My name is Ruth Tolerton, and you will find my work in the NVCAC shop posted with a Sweetpea Creations label. Herbal teas all year round, and then other types of crafts as the seasons change and my attention is diverted. I am a magpie where learning crafts is concerned – one video, one workshop, and the next week my house will be further filled with the new ideas required raw product and equipment!
My mother was/is my hero. In her childhood and teen years, she lived in her native Latvia on one of her father’s extensive farm holdings. She was well educated and dreamed of becoming a textile designer. WWII saw her running through the woods with her one-year-old son in her arms, tripping over dead soldiers and dodging bullets to get to safe passage. The family (the women and senior men) spent the rest of the war in a displaced persons camp. Mam was reunited with Paps, and my sister resulted. 1949 saw the family starting over again with nothing this time in the remote Bahia, Brazil. They survived near death from dental surgery, constant interaction with snakes, their daughter being bitten by scorpions (3 times), the birth of another son, and yet another new language and customs. In 1957, they finally managed to emigrate to Canada and were reunited with Mam’s mother and three sisters. (Paps never saw any of his small family again). Child number 4 finally made her presence in the world almost 3 weeks past her due date, and true to character, came out fists first and almost killed her mother in the process. Sorry Mam – I wasn’t taking any chances that there might be snakes. Again, they were starting in a new country, a new language, new customs and virtually nothing to their name. Incidentally, my youngest sibling came along in 1964, completing the family.
The point of all of this is that I was raised by parents who showed us how to live, survive and thrive with very little. Mam’s talents born out of necessity were incredible – seamstress, knitter, cook, baker, gardener and so on. And she was incredibly skilled and imaginative at all of it. And when someone fell ill, got stung, sprained something, they were treated in traditional healing methods that had been handed down mother to daughter over many generations. Mam told me one of my Greats was considered a witch – probably a designation borne out of being a healer. I was fascinated by that and never forgot the ‘old ways’.
Finally, already in my late fifties, my life path led to learning Herbal Medicine. I was extremely privileged to be able to participate in several courses in Traditional First Nations Medicine taught by powerhouse Dr. Jeannie Paul. Dr. Jeannie had us drive many hundreds of kilometres to source and learn about the plants used. I was amused and delighted to then find many of those same plants growing on my own property!. These courses really sparked a fire, and I pursued a more formal education through the Wild Rose College of Natural Healing. Six years of intense learning in biology, chemistry, human body systems, plant identification and constituents, drug interactions, formulations…. I earned my Master Herbalist designation.
One key point everyone needs to know and remember about Herbal Medicine is this: Herbal Medicine does not cure anything. The purpose of Herbal Medicine is to support your body’s own systems and abilities to function properly and keep you healthy. Your body needs different types of support at different times. Much as your food cravings are your body signalling you, so too are things like feeling stressed, spraining something, or fighting a cold. You can help your body with different herbal products at such times, and Herbalists are there to guide you.
So what’s in a cup of tea? I have a handout posted by my teas in the store that explains what some of the herbs I use are known to be good for. Most herbs are useful for a multitude of body systems, so you don’t need to be suffering from any given thing to have a cup of herbal tea. In fact, think of it as putting money in your body’s savings account: herbal medicine works better over time, not instantly. Teas are a good introduction to herbal medicine and are easy to prepare and consume. They all taste different, and you control the strength/depth of flavour through the time you let it steep. I blend the teas with some seasonal intent and partly by what’s growing in my medicine garden. The ones that I don’t grow, I source from an ethical supplier who provides me with analysis guarantees along with info on where and when the plant was harvested.
I don’t mass market any of my products. I treat clients and their needs on a one-on-one basis. I have never been into this for money but rather to fulfill my need to help people. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. And, if you try any of my products, please let me know what you think!!