Rooted in the Land: The Story of Red Clover Herbal Apothecary Farm
Written by Victoria Blanco
When you step up to the booth of Red Clover Herbal Apothecary Farm, you’re not just discovering herbal remedies – you’re connecting with the land and the passionate people who nurture it. This family-owned business, going on 13 years, is nestled on a five-acre farm in Amery, Wisconsin and is a testament to the power of local, sustainable herbalism.
The story of Red Clover begins with Nancy Graden. Years ago, while living off the grid in the Ozark mountains, she was gifted her first book on herbs by 100-year-old Mamaw Calhoon. This chance encounter sparked a lifelong journey into the world of herbalism.
Nancy went on to earn an associate’s degree in Western Clinical Herbalism and began seeing clients and crafting her own herbal remedies. The desire to be surrounded by more plants and the unobstructed natural world led Nancy to buy a small farm in Amery, Wisconsin, 60 miles northeast of the Twin Cities. Here, she has worked to build a thriving medicinal herb business.
A deep reverence for the intelligence of plants and their gifts for our health and well-being are an integral part behind the values at Red Clover Herbal.
“Though we both inhabit this beautiful planet, plants can exist without us but we cannot exist without them. They provide the oxygen, food and medicine that sustains all living creatures. True wisdom lies in this understanding and actively and lovingly caring for the planet. This is foremost in our thinking as we tend to this piece of land on Red Clover Herbal Apothecary Farm.
We strive to work with nature, not against it, understanding healthy soil creates healthy plants and in turn greatly contributes to the health of people. We put to practice sustainable farming methods – building soil with green manure cover crops, planting diversity, crop rotation with annuals, limiting tillage, building beneficial mycorrhizal fungi, making our own nutrient dense Nettle compost tea, seed saving and more. We work to give back more than we take from the soil knowing it is the very foundation upon which we live.”
Red Clover Herbal Apothecary Farm has been certified organic since the beginning. They grow and wild-harvest over 60 different kinds of herbs on the land, providing local communities with hand crafted high quality herbal products including extracts, salves, elixirs, teas and more. Their herbal products range from supporting a healthy immune system, a good-night sleep, managing anxiety and stress, and more.
They also offer common sense seasonal CSA herbal shares throughout the seasons that support health and well being. In May, Red Clover holds their annual on-farm certified organic medicinal herb plant sale. Don’t worry if you didn’t make it to the on-farm sale though – they will be bringing their remaining medicinal herb starter plants to MCFM this Saturday, May 30th!
Recently, Nancy has announced that she will be transitioning the ownership of Red Clover Apothecary over to Kass McKinnon. Kass began her farming lifestyle saving seed at a Biodynamic Farm, and transitioned into animal husbandry working with dairy cows and small ruminants. She received an Agricultural degree while studying in Chadron, Nebraska. Kass relocated with her family to Wisconsin, whereupon she worked for Uriel Herbal Pharmacy, located in East Troy, WI growing herbs and making extracts. Self-taught, Kass has practiced herbalism with her family and animals for years. She has been farming and homeschooling collaboratively with Whetstone Farm since 2021.
Kass is thrilled to work with Nancy and rekindle her joy of herbalism. This passing of the torch ensures that the business’s deep connection to the land and commitment to sustainable herbalism will continue for years to come.
You’ll find Nancy and Kass both at MCFM on Saturday May 30th with a variety of herbal remedies and plant starts for your own medicinal herb garden. Be sure to stop by and say hello and check out their offerings!
