Walden Farmacy is a family owned and run small-scale permaculture style herb farm located in Bessemer, Alabama. At Walden Farms we grow and wild craft small batch, sustainable herbal medicines with families in mind. We believe each person possesses the capacity to heal themselves, and we offer support, guidance, and medicines made from the earth that allow one to move back into balance – mind, body, and spirit.
Follow us on Youtube here! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxaZt5OZoEx_zxJZ0zvafTQ
Joanna Mann is a yogi, herbalist, energy healer, massage therapist, farmer, birth-worker and mother. Her path into healing began when she decided to abandon a more traditional life to pursue her happiness and reclaim her health. The stress of several years had built up- leaving her not feeling well physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. On the yoga mat is where she began to find her authentic self and it quickly became clear to her she wanted to share this gift with others. So in 2006 she dropped out of law school and transitioned into teaching yoga. Her exploration of the healing arts continued with massage education in 2007. In her last month of massage school she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and thus was pushed deeper into her personal hero’s journey. Frustrated that the medicines used to control the arthritis made her sicker than the arthritis itself, she turned to diet and herbs. Even though Joanna found her healing with the use of herbs, she did not pursue an herbal career until a decade later when a visit to a sacred cave, an auspicious mushroom find, and a series of fortunate events made it clear to her there was a niche she was being called to fill. Her personal success started her on her unique path of working to connect people with themselves, with nature, and with their own innate intuitive abilities in order to propel them into greater happiness, healthiness, and holiness. Joanna received massage training at Red Mountain Institute, Yoga training with Akasha Ellis at Birmingham yoga, Reiki Masters training with Len Daley, training in Pranic healing and intuitive chakra work, and herbal training from the Appalachian School for Natural Health.
Trevor Mann, like the ecological systems he mimics in his permaculture design, is a shifting mosaic. Trevor grew up in Hoover, Al, just across the railroad track and mere miles from the land that would become Walden Farmacy. Always a little different in his thinking, Trevor knew the conventional path was not for him so he began saving for a cross-country road trip after high school. His travels shifted him and opened his eyes to his greater possibilities in life. Upon returning from his trip, Trevor pursued a spiritual path with a general idea that he was here to bring healing to the earth. When a friend introduced Trevor to permaculture a fire within him was lit that would soon take over and become not only his career, but also his passion. After meeting Joanna and pursuing market gardening for a year, an auspicious mushroom find yet again shifted Trevor’s focus into growing herbs. Trevor received permaculture design training from Cliff Davis and Jennifer Albanese at Spiral Ridge Permaculture and graduated from the family herbalist program at the Appalachian School for Natural Health.
Read more on our blog! Or more about research on herbs we use here.
At Walden Farmacy we believe in giving back to our communities, to the earth, and to causes we believe in. We donate a minimum of 1% of our sales every quarter to a different non-profit.
At Walden Farmacy we believe in giving back to causes that feed our soul. Generally, we like to give to local charities, but as holistic healers we recognize the interconnectedness of the planet.
This quarter we donated to the Natwani Coalition (Natwanit Tusawyungqam), an affiliation of Hopi organizations and individuals dedicated to preserving Hopi farming traditions, strengthening the local Hopi food system and developing innovative sustainable strategies to promote wellness.
https://www.natwanicoalition.org/about-us
Past donations have gone to:
#teamseas
#TeamSeas will work with Ocean Conservancy and its partners to remove millions of pounds of plastic and trash from beaches all around the world. We’ll also send professional crews to clean up some of the most iconic, vulnerable ocean spaces.
https://teamseas.org
Sea Change Project:
We are a community of scientists, storytellers, journalists and filmmakers who are dedicated to the ocean. We tell stories that connect people to our underwater home – The Great African Seaforest. Our work is motivating scientists, policymakers and individuals to engage meaningfully with nature and protect our oceans.
We encourage you to explore your own wild nature, the interconnectedness of the web of life on this planet, and explore how you might give back.
https://seachangeproject.com/
Equal Justice Initiative
The Equal Justice Initiative is committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.
https://eji.org/about/
Alabama Waldorf School
We are grateful there is a school in the area that shares our values of heart centeredness, earth connection, and investing in our community and future. The mission of Alabama Waldorf School is to cultivate healthy, confident, compassionate learners who excel academically, socially, and civically.
https://www.alabamawaldorf.org/
Wild South
Wild South has been putting the public in public lands for 28 years, giving communities opportunities to enjoy, value, and protect the wild character and natural legacy of the South. We want to see people of all ages appreciating and taking responsibility for the care of their public lands, now and for future generations. We believe our Southern National Forests and parks are treasured places that enrich our quality of life and the social, economic, and cultural wealth of our communities. Join us as we protect the South’s lands, water, and biodiversity!
https://wildsouth.org/
Manitou Cave of Alabama
The mission of Manitou Cave is to respect and protect this historic, sacred site through conservation and education so that the cave, land and water are preserved for visitors and wildlife, as a place of peace.
https://www.manitoucaveofal.org
Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network
The Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network (ASAN) is a grassroots network of farmers, consumers, and agriculture-related organizations, all committed to promoting sustainable agriculture in Alabama.
https://asanonline.org
The Gray Bear Land Trust
The Gray Bear Land Trust Purchased 200 acres of pristine forest to prevent clear cutting and preserve for future generations .
https://graybear.org/treepose.html
Laurie Quesinberry of Bear Alchemy’s Plant Rescue Project
Laurie raced to save plants from a four lane road being cut to run through an area of heirloom forest.
https://bearalchemy.com/celebration-restoration-of-heritage/
Yoga Unbound
The mission of Yoga Unbound is to cultivate the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ and people of color communities by providing accessible yoga that is rooted in social justice.
https://www.yogaunbound.org
The Alabama Rivers Alliance
Alabama Rivers Alliance is a statewide network of groups working to protect and restore all of Alabama’s water resources through building partnerships, empowering citizens, and advocating for sound water policy and its enforcement.
https://alabamarivers.org
Family photo courtesy of Heather Higginson at https://heatherhigginson.com/
“Roots and Wings” logo by Oleg Skuja at https://www.truthpatterns.com/