looking Inward in the Season of Rest and Reflection

Ashwagandha

Cayenne

Cinnamon

Fennel

Garlic

Ginger

Green Tea

Juniper

Licorice

Marshmallow

Shiitake

Tulsi

A Thought to End With

Acknowledgments

Photo Credits

Suggested Reading

Index

About the Author

Navigation

Cover

Start of Frontmatter

Copyright Page

Dedication

Contents

Start of Content

Chapter 1 | Spring: Planning and Planting in the Season of Renewal

Start of Backmatter

Acknowledgments

Photo Credits

Suggested Reading

Index

About the Author

Page List

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

108

109

110

111

112

113

114

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

133

134

135

136

137

138

139

140

141

142

143

144

145

146

147

148

149

150

151

152

153

154

155

156

157

158

159

160

161

162

163

164

165

166

167

168

169

170

171

172

173

174

175

176

177

178

179

180

181

182

183

184

185

186

187

188

189

190

191

192

193

194

195

196

197

198

199

200

201

202

203

204

205

206

207

208

209

210

211

212

213

214

215

216

217

218

219

220

221

222

223

224

225

226

227

228

229

230

231

232

233

234

235

236

237

238

239

240

241

242

243

244

245

246

247

248

249

250

251

252

Introduction

At its heart, the practice of herbal medicine is a study of the relationships among plants, people, and the environment. By exploring the complexities of these relationships, not only do we learn new ways to work with our herbal allies, but we also learn more about ourselves. And at the end of the day, our most noble pursuits are those in which our ultimate goal is to become better people. When we commit to learning about herbs and the multitude of wonderful things they officer us, we inevitably find ourselves learning more about who we are and how we approach the natural world. After all, our education is framed by our experiences. While certainly some herbal knowledge is universal, it is, at the same time, also unique to its practitioner. We all come to herbalism from a different path in life. The way we experience these plants, and our approach to their varying flavors and aromas, is as distinctive as the herbalist. In addition, as with anything else in the natural world, herbs are seasonal. When we encounter an herb is going to have just as much impact on our process as how we encounter the herb. Our experience is determined by our knowledge of the herbs in relation to the season. Or at least it should be.

How to Use This Book

Allow this book to serve as your guide while we explore the influence of seasonality on our herbal practice. Whether this is your first step into the world of herbs or you’ve traveled this path for many years, the information contained within these pages will help you view your work from a unique, but vitally important, point of view. Of course, the way we experience the seasons is determined by our geography, but regardless of where we live, the cycle of life is the same—whether we’re observing a plant develop from seed to seed, or within ourselves as we move through the seasons of life. For each of the 48 herbs in this book, we will delve into the history and culture of the plant as well as its medicinal and culinary uses. You’ll learn how and when to find, forage, and/or cultivate the herb as we follow each plant on its journey through the seasons.

You’ll notice that some of the plants we talk about in this book don’t fit the botanical definition of herbs, that is, “any seed-bearing plant that does not have a woody stem and dies down to the ground after flowering.” This is okay. There are so many wonderful plants we can get to know; why limit ourselves to those that fall within these parameters? Here, we’ll get to know trees, shrubs, herbs, and even fungi, which aren’t even plants at all!

It’s critical that we take time to understand the importance of seasonal herbalism and learn to work with the plants available to us wherever, and whenever, we may be. Our fast-paced modern world practically begs us to seek out the convenient, streamlining our experiences into a homogenous conglomerate of online shopping and clickable availability. It’s an absolute marvel that almost anyone, practically anywhere, has access to whatever herbs they desire. No matter how exotic. No matter what time of year. If every ingredient can be ordered with a click and shipped to our doorstep, why should we take the time to explore our fields and forests, hunting these precious plants at their seasonal peak? Why bother turning the soil to cultivate our aromatic herbs when they are so readily available at our local grocery store? This book will answer all these questions, and more.

Sometimes convenience breeds complacency. If every herb is readily available to us, without the need to learn about its life cycle, walk the trails, or till the fields, then it’s far too easy to think of these plants as nothing more than ingredients. And they are anything but. They are our food and medicine. They delight our senses with their vivid colors, textures, and fragrances. Herbs can make a basic meal incredible. They can make a mundane life spectacular. Dare I say that herbs are the spice of life?

Of course, not all of us can grow a garden, or explore the wild places, I understand that. But my hope is that this book will help us all see and appreciate the cyclical nature of the outside world in a new and useful way. Let’s walk through the seasons together and experience the wonders of following a plant through its days—from seed to flower and back to seed. As the seasons progress, some plants will mature whereas others will unfurl from Earth anew, and each can officer something wonderful, from their roots and bark to their flowers and seeds. We’ll learn how and when to harvest and process these unique gifts, ensuring that their medicine is available for us when we need it most. We’ll explore where these plants grow and when to begin the search to find them. Many herbs can be cultivated right in our gardens, and we’ll discover how special it is to grow them ourselves.

