History
In the mid-1970’s, Paul Strauss, a young organic farmer and budding herbalist, created an herbal salve to address the day-to-day wounds that inevitably accompany farm life. The salve found its way to friends and neighbors, and before long people were asking where they could buy some. From that humble beginning grew EQUINOX BOTANICALS™ and the herbal products we offer.
We believe that EQUINOX BOTANICALS™ is something special. You see, we believe that our products are only as good as the ingredients from which they are made. And the quality of our ingredients is intimately tied to the quality of the land that yields them.
Equinox Farm and Botanical Sanctuary, located in Southeast Ohio, "Appalachia's herb basket", is home to some of the largest wild populations of goldenseal, blue and black cohosh, wild ginger, and ramps in the United States as well as vast stands of American ginseng, bloodroot, and countless other native medicinal herbs. It’s a place where forests full of endangered medicinal species, which were being desecrated by strip mining for coal in the early 1950’s, have been reclaimed, restored, and protected by conservation easement for over 50 years. Students, teachers, botanists, and herbalists from far and wide come to the farm each year to study, conduct research, and revel in natural wonder.
Standards
Virtually all of the herbs we use in our products are either grown organically, without the use of any pesticides or chemical fertilizers, or ethically wild crafted right here in Southeastern Ohio. So we can be sure that only the freshest and highest quality herbs, harvested at the peak of their medicinal potency, go into our products. We can also make sure of something that's even more important - that the land, which cares for us, is being consciously tended in turn. In our 50 years on the farm, we have come to understand that the land is our steward as much as we are stewards of the land. To that end, our goal is as much about sustainable farming and harvesting practices as it is about producing the highest quality products available and we will never stray from organic practices or over-gather our herbs.
When outsourcing to meet demand, and for the ingredients we cannot possibly grow on our farm, such as Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, and Hemp Oil, we are ultra-selective to ensure that we use only the purest and most conscientious sources, and source locally whenever possible.
All our products are handmade in small batches, packaged, labeled, & shipped right from our farm, allowing us to closely monitor the quality of our products from start to finish. We ensure quality by utilizing intimate manufacturing processes such as harvesting herbs by hand according to peak potency cycles to maximize medicinal value.
We refuse to stray from sustainable practices in exchange for profits. To the contrary, we make every effort to continuously improve our practices and further reduce our impact on the environment. The majority of our packaging is made from recyclable materials such as glass, tin, and post-consumer recycled cardboard. Our farm and apothecary run on solar power. We pledge to do our part in the continued development of a more sustainable business model for the future, one rooted in community and social responsibility, functioning in harmony with nature.
Forest Farming
Forest farming is a way to sustainable cultivate high quality medicinal plants in their natural habitats, and help reduce harvest pressure on wild populations
Equinox Botanicals utilizes forest farming practices to produce the goldenseal, black cohosh, and American ginseng for our products.