Michael's Stories | Martha's Stories | Shalom's Stories

President & Co-Founder Michael Volchok shares his stories

Today: Michael relaxing in a field of Dandelions
Birth of Blessed Herbs Twenty years ago and struggling to support 4 children, we were asked to pick Mullien and bought groceries with the $30... Read more. I like the woods The thoughts of humankind, the pressures of our small mindedness and the vibrations of our busy lives have not been laid down there... Read more. My first experience with herbs All the infection left his leg and the wound drained naturally, I became a believer... Read more. My personal pain and hope. I have lived most of my life with a deep uneasiness that never allowed me any real lasting peace. Yet, I am finding that I have hope, despite these old and crusted patterns of behavior. Read more. More stories by Michael - Drying our first herbs - Searching for true species - Washing roots - Our first powder machine - Our first liquid extracts - About my wife Martha - Pricing herbs - Advice on buying herbs - Handling & Storing herbs - Where we find our herbs - Environmental Concerns - Where we are today - Go lightly , Go simply.	Our First Powder Machine by, Michael Volchok The first time we bought a machine that could powder herbs it was a very big deal. We went to Chicago and the man turned it on and it sounded like a jet airplane was taking off in your living room. We loaded in our truck not exactly sure what we were getting into and brought it home. The first time we powdered anything it was Echinacea angustifolia. Our son, Japa, ran the machine because it just really appealed to him. The roots were powdered and put in a cardboard drum for the night. Well, I am not really sure what happened, but somehow there must have been a small rock and a spark which created a smoldering coal and we awoke to the smell of broiled Echinacea. We ran to the drum, took it outside and dumped it and I proceeded (in my bare feet) to stomp out the burning embers. It seems pretty funny now, us out their in our birthday suits, in the night, dancing around and stomping the Echinacea like we were making grape wine, afraid we would burn our house down from hot Echinacea embers. Don't try it, there are better ways to get the Echinacea into your immune system.