by Dan Riegler | Oct 30, 2016 | Apothecary, Distillation, Ethics & Sustainability, Fair Trade, Frankincense, Natural Perfume, Resins & Saps
With only a day left in Africa, I feel I need to offer a brief overview of my latest aromatic trip just to keep everyone abreast. Once back in Canada I will write in detail about this last trip to Madagascar and Kenya. So much has happened during these past three...
by Dan Riegler | Oct 6, 2016 | Apothecary, Distillation, Essential Oils, Ethics & Sustainability, Fair Trade, Frankincense, Resins & Saps, Wildcrafting
Well, I have my tickets to Madagascar. Now I deal with the anxiety of Oh My God what have I done, what am I forgetting to pack, and make sure you buy new underwear in case the plane goes down in a ball of flame. A huge, warm thank you to everyone who contributed to...
by Dan Riegler | Sep 20, 2016 | Apothecary, Astrodynamics, Distillation, Essential Oils, Frankincense, Plant Alchemy, Plant Alchemy, Resins & Saps
For those who will be in South Central Ontario this weekend As promised, I will teach a distillation workshop this Saturday in the Apothecary’s Garden at the Teaching gardens in Churchill Park Hamilton. It will be part of the Hamilton Herbal Weekend. Short...
by Dan Riegler | Sep 12, 2016 | Apothecary, Ethics & Sustainability, Fair Trade, Natural Perfume, Resins & Saps, Wildcrafting
I have been offered the opportunity to spend two weeks working in Madagascar this October. Short notice and an unexpected expense, but full of potential. I will stay with Vanilla farmers, distil an unusual Elemi, and look at creating value-added products and...
by Dan Riegler | May 26, 2016 | Apothecary, Boswellic acids, Ethics & Sustainability, Frankincense, Frankincense Cancer, Resins & Saps
Let me open by saying there is no special “medicinal’ type of Frankincense. Don’t be fooled by marketing catch words like “Medicinal” or “Therapeutic”. All Frankincense is medicinal, in fact, everything nature produces...
by Dan Riegler | Apr 1, 2016 | Apothecary, Civet, Essential Oils, Ethics & Sustainability, Fair Trade, Frankincense, Natural Perfume, Resins & Saps, Wildcrafting
Since returning from Africa 2 weeks ago, it feels like I landed running, and I don’t yet see a respite in the near future. My keynote speech at the Viridis Genii Symposium is coming up fast which means I had better get travel arrangements to Oregon made ASAP,...
by Dan Riegler | Mar 7, 2016 | Apothecary, Ethics & Sustainability, Fair Trade, Frankincense, Natural Perfume, Resins & Saps
A short update before I return to the Kenyan bush and comunication silence. Though I’ll focus on the more current events in Kenya with the Samburu women since they are fresh, I will return in the next few weeks to expand on the equally important landmarks of my...
by Dan Riegler | Feb 20, 2016 | Apothecary, Distillation, Essential Oils, Ethics & Sustainability, Fair Trade, Frankincense, Resins & Saps
First night in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, reclining in a hammock, chewing on some Chaat and gazing at the moon at 2,355 meters above sea level. She feels closer somehow. Supporting a huge halo, I’m comforted by her unchanging presence no matter where in the world i...
by Dan Riegler | Jan 26, 2016 | Apothecary, Ethics & Sustainability, Fair Trade, Frankincense, Natural Perfume, Resins & Saps, Wildcrafting
I have just been invited to Northern Kenya to work with the women of the semi-nomadic Pastoralist Samburu tribe with their wildcrafting business and help set up a fair trade platform that will make their lives a little easier, especially through the unpredictable...
by Dan Riegler | Dec 3, 2015 | Apothecary, DIY & Recipes, DIY & Recipes, Frankincense, Herbal Products, Herbal Products, Herbal Remedies, Resins & Saps
With time, as I find better ways of doing things, I update older posts and recipes. This is an edit to a post I published 4 months ago on my other blog, Fair Trade Frankincense. I’m going to mix things up a bit and post it here on Apothecary’s Garden...
by Dan Riegler | Nov 15, 2015 | Apothecary, Fair Trade, Frankincense, Herbal Remedies, Natural Perfume, Resins & Saps, Wildcrafting
Recently, while writing about the traditional Labdanum harvest in Crete for my shop, I was reminded why I love doing what I’m doing. I see us, a new wave of herbalists, natural perfumers, earth and people healers, plant whisperers, craftspeople and shamans, with...
by Dan Riegler | Nov 12, 2015 | DIY & Recipes, Frankincense, Herbal Products, Resins & Saps
With a growing interest in the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activity of Boswellic acids, Acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (AKBA), Incensole and Incensole Acetate which are found in some types of Frankincense, the market for Frankincense products is growing...