Brandon Ruiz: Garden Herbalism

Joining us is Brandon Ruiz, a community herbalist, educator, urban farmer, and author whose work beautifully weaves together gardening, foraging, culture, and community. Brandon shares how gardens become places where relationships grow, not only between people and plants, but between generations, neighborhoods, and cultural traditions. Brandon takes us on a heartfelt journey to his grandparents' land in Puerto Rico, where the sights, scents, and medicinal plants of his childhood first inspired his love of herbalism. Today, he returns to that same land not only to reconnect with his roots, but to inspire the generations who first nurtured his curiosity. The conversation also explores Brandon's transition to Philadelphia and his work with the Norris Square Neighborhood Project, where gardens serve as living classrooms that bring together children, elders, food traditions, public art, and Puerto Rican culture. Through community gardening, Brandon demonstrates how cultivating plants can also cultivate belonging, memory, and connection. Tulsi takes center stage as this month's anchor herb, becoming a beautiful example of how one fragrant plant can invite curiosity and open the door to deeper relationships with herbalism. Brandon shares why tulsi so often becomes a gateway plant, drawing people into the garden through its aroma before leading them toward the broader enchantment of medicinal plants. We also celebrate Brandon's new book, How to Forage for Medicinal Plants Without Dying, and discuss how confidence, intention, and responsible stewardship can help transform fear into meaningful relationships with the plants growing all around us. In this episode, we explore: Garden herbalism as a practice of relationship, stewardship, and community Childhood memories and ancestral plant traditions from Puerto Rico How gardens preserve culture, identity, and belonging across generations Brandon's work with the Norris Square Neighborhood Project in Philadelphia Tulsi as an inviting gateway into herbalism and the magic of the garden Bridging gardening and foraging through thoughtful cultivation and stewardship Setting intention before harvesting medicinal plants Building confidence for beginning foragers Brandon's new book, How to Forage for Medicinal Plants Without Dying You can find Brandon @yucayekefarms. For info on the Puerto Rican Herbalism Gathering, visit https://prherbalism.podia.com/   Are you ready to take your herbal learning to the next level? Sounds like it’s time to check out HerbMentor! HerbMentor offers a wide variety of rich herbal content — including an in-depth course on food as medicine — that gives you the opportunity to choose your own herbal adventure, take your time, and connect with other herbal learners and experts whenever you login. Get a special offer on HerbMentor at https://HerbMentorRadio.com Are you just starting to make herbal remedies? Build your natural first aid kid with our free Herbal Preparation Cards: https://Herbal.Cards