We’ll take our herbs into the apothecary and craft a wide selection of healing teas, ointments, and infusions, each specifically designed to help us weather the challenges of the seasons. And we’ll also use herbs in the kitchen. While this book explores a seasonal approach to herbal medicine, I couldn’t properly cover this topic without discussing the culinary applications and benefits of herbs. Herbalism isn’t something that we do. It’s a way of life, and this is expressed throughout our daily activities, including our meals. Food is medicine; therefore, through the proper lens, there is no separation between medicinal and culinary herbalism. Even the act of growing or gathering herbs is medicine for our body and spirit. If our goal is to nurture our relationships with these plants, then we must welcome them fully into our lives. Bringing herbs into our kitchen is an intimate and personal way to experience their unique flavors, textures, and fragrances. Not only do they enhance our meals, but the sensory experiences of chopping, smelling, and tasting these herbs also helps us know them better. And, ultimately, we get to know ourselves better, too. Be open to the sensations that working with herbs can create. How do you feel about the smells and flavors of the plants as you prepare them for a meal? In a way, the plants are communicating with you—if you’re willing to listen.

I’ve included dozens of recipes throughout these pages. And I tried to demonstrate as many techniques as possible while keeping the information accessible to herbalists of all skill levels. There are no overly complicated multistep instructions, but I did challenge myself to attempt new things and explore the herbs in fun and interesting ways. Of course, as with any collection of recipes, allow this to serve as your guide but don’t be limited by the work I’ve done. Explore these herbs in your own recipes and put your personal spin on any of my creations. Ultimately, this is your journey, and I’m thankful to be part of it.

Methodology: Preparing Herbal Products and Medicines

Here’s a brief explanation of the most common types and methods of herbal products and medicines we’ll make throughout this book.

Capsules

Herbs ground into a powder are packed into capsules for an easy and convenient way to measure and consume medicinal doses.

Distillation

Steam distillation is the process by which many essential oils are made. Essential oils are often added to topical herbal products for fragrance and functionality.

Extraction

Alcohol Extraction

Potent medicinals are made by infusing herbs in alcohol, which are often taken internally but can also be beneficial when applied topically.

Liniment: A liniment is an alcohol extraction made the same way as a tincture, using isopropyl alcohol. Liniments are for external use only. Never consume a liniment!

Tincture: A tincture is made by infusing herbs in ethyl alcohol, typically 100-proof alcohol, as this produces a potent extraction. Many herbalists use vodka to craft their tinctures but any style of alcohol will work. In this book, I use what’s known as the “folk method,” often using an herb to alcohol ratio of 1:2. Making a tincture can be as simple as combining the herbs and alcohol in a glass jar, capping, and labeling the jar, then letting the herbs steep for anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks before straining.

Glycerin Extraction

A glycerin extract is also like a tincture but made using glycerin as the solvent. This is a great option when making medicine for children or for people who choose to avoid alcohol.

Oil/Fat Extraction

This extraction method makes use of fat to extract the fat-soluble chemicals from the plant material. This can be as simple as combining herbs and oil in a glass jar, capping, and labeling the jar and letting it steep in a cool, dark place for 4 to 6 weeks. In some recipes, a slow cooker is used to make an oil extraction because heat expedites the process. These herb-infused oils can be used as is, or combined with beeswax and other ingredients to create a variety of topical products.

Salves: Perhaps the most common oil-based product, salves are made by combining herb-infused oils with beeswax in a double boiler. Slowly warm the oil and beeswax in the double boiler until the wax melts completely. Give a good stir to blend and pour the mixture in containers to cool. The basic ratio I recommend for crafting a salve is 1¼ ounces (by weight) beeswax for every 16 fluid ounces of oil (by volume).

Lotions: Lotions are like salves in that they involve the incorporation of beeswax and oil, but they also often include water. Once blended, lotions are light and emollient and are easily absorbed into the skin.

Balms and ointments: Balms and ointments are variations of salves, but call for different proportions of beeswax. Balms call for more wax, creating a stiffer product, whereas ointments use less beeswax and are therefore oilier, softer products.

Water Extraction

Decoction: Some parts of plants, such as roots, bark, and seeds, need to be boiled in water to facilitate the extraction process. This technique is known as decoction.

Infusion: The basic water infusion is a cup of hot herbal tea. The water-soluble chemicals are extracted from the plants creating a delicious beverage or a healing brew. We can also make more potent water extractions by letting herbs steep in water overnight in the refrigerator.

Poultice/compress: A topical application of herbs used for various skin issues. A poultice is made with herbs macerated in water whereas a compress is usually a hot water infusion applied to the skin with a cloth or bandage.

Steam: Hot water poured over herbs in a vessel will release a fragrant steam. Often, this steam is breathed in to soothe and heal respiratory complaints.

Syrup: Combine a water extraction with a sweetener, such as sugar or honey, to thicken the liquid and create a syrup.

Vinegar Extraction

Vinegar extractions are made much like tinctures, but they call for vinegar as the solvent. Because vinegar can react with metal, use plastic lids when making a vinegar extract or place parchment paper between the jar and metal lid to form a barrier. Typically, vinegar extracts steep for 2 to 4 weeks.

Honey Infusion

Herbs can be infused in honey to create sweet but potent medicinals. An herb-infused honey can be added to teas or used to make syrups and candies.

Oxymel: An oxymel is made by combining honey and vinegar. Either or both can be infused with herbs before blending the two into the oxymel. This sweet and sour concoction is a classic herbal medicine.