Last week, we partnered with my friend Meg Edwards of Flora Wellness for an Instagram giveaway collaboration. I met Meg at Retropolitan Craft Fair, where we admired each other’s work, and chatted a bit. We found out later that we have bunches of friends in common! This year, I’m excited to partner with my favorite maker friends for collaborations, and Meg came to mind for March because I was thinking about a Spring refresh. New earrings, a face mask, something to put some pep in your step were all things I wanted my customers to experience.
In planning this giveaway with Meg, I loved what she had to say about health and well-being, and wanted to share more of that with you here. Introducing Meg Edwards: herbalist, forager, business owner, maker, and boss babe.
Meg Edwards started studying herbalism as a college student. She was experiencing some health issues and wasn’t finding the help or support she needed from medical professionals she had seen, so she began looking for alternative answers. After moving to Knoxville in 2013, Meg started making medicine for herself with herbs that she foraged.
“I was making herbal remedies for myself and my family for a few years when the requests for remedies and herbal advice from friends and acquaintances inspired me to make my products more widely available. My goal has always been to empower others to care for their own health in sustainable, cost-effective ways that actually work.”
Meg’s fills a void in Knoxville’s wellness community and brings light to the importance of using natural ingredients and taking power over your own health - two ideas that we can all get behind, especially in light of the COVID pandemic.
What’s the best part of being a maker with your own small business?
There are a lot of perks to my specific business: getting to be out in the woods frequently, learning more about the ecology of our bio-region, how the plants work together and how they can help us, and getting to teach classes/workshops on these topics but the absolute best part of my job is getting to help others achieve their health goals.
What are some of your customer's favorite Flora Wellness products?
The Elderberry Immunity Elixir is probably my best selling product, especially during this time, but the Antioxidant Face oil is a close second and one that many people come back for again and again. The Goldenrod Allergy Elixir, Brain Boost Elixir, and Deep Healing Skin Balm are also favorites!
(Let the record show that the Flora Wellness tinctures are DELISH and have the (unofficial, imaginary) Cold Gold stamp of approval. She makes lemonade with an herbal syrup that is a truly perfect springtime drink.)
Can you share a little bit about what inspires your products and process?
Almost all of my products came to be because they were something that I personally needed or a close friend/family member needed. I create products to solve problems or meet needs for the most part, although there are a few things that are just for fun. The Foraged Flower Syrups, for example, are inspired by the way the smell of wisteria blooming can cover an entire forest. I wanted to capture that smell so I could have it later, and the flower syrups are the perfect answer for that.
Do you have a mantra? Would you share it with us?
I don't have a mantra per-se, but one of the core tenets of the way I view human health and how I make decisions for myself and my business is that "mother nature knows best".
Flora Wellness products are generally safe and effective for anyone to use, however, Meg recommends that anyone dealing with specific health issues talk with a trusted healthcare professional about using herbs. If someone wants to use herbs to address their health concerns, she recommends working one-on-one with an herbalist to find a specific herbal protocol tailored to their specific needs and goals. Anyone interested in booking a consultation with Meg can reach her via email: florawellnessknox@gmail.com. You can find Flora Wellness products online at flora-wellness.com and follow @florawellness on Instagram.
Special Thanks to Meg Edwards for her time and expertise in answering these questions, and for providing the photos of her foraged ingredients in this blog post! Already a fan of Flora Wellness? Sound off with your faves in the comments!