About Us
About Kootenay Wildcrafting: Sarah's Story
I'm Not a Warehouse (And That's the Point)
Hi, I'm Sarah. I'm the one-woman operation behind Kootenay Wildcrafting. When you order from me, I'm the one who wildcrafted your elderberries in September, infused your cottonwood oil in February, and packaged your balm in my Fruitvale kitchen. I'm also the one at school pickup with dirt under my fingernails and resin on my jacket.
I don't have a warehouse, a fulfillment team, or same-day shipping. What I do have: 10+ years of wildcrafting knowledge, hands that have touched every product you receive, and a deep respect for the forests I harvest from.
The Glade: Where It All Started
When I was young, my sister and I spent our days in a meadow we called The Glade on HooDoo Mountain. We named the trees like friends, created paths through the forest, and learned to read the land's language.
Then one day, the west side of the mountain was logged. The Glade—and everything that lived there—was gone.
That loss taught me something crucial: I can take what I need without taking too much. The forest gives generously when we listen. I don't need to harm living trees to create powerful medicine.
Leavers, Not Takers: A Different Way of Being
The Glade didn't just teach me how to harvest—it taught me why restraint matters. In Daniel Quinn's Ishmael, he describes two cultures: Takers, who believe the world was made for humans to exploit, and Leavers, who understand we belong to the world, not the other way around.
I choose to be a Leaver.
That means I wildcraft within the forest's abundance, not against its limits. I take only what's freely given—windfall cottonwood, fallen branches, the 1 in 10 that won't be missed. I leave the rest for the cedar waxwings, the soil, the future.
This isn't just an environmental practice. It's a rejection of the scarcity mindset that says there's never enough, so we must grab and hoard. Out here in the Kootenay forests, the trees tell a different story: all flourishing is mutual. The land gives generously when we listen, take only what we need, and give back in return.
When you receive a product from Kootenay Wildcrafting, you're participating in this Gift Economy—not a transaction, but an exchange rooted in reciprocity, respect, and the belief that we all deserve to be nourished by something beautiful.
Read more about The Gift Economy →
From Wildcrafting to Motherhood
I began wildcrafting with The Glade's lessons in my heart—only harvesting from windfall, leaving plenty for wildlife, thinking ahead to protect future harvests. Over 10+ years, I learned which plants heal, when to harvest them, and how to process them with respect.
When my daughters were born, everything changed. Every formula had to pass one test: would I trust this on my children's skin? Pure tallow balm for diaper rash. Comfrey for healing. Elderberry for winter wellness. If it wasn't good enough for them, it wasn't good enough for anyone.
What "One-Woman Operation" Actually Means
It means:
- I'm the one in the snowy forest in dirty work bibs and gloves, collecting cottonwood buds from windfall trees
- I'm the one infusing oils for 4-6 weeks in my kitchen, checking them daily
- I'm the one blending, pouring, labeling, and packaging every single jar
- I'm the one answering your emails (sometimes at 11 PM after my daughters are asleep)
- I'm the one at the post office, shipping your order
It also means I can't compete with big retailers' speed or their fulfillment services. But what you get instead is wildcrafted medicine made the way it should be—with time, intention, and hands-on care.
This Is Slow Craft
I don't rush harvests to meet demand. I don't cut infusion times to speed up production. I don't compromise quality for convenience.
Cottonwood buds are infused for 4-6 weeks—not days. Elderberries are harvested only when they're deep purple and at peak potency—not before. Oils are solar-infused under sunlight for weeks, not heat-rushed in hours.
This is slow craft. It takes the time it takes. And that's exactly why it works.
This Is What I Look Like
(See that photo? That's me in my element.)
Snowy forest. Dirty work bibs. Worn gloves. Hair braided down my shoulder, smiling because I'm exactly where I belong. Sometimes I'm exhausted from a day of harvesting, processing, and packing orders. But I wouldn't trade it.
This work connects me to the land, honors The Glade's memory, and creates products I trust completely—for my family and yours.
My Promise to You
- Wild-harvested at peak potency (I know the forests, the seasons, the plants)
- Small-batch quality (every product touched by my hands)
- Ethical foraging (windfall-only, roots left intact, plenty left for wildlife)
- Mother-tested (if I wouldn't use it on my children, I won't sell it to you)
- 10% to Ancient Forest Alliance (protecting the forests that remain, in memory of The Glade)
What Customers Say
"I've tried so many natural skincare brands, but nothing compares to the purity and effectiveness of Sarah's tallow balm. You can feel the difference when it's made by hand with real intention." – Jennifer M., Vancouver
"The elderberry syrup kit got our family through winter without a single cold. Knowing Sarah wildcrafted every berry herself makes it even more special." – Rachel T., Calgary
"This isn't just skincare—it's medicine. The Deep Comfort balm helped fade a stubborn scar I'd had for years. Sarah's knowledge and care show in every jar." – Amanda K., Victoria
Ready to experience wildcrafted medicine made with intention?
Shop Our Bestsellers → | Explore Wildcrafted Teas → | Browse Healing Balms →
Honourable Harvest: My Ethical Commitment
Every plant I harvest follows the principles of Honourable Harvest—a practice rooted in Indigenous wisdom and deep ecological respect:
- Take only 1 in 10 – Leave 90% for wildlife, pollinators, and future generations
- Harvest from windfall first – Cottonwood, usnea, and branches already fallen
- Never take the first or last – Protect the strongest and ensure seed dispersal
- Leave roots intact – When harvesting leaves or flowers, the plant lives on
- Ask permission, give thanks – Approach the forest with reverence, not extraction
- Think seven generations ahead – Will this forest still thrive for my great-great-grandchildren?
This isn't just a philosophy. It's how I wildcraft every single ingredient in every product you receive.
10+ Years of Expertise
- Wildcrafting & ethical foraging practices
- Traditional herbalism with modern applications
- Honourable Harvest principles
- Small-batch formulation & processing
By the Numbers
- 10+ years of wildcrafting experience
- Over 100 wildcrafted products made by hand
- 10% of every purchase goes to Ancient Forest Alliance
- Thousands of jars crafted, infused, and packaged in my Fruitvale kitchen
- One woman. One forest. One commitment to doing it right.
I'm Not a Fulfillment Center. I'm Sarah.
And when you order from Kootenay Wildcrafting, you're getting wildcrafted medicine made by someone who knows every plant, every forest, and every step of the process—because I did it all myself.
