This week we’re introducing a new member of the Peace & Harmony team, Emmy Conrad. Emmy started working with Theresa back in December, eager to expand her herbal knowledge and skill set. She first became intrigued by herbalism in 2019 while studying cultural anthropology, examining the relationships between Amazonian indigenous groups and the plant teachers they rely on. Her interest developed as she experienced issues related to cyclical health, and received responses from gynecologists that ranged from dismissive to outright condescending. Deciding to take matters into her own hands, she spoke with many women who’d had similar experiences, a number of whom became trusted friends and teachers. She came to learn that a diagnosis of PCOS does not have to doom women to a life of "managing” and “mitigating,” but that it’s in fact possible to thrive in spite of this complex and widely misunderstood condition. Like many who arrive at herbal medicine, her condition became a gateway rather than a limitation.
As she began studying herbalism in an effort to improve her symptoms, Emmy familiarized herself with the plant allies that are frequently used to bolster women’s cyclical health. She found that many of these plants were abundant in her environment, which led her to the fascinating world of foraging. Already a budding home chef, she started incorporating wild foods into her kitchen and herbal protocols, and the imagined line between food and medicine began to dissolve. After graduating from the University of Mary Washington in 2021, she and her husband moved to Blacksburg, where they found community and friendship among small farmers like Theresa. Emmy is thrilled to be working with P&H as she learns more about growing herbs and preparing traditional Appalachian folk remedies.
When she’s not in the kitchen or out foraging, you’re likely to find Emmy hiking, grilling, gardening, or maybe climbing a tree! She’s also an avid crafter, primarily crocheting, sewing, and wildcrafting from foraged materials. She looks forward to meeting other poly-hobbyists!
