The Elder Tree Podcast

This episode explores the startling similarities between Chinese Medicine's Three Treasures (Qi, Jing and Shen) with Alchemy's Three Primes (Salt, Sulphur and Mercury) and we discuss how these both point to a common understanding of the transformational nature of reality. Dr Phi also shares some incredible stories of using lucid dreaming to learn directly from plants in the aetheric realms...

What happens when we stop trying to control our gardens and start listening to them instead? In this delightfully rambling conversation with herbalist, gardener, author, tea maker, and all-round cottage herbalist Caroline Parker, we explore the magic that unfolds when gardening becomes less about perfection and productivity and more about relationship, observation, and wonder. Together we chat abo...

Join us in this chat with Nick Pratt , discussing Agroforestry, Fruit Tree Medicine & Building Resilience. What if the most medicinal part of your fruit tree isn't the fruit at all, but the leaf you've been pruning and composting? In this episode, Tatiana Dawn sit down with permaculture and agroecology educator Nick Pratt to explore the deep, often-overlooked connection between food an...

A rerelease of a profound chat with Kristin Zanotti punctuated with deep connections with herbs and natural medicine at pivotal times throughout her life. This one was really inspiring and I'm so happy to share it with you again.

What is your relationship to Cannabis like? This powerful plant has been systematically slandered and maligned for generations, and is now making a comeback as a cure-all in the medical cannabis industry. But there are deeper invitations that this plant can draw us into, when we meet Cannabis with intention, reverence and caution. These invitations centre around embodiment, tantric sexuality, myst...

As the founding member and driving force of Grounded Permaculture Action Party (Inc.) Rupert's enthusiasm for growing food, community and culture is highly contagious. His life-long dedication to environmental, social and cultural change is second to none. In this in-depth interview, Rupert shares his journey into permaculture, the origins of Grounded permaculture action parties, and his visio...

The lost language of Western Herbal medicine You might be familiar with Ayurvedic doshas: vata, pitta and kapha, but did you know that our Western Herbal traditions have our own constitutional theory? Tune in to find out more about energetics and whether you’re more choleric, sanguine,melancholic  and phlegmatic? I’m joined by Elizabeth Greenwood: a MasterHerbalist, naturopath, pharmacognosist, ar...

This is a rerelease of a deep, insightful chat I had with Jess Allan from right back in the beginning of the podcast. You'll love this episode that dives into: - nature connection - the beauty of flower essences and the relationship with the plants that's cultivated when creating an essence - holding onto self care while in the depths of motherhood and so much more!

Jacqui Bushell is one of Australia's Elders of Plant Listening and Plant Communication. She is a mythologist and herbalist with over 30 years' teaching experience. Her work is mythic, personal and transformational. In this episode, Stephanie re-releases her second ever interview; a hidden gem of wisdom. It's a real treat full of myths and stories about plant medicine you are unlikely t...

Cassidy Moss, a clinical herbalist and herbal educator, shares her insights on the importance of gardening, wildcrafting, and ethical sourcing in herbalism. Discover practical techniques for seed germination, cultivating medicinal plants, and fostering a reciprocal relationship with nature. In this episode we chat like old friends who have just met, and delve into what it means to be a herbalist w...

Exciting news! In this episode Tatiana welcomes Cat Green from Everyday Empowered and Herbfest to become a co-host of the Herbal Education Segment. It seems only fitting as Cat has already been on the podcast 6 times! This episode is pretty much a herbally infused bundle of giggles so make sure you are in the right frame of mind to receive the transmission of silliness. There is a lot of wonderful...

Folks I'm leaning into self care hard at the moment as I go through a really tough time- right now that looks like surrendering into not being able to do it all and offering you some beautiful re-releases. This episode on surrender and the value in a good ol' cry with Dee Apostolou feels really timely and as one of the most listened to episodes on the podcast deserves to be bumped back up for thos...

7Song is an American clinical herbalist, teacher, botanist and naturalist with over 40 years of experience in herbal medicine in USA. He is the founder and director of the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine and the Director of Holistic Medicine at the Ithaca Free Clinic . His work focuses on practical, experience-based herbalism, integrating clinical care, plant identification, and medicine ma...

