What if the way you grow, and relate to, plants changed how you understand medicine, community, and even yourself? In this inspiring episode of The Dancing Willow, Elliott Brinkley sits down with Crystal of Growing Creations Herb Farm to explore biodynamic growing, the alchemy of soil health, and what it truly means to farm medicinal plants in a living, breathing ecosystem.
This conversation is for gardeners, herbalists, and curious souls alike, a reminder that cultivating plants isn’t just about harvests and yields, but about relationship, rhythm, and reverence.
Listen to the full podcast episode here: The Dancing Willow
From Clay to Life: The Journey of the Land
Crystal shares her transformation from barren, clay-heavy soil to a thriving herb farm rooted in biodynamic and regenerative practices. What was once dry, lifeless earth now hums with worms, microbes, and thriving plants, all because of intentional care, observation, and listening. Along the way, she and Elliott dive into the deeper purpose behind biodynamic agriculture and how it invites us to see soil as a living entity, not just “a place to plant seeds.”
Plants That Call to You, and Ask to Be Heard
Rather than imposing a rigid garden plan, Crystal talks about letting plants “choose” her. Showing up where they want to grow, teaching lessons about place and purpose along the way. When she started her herb farm, she gravitated toward nervines as plants that her family needed. Some of these she intentionally grew because she was interested in them, but some showed up through birds carrying seed on the property. For her, the herbs aren’t just crops; they’re teachers, companions, and allies.
Plant Allies Featured in This Episode
Throughout this conversation, Crystal and Elliott weave together stories of the plants that grow abundantly at Growing Creations Herb Farm, many of which also play a central role in the remedies and formulas at Dancing Willow Herbs. These plants aren’t just discussed theoretically; they are lived with, harvested, dried, tinctured, and deeply known.
Some of the key plant allies highlighted in this episode include:
Calendula
A cornerstone of Crystal’s farm and a favorite at Dancing Willow Herbs, calendula is loved for its vibrant color and incredible skin-soothing properties. Growing high-quality calendula, and drying it carefully to preserve its golden vitality, makes all the difference in salves, oils, and topical remedies.
We use only locally sourced Calendula in our products, such as Calendula Salve, Mother’s Belly Butter & Gardener’s Healing Balm and the result is high quality skin healing support.
Chamomile
Easy to grow, generous in yield, and gentle yet powerful, chamomile shows up again and again as a calming ally for the nervous system and digestion. Crystal describes the joy of harvesting flowers daily and how chamomile weaves beautifully into teas and skin care preparations.
Blue Vervain
Tall, bitter, and deeply medicinal, blue vervain is discussed both for its challenging flavor and its powerful support for tension, overthinking, and nervous exhaustion. Because of it’s strong acrid bitterness, blue vervain is preferred at tincture rather than as tea.
We make our Blue Vervain tincture with herb from Crystal’s farm that you can get as a simple tincture or in our Sleep Deep tincture.
Motherwort & Catnip
Both beloved nervines, motherwort and catnip are described as resilient, easy-to-grow allies that offer grounding, heart-centered support. These plants exemplify how some of the most potent medicines are also the most generous growers.
Get fresh plant motherwort tincture made from Crystal’s farm as a simple tincture or in our famous Peaceful Heart blend.
Valerian
From seed stratification to soil preferences, valerian is highlighted as a plant that asks for patience but rewards growers with deeply grounding, sleep-supportive roots, a reminder that some medicines take time to mature.
In the fall, we make fresh plant tincture from this local Valerian for a fruity potent preparation that you can try as a simple, in our Muscle Release or Sleep Deep.
Red Clover
A personal favorite of Crystal’s, red clover is discussed as both abundant medicine and a lesson in humility. Despite scattering seeds widely, it appeared slowly, yet now offers an impressive harvest from just a single thriving plant.
Ashwagandha
Slow, steady, and true to its nature, ashwagandha’s growth habits mirror its adaptogenic medicine. Crystal shares how growing it in the wallopini allowed it to overwinter successfully, offering long-term nourishment for the nervous system.
Get fresh plant ashwagandha tincture as a simple or in our Gear Down and Gear Up formulas.
Yerba Mansa
This moisture-loving plant open a conversation about doctrine of signatures: how the environments plants prefer often reflect how they support the body. In the case of yerba mansa, it grows in boggy areas and likes moisture, which mirrors it’s medicinal affinity for helping to support “boggy” stagnant and moist conditions, like colds and sinus congestion. Crystal talks about how easy it can be to grow yerba mansa in pots and harvest the roots for medicine periodically.
You can get fresh plant yerba mansa as a simple tincture, or in our blends like D-Congest, Immense Defense, LNG Ease or Aller Relief.
Together, all of these plants form a living apothecary- one that bridges farm, medicine, and daily ritual. We have compiled all of the tinctures that we source fresh from local farms like Crystal’s in this Fresh Plant Tincture Collection, so you can shop the highest quality preparations.
Plant Wisdom, Seasonality & Daily Rituals
Part of this episode’s magic lies in the reminder that plants offer medicine not just in tinctures and teas, but in rhythm and ritual. Whether it’s connecting with the soil in early spring, harvesting roots in fall, or savoring herbal infusions by the fire, our relationship with the plant world is a practice of presence. These lessons, rooted in lived experience, are available to anyone willing to slow down and engage with the natural world around them.
Shop Medicinal Plant Starts
On June 5th, 6th & 7th, from 11-3, Crystal will be doing a sidewalk sale at Dancing Willow Herbs for medicinal plant starts! Come shop plants like Yerba Mansa, Motherwort, Blue Vervain, and much more to start your herbal garden!
Connect more with Crystal or visit her herb farm, Growing Creations Farm at growingcreationfarm.us
