Some call it the winter blues or blahs or simply seasonal sadness. Whatever it’s called, many feel especially tired and sluggish by the end of January. The days are short, cold and filled with ice and snow. Our bodies produce more melatonin when the sun sets, making us sleepy. Our eating habits also contribute to our sinking mood and energy levels. But none of that means we are doomed to a dull and fatigued mid-winter season. Rachel Beck and Jessica Shearer of Tilia Botanicals want to help. Focusing on the healing properties of herbs, Tilia Botanicals offers locally produced remedies, bath and beauty products, culinary goods, household cleaning items, and vet-approved pet products.
“We wanted the business to be beneficial to the community,” says Shearer. “We wanted to create products that were both helpful and healthful.”
“There’s a lot of traffic through the store during cold and flu season,” says Beck. “We have a product called fire cider that provides a good blast to the system. It sells out as soon as we put it on the shelves. It’s difficult to keep up sometimes. A lot of people swear by it. And it tastes great.”
“We’ve got lots of products to help boost the immune system,” adds Shearer, “and for those suffering at this time of year with seasonal affective disorder. “We’ve got lots of products that help with depression and anxiety.”
While there are a lot of premade products available, the owners of Tilia Botanicals also create custom blends for individual needs and preferences. Both Beck and Shearer are qualified medical herbalists with over thirty years of combined experience. They have also worked extensively in private practice, as well as teaching herb and health related programs.
A popular feature at Tilia Botanicals is the blending bar where customers can create their own blends with unscented products: shampoos, conditioners, lotions, and massage oils. Customers are encouraged to reuse the bottles and can customize their own labels.
“We also have a lot of culinary items infused with herbs,” says Beck. “There’s different hot chocolates and tea blends, but also different rubs: Jamaican, Chipotle & Cocoa, and East Indian flavours. We sell individual organic herbs and spices, and about nine different infused vinegars.”
“Not to mention our chocolates,” pipes in Shearer. “They’re really good.”
Beck and Shearer have been particularly interested the past couple weeks in creating a balm for dogs and cats. “It helps lubricate and moisturize the pads on their feet,” says Beck. “The road salts can really dry out their feet – to the point of cracking and bleeding.”
Creating new products and expanding the selection at the store is always a constant. “We seem to average about six or eight new products a month,” says Beck. “I often wake up in the middle of the night and write new ideas down on a pad of paper next to my bed. We’re always creating products based on customer requests as well. About a third of the products at Tilia are products we’ve made specifically for someone and then included it on our line.”
With community harvesting Saturdays and children’s birthday parties, Beck and Shearer show no signs of slowing down.
“Once a month we take participants into the wild to harvest herbs and then we turn what we’ve found into food, medicine or other products,” says Shearer. “It’s a lot of fun and really popular.”
“Birthday parties are also really popular,” says Beck. “And we like hosting them. We feel that we have an obligation to future generations. Children get to learn about different plants and their uses and how to turn them into natural cosmetics. It’s so great watching them see the world in a different way.”
As trained medical herbalists, Beck and Shearer have strict rules about the herbs in their apothecary. “We only deal with ethical harvesters. We want to know where the herbs are grown, and when they will be harvested,” says Beck. “All our growers are either organic or working towards organic status. The wild harvesters or wild crafters have to tell us where they are going so we can determine if the area is polluted in any way or whether the area is environmentally sensitive. Then we’re able to use the best possible plants and turn them into medicine – often within the same day of harvest.”
Whether they are working with individuals at the apothecary, or helping customers find the right blends, or creating new products, or teaching classes, or hosting birthdays, Beck and Shearer have witnessed a lot of community support. “Customers constantly come in and tell us how much our products have helped them” says Beck. “Midwives and naturopaths use our products, and sometimes their clients come in to thank us or they come in to show us their newborn babies. It makes it all worthwhile.”
Tilia Botanicals is located at 115 20th Ave S. and is open Tuesday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Check out the Facebook page and website for upcoming specials, classes, and events.