Our Mission:
Connecting communities through the simple act of sharing
The Little Free Herbary initiative is a humble effort to provide greater access to this healthy food and medicinal ingredient, foster and enrich communities, and help people save money. It is also, intentionally and again humbly, an earnest attempt in fractious times to try to bring people together.
We take obvious inspiration from the Little Free Library movement, with whom we have no affiliation, and aspire to see many Little Free Herbaries pop up in the coming years. (This initiative and this website have only recently gone public - please bear with us as we get up and running.)
Why herbs?
Herbs, a broad category of plants with savory and aromatic properties, are used the world over for flavoring and garnishing food as well as essential ingredients in medicines, traditional remedies and fragrances. They have been used in medicine and food for thousands of years, adding rich and complex taste, an array of vitamins, antioxidants, phytosterols, and other nutrients, and can help with a broad array of ailments.
Amongst their purported health benefits, they can: help in faster healing of wounds, strengthen the immune system, lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels, improve skin and hair health, reduce the risk of some cancers, act as nutritional supplements, ease the impact of depressions, have anti-inflammatory properties, etc.
Practically too, those of us who grow herbs in our gardens know we’ve always got more than we need. And those that use them for culinary or medicinal remedies often need no more than a sprig so why not provide access by placing Little Free Herbaries where neighbors and passersby can easily grab what they need.
