INTERVIEW WITH SUE MORRIS OF SUE'S SALVES
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| taken during one of Sue's Summer Retreats |
1. Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from?
I am originally from NYC where I was born and lived until I graduated from HS. I couldn’t wait to leave the city in search of a be(er life. I travelled all around the country after that, camping in the national forests, discovering America before moving to the Pennsylvania to build a log cabin in the woods with a friend. I learned to live the country life, to bake my own bread, to cook on a woodstove, and to adjust to a new culture. After a few years I moved to State College to go to Penn State and got a degree in Medical Dietetics From there I moved to Clinton County and in 1991 I bought and renovated the historic Lock Keepers House on the former Bellefonte-Lock Haven canal, spending years building my gardens and raising my children. From day one I have loved living in Clinton County. The exceptional beauty of the area and the community of good people who live here make it a good place to be planted
2.. When did you know that you wanted to be an herbalist____________ (your aha moment)?
I never planned to be an herbalist. I was a nutritionist with a keen interest in plants as food. I lived in England for a few years where I took my first courses in herbal medicine at the School of Phytotherapy near London. I found it fascinating Once I started growing my own gardens I planted a lot of herbs, including comfrey and many other medicinal herbs. I began experimenting with making herbal medicine., Comfrey salve was my first experiment! I offered samples to my friends and received a lot of unexpected testimonials on how it helped with a variety of skin care issues. They encouraged me to sell “that stuff:” and that is where it all began! Sue’s Salves was born in 2002 and has been growing steadily ever since.. I’ve continued my studies with medical herbalism, and have branched out with a passion for aromatherapy, crafting products such as All-Natural Insect Repellent and An#-Viral sprays with essential oils
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| Herbs used in many of Sue's products grown from her gardens |
3. What is your favorite part of the process? Tools? Materials? Techniques? Learning?
-My favorite part of the process of making herbal products is working with medicinal plants focusing on the celestial energies that influence how plants grow. I time the planting to the lunar cycle, and harvest according to the medieval system of The Planetary Hours. From planting to harvesting, working with plants to create herbal medicine is full of intention. I consider my work a form of alchemy.
4. What type of music or podcasts inspires or keeps you motivated?
I typically listen to either astrology podcasts or the BBC Folk shows while I’m working.
5. Does your herbal knowledge help you in other areas of your life?
Herbal knowledge helps me in two crucial areas of my life. One is my health! I primarily turn to herbalism for my healthcare needs and try to grow all the plant remedies I need for everyday health maintenance. I’m not a pharmaceutical user as a rule.
The second is having built my business, Sue’s Salves, around plant-based healing. I enjoy educating people about the benefits of herbalism and providing high quality products from the plants that I grow.
6. How have you changed over time in reference to what products you offer from your gardens or how you approach working?
In recent year I’ve been making herbal tinctures. Tinctures are the most potent way to take herbal medicine. In addition to Tulsi, Rosemary, Yarrow, Calendula tincture, I offer Reishi and Chaga mushroom tinctures which are harvested in the PA Wilds northern forests and widely known for their medicinal purposes.
In addition, I began studying medical Aromatherapy which led me to creating a system of botanical perfumery. I create personalized botanical perfumes based on a person’s astrological birth chart. This is a lot of fun to do!
7. Can you give us a look into your daily life?
If I gave you a look at my daily life you most likely would get dizzy! I move from one thing to another all day long. I spend a good deal of time on my business, Sue’s Salves, managing all aspects of the business from growing the plants to crafting the products, and everything else in between, managing my website, shipping orders, vending, doing the books, and so on. I grow a big garden so am full on from April to November with gardening. In the winter I write and travel. Day to day I move from one room to the other doing projects.
8. What are you looking forward to currently? Perhaps you are looking forward to an online or in person class, new herbs, show, collection, travel, vacation?
I’m looking forward to having time to sit still and write a book someday and doing more travelling.
9. Who is your favorite herbalist, dead or alive?
My favorite herbalist is David Crow, one of the world's leading experts and speakers in the field of botanical medicine. I have studied with David for years and have spiritualized my approach to healing thanks to his teachings.
10. How do you promote your business? i.e. newsletters, business cards, shows, video, classes, memberships, online groups, etc.
I promote my business through my website, by frequent vending events and as a public speaker. I am working on improving my social media and marketing skills, more so now since taking the PACE Program offered through the PA Wilds. I wrote for The Therapeutic Thymes Magazine for several years and have also been published by Llewelyn Magazine.
11. Favorite social media or new experiments in social media?
I hate to admit it but I’m not a big fan of social media. No favorites there!
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Typically people with hard to heal skin conditions gravitate to my table when I’m vending. A few years ago a gentleman showed me his severely damaged right hand, severely cracked from being burned in an accident. I suggested he try some salve which he reluctantly did saying he’d tried everything to heal his hand but nothing had ever helped. I suggested he put some on, saying “what have you got to lose”? He took me up on the offer, walked away and an hour later he returned, holding both hands out and said, “OK, which hand”? They both looked fine!
He was clearly surprised and pleased that the deep cracks in his skin were no longer looking so visibly damaged. He asked me “what is in that stuff, my hand hasn’t looked this good for years”. I asked him how long ago he’d burned his hand and was shocked when he said 7 years ago! That’s one of my favorite stories. There are more…
13. If you had to be shipwrecked on a deserted island, but all your human needs—such as food and water—were taken care of, what two items would you want to have with you?
Probably a good hat, a hammock, an endless supply of a natural sunscreen, good books and lots of good music to listen to. Also endless paper and lots of pens for writing. Probably some cooking utensils too!
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| The useful Calendula Officinalis or Pot Marigold that Sue uses in many, many preparations |
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| freshly poured salve |
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| The Salve Lady |
To learn more about Sue and her hand crafted plant-based herbal skin care products, aromatherapy products, personalized botanical perfumes and her technique of combining astrology with herbalism go to https://www.suesalves.com/
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