Wildcrafting is simply the ancient practice of moving through landscape and gathering the gifts of herbs, fruits, nuts and other plant and fungal material that is useful to human thriving. How does it sit inside the capitalist and individualist structures of our modern legal & cultural systems? In this three-way conversation between Stephanie Hazel, Taj Scicluna and Daisy Kaye Devine, we uncov...

In this episode, we chat with weaver and permaculture-inspired artist Cathy Inman from Garden of Weaving about living creatively and sustainably with nature. She shares how basket weaving from garden materials became a deeply nourishing, meditative practice that supports mental wellbeing and connection. We explore simple ways to start weaving, the beauty of foraging and reducing waste, and how cre...

This is a re-release of one of my favourite episodes with herbalist and menstrual cycle educator Kerri Alexander. Kerri lives and works on Darug and Guringai Country and is passionate about helping women heal and reconnect with their bodies and the rhythms of the natural world. I loved chatting with Kerri in this one about the power of using menstrual cycle awareness as a tool for encouraging us t...

Matthew Wood returns to podcast to share wisdom around specific plants. We discuss: the magic of Elder Trees - European, Canadian and Australian; Burdock to teach the body how to use oils; How Dandelion can be a sleep herb; Yarrow as master of the blood and a herb of initiation. Matthew shares stories from dreams, visions and clinical practice. **SHOW NOTES** Sign up for Matthew Wood's upcomin...

This episode is a love letter to medicinal resilience. After attending the Elder Tree Herb Farm Tour in Lutruwita, I found myself reignited — not just in my devotion to herbalism, but in my commitment to bioregional practice, to growing medicine where we stand. We have carefully selected audio from the tour, from some of the original Elders Herb Farming in Australia, as well as farmers of the youn...

This is a re-release of an interview with Benjamin Turale from Temple of Mercury.  Benjamin lives on Wudawurung land in Victoria.  Benjamin is an award winning alchemist who lives live and breathes the Hermetic current. He is Director of Education in the   ⁠International Alchemy Guild ⁠ and is very active in the alchemy community internationally, and works to help preserve and pass on the Albertia...

In this episode, herbal legend Pat Collins shares her journey into the world of herbs, emphasizing the importance of self-sufficiency and natural remedies. Pat's an experienced teacher, a herbalist, a published author and founder of the Total Health and Education Centre. I loved chatting with her about her early experiences with plants growing up on a farm, how she was introduced to the power...

Rachel Maree is a wise, wild herbal elder in the making. Her herbalism is informed by indigenous medicine the world over, initiations into entheogenic plant traditions and her own deep, slow listening to the plant world. This interview really highlights the intricate connections between herbalism, cultural practices and ecological belonging, Rachel unwinds the ways that healing at the depths of ou...

To Celebrate The Elder Tree's Foundations of Sociocracy In Person Training with Erin Young, we bring you this Re-Release! March 7th & 8th 2026 MORE INFO & BOOKINGS Erin Young is a mover and shaker in the realm of socialpermaculture and tunes in with us from Kabi Kabi country near Eumundi on theSunshine Coast. As a certified Human Potential Coach and Sociocracy trainer,she shares insigh...

We made this episode to fill you all in on how the recent herb farm tour went.  In December I took a beautiful group of existing and emerging herb farmers down to Lutruwita aka Tasmania, to visit three different scale organic herb farms.  It was such an incredible adventure that I am still integrating and digesting. We visited a small, medium and large scale herb farm on the tour, having the honou...

Today we're heading back to episode 80 with one of our favourite herbalists, Genna Pyewacket. From studying and wild harvesting in the woods of Canada during her teens to preserving the fruit bowl of the Northern Rivers with her fermented shrubs and tonics, Genna has been walking the plant path for more than 25 years. Genna's herbal shrubs and tonics capture the flavour and health benefits...

My favourite episode ever is getting a re-release! Let this discussion on the importance of animism as the lost context of psychedelic and medicinal plant practice open new and ancient doorways in your own relationships with the plant world. Leave comments so I know whether this one is a magic one for you too. What does animism look like in your life and herbal practice? ** SHOWNOTES ** Check out...