Zack Woods Herb Farm is a place fairytales are made of. Located on the unceded territory of the Wabanaki in the heart of the green mountains of north-central Vermont, the farm features majestic views, pristine forests, streams, and fresh air. In 1999, well before it was trendy to do so, Jeff and Melanie Carpenter began living and farming sustainably to provide people with the finest quality medicinal herbs. Their mission was as clear in ‘99 as today: to be good stewards of the land while producing clean botanical medicine for the local community and beyond.
Jeff is a lifelong Vermont resident and a descendant of generations of farmers. Before founding Zack Woods Herb Farm with Melanie, he deepened his relationship with plants through an apprenticeship with Rosemary Gladstar, an author and educator known as the godmother of modern herbalism. Melanie is Gladstar’s stepdaughter, and she credits her with helping create a profound passion for the world of medicinal herbs. Melanie has worked as a farmer, community herbalist, and educator for many years, believing that the most profound healings come from working with the land and plants.
When food is medicine, you must treat the soil like gold to ensure the plants get nutrients. Jeff and Melanie work tirelessly in the fields, building soil with minerals and organic matter. All the herbs at Zack Woods Herb Farm are certified organically grown or ethically wild-harvested. They are picked at their peak potency and dried in a batch dryer where light, humidity, and temperature levels are controlled. The herbs are minimally processed and packaged by hand.
Quality and integrity are the farm’s guiding principles, and Jeff and Melanie constantly strive to learn. They collaborate with other fine herbalists, farmers, and researchers worldwide. Zack Woods Herb Farm participates in research studies and hosts educational tours, workshops, and classes about cultivating and preserving medicinal plant populations. Jeff and Melanie have also coauthored The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer to help others with their home-growing ventures, and Jeff consults on medicinal herb production for other farms.
The tea blends and dried herbs grown and harvested at Zack Woods Herb Farm (and Jeff and Melanie’s book!) are available for purchase online and ship across the United States.