Tina Sams is the editor of The Essential Herbal.  After many years of running wholesale and retail herb businesses, she decided to  pull together some of those resources and friends made during those careers into an herb magazine.  Based in Lancaster County, PA, she lives and works with daughter Molly.  Wildcrafting herbs and wild edibles is of vast interest, as well as soaping, medicinal and culinary uses of herbs, and various herb crafts.  Most recently, a still for creating hydrosols and essential oils was added to the crafting equipment, along with lots of land to grow things.  We hope you enjoy the magazine, and perhaps add to it with your own experiences and adventures with herbs.

Note from the editor:  We started out with big dreams, wanting to be like the other well known herb magazines.  After all, we all had to start somewhere.  It took a little while to find our niche; we learned that our strength lies in being different, being ourselves, and being inclusive.  We have remained a black and white publication for a reason.  While there is every intent for this venture to make money, we also want to be in a position to always feel that our content is ethical and true to the community we have become.  We don't want the cost of printing a colorful glossy magazine to shade our dealings or our focus.  We just want to fill it with great stuff, and for our advertisers to get what they pay for.  It is a great honor to put together an issue that may have a well known herb writer right beside a recipe from a newbie.  The people who read our magazine have become part of it, guiding us and telling us what they want.  

Before the internet became a part of everyday life, it was difficult to connect with other people who shared interests.  The only way to do it was trade conferences, travel, and the written word - through books, magazines and letters.  It has now become easy to find those people, but sometimes that connection is impersonal, chilly, and intimidating.   We try to re-create that feeling of knowing each other.  Many of our contributors have been extremely generous with their time and creativity, sending articles and recipes from almost day one.  Gradually, I've met nearly all of them in person, but they have all become dear friends.  That is my wish for all of the readers - to find new friends, and be emboldened by what they learn in the pages of The Essential Herbal.

Our mission statement:  The Essential Herbal is an ever growing magazine dispersing herbal lore and uses as we allow businesses and hobbyists alike to shine by sharing their knowledge.

  CONTACT by email

or by mail: The Essential Herbal ~ 1354 N. Strickler Road ~ Manheim ~ PA ~ 17545

  We will be putting bits and pieces up on our blog - another way to get to know each other!