COVID-19: We March On

Things change quickly. We are now instituting our Plan 3-B: closing the store to the public effective Thursday March 19 until further notice. Our hours, as of this time, continue to be Mon-Fri 11-6 and Saturday 10-4. Our Wednesday hours will be effective through Wednesday April 8. We’ll be here to process orders and make formulas and tinctures. Our Pick-Up bin located outside the front of the store will be where you pick up your orders. The bin will be brought inside at the end of each day unless other arrangements have been made. We can also mail orders via the post office. (We don’t ship bone broths.)

But I Need My Herbs! How Do I Get My Orders?

Call 434-964-9376 to place an order and pay by phone. You can email your requests (no credit card info please!) to info@elerberryherbals.com and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can to verify the order and set up payment. Due to multiple requests, it make take up to 2 days to have your products ready. We are gearing up our website over the next few days to include more products. We continue to do consultations, but they will be done by either Skype or Face Time.

Elderberry Status and Other Herbs Update: They Have Arrived!

We received our shipment of Elderberries and Elderflowers and have done the quality control. Over the next few days, we’ll be making up Elderberry syrup kits and refills. Heather will be making Elderberry syrup and the first batch will be ready Friday March 20.

We are a community herb store and committed to getting herbs out to as many people as we can. Therefore, we are asking that you limit your purchase of Elder products to 2 bottles or 2 packets of refill or 2 ounces of loose herb per family. We are pushing the kits to make your own syrup and keeping some of the ready-made syrup for those unable (i.e., elderly, disabled) to make their own.

We are running low on some of the more in-demand herbs such as Licorice Root, Baikal Skullcap, Red Root and Lomatium. In the same herb order as the Elderberry, we also received several of the herbs (in loose form) recommended for when you get the virus. We are in the process of tincturing them and they’ll be ready after April 12. We have placed 2 more HUGE orders for herbs and have been told there will be an extra week delay in getting them to us. I will keep you updated on their status.

What’s All That Stuff I Read on the Internet About How Bad Elderberry is for This Virus?

Numerous folks have asked us about the information going around on the Internet and Facebook warning people away from using Elderberry AT ALL during this outbreak of the novel virus. We have watched several webinars over the last few days led by well-known and well-respected herbalists and researchers. Bottom line: continue to take Elder for prevention. There is some concern regarding taking it while ill, but not all agree on that since this is a new virus. People already experiencing auto-immune disorders would be best to not take it when ill. Guido Masé did a great job covering the basic information on the virus and ways we can support ourselves and our community. Here’s the link to the replay on Facebook if you want to check it out. Here's the link to his slide show. Another good resource is 7Song who made a handout on herbs for the various stages/symptoms. Another good resource is by Paul Bergner who addresses various components of the illness along with some herbal recipes. He also addresses the Lomatium-induced rash issue in those links.

Currently, we are continuing to recommend Elderberry to use to both help support immunity and decrease duration of illness. Of course, if ill you would be using this IN ADDITION to other herbs.

This virus can move quite fast in a person. Stay in touch with your doctor and call first before showing up at their office or the emergency room. If issues with breathing appear, DO NOT go it alone just with herbs. Do not take herbs to the hospital with you as this will only add confusion. Once you’re out of the hospital, there are good herbs to help support your recovery and lung issues.

Build Up Your Immunity and Your Stress Resilience

Hoarding is stagnant energy and comes from a feeling a lack of abundance. This is an energy drain, and we need all our energy and creativity to get through this. I have been asked if I’m going to increase my prices due to these times. I will do an increase only if my suppliers charge an increase. The increase will be in keeping with their increase to me. Our goal is to get as many herbs to as many folks as possible and overcharging for herbs is not supportive of this goal.

When you pick up an order, we are enclosing the following card for you to refer to when it feels like overwhelm. These have become my mantras for when the fear creeps in. We need to support our mental and emotional health as well as the physical component.

Positive, Powerful Thinking

Positive

Things will work out.

I can handle the situation.

It won’t always be this way.

Something good will come from this.

I don’t have to be perfect to be wonderful.

I will do the best I can and that is enough.

Powerful

I have power.

I always have at least 3 choices.

I have some control over this.

My feelings matter.

I can focus on now, not on the past or future.

Nothing is all black or all white.

Now’s a good time to use those calming herbs on a regular basis (we have plenty!) in addition to keeping our minds from wandering down the path of doubt, fear and anxiety.

I’ll end with this lovely poem:

Lockdown​
Yes there is fear.
Yes there is isolation.
Yes there is panic buying.
Yes there is sickness.
Yes there is even death.
But,
They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise
You can hear the birds again.
They say that after just a few weeks of quiet
The sky is no longer thick with fumes
But blue and grey and clear.
They say that in the streets of Assisi
People are singing to each other
across the empty squares,
keeping their windows open
so that those who are alone
may hear the sounds of family around them.
They say that a hotel in the West of Ireland
Is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.
Today a young woman I know
is busy spreading fliers with her number
through the neighborhood
So that the elders may have someone to call on.
Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples
are preparing to welcome
and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary
All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting
All over the world people are looking at their neighbors in a new way
All over the world people are waking up to a new reality
To how big we really are.
To how little control we really have.
To what really matters.
To Love.
So we pray and we remember that
Yes there is fear.
But there does not have to be hate.
Yes there is isolation.
But there does not have to be loneliness.
Yes there is panic buying.
But there does not have to be meanness.
Yes there is sickness.
But there does not have to be disease of the soul
Yes there is even death.
But there can always be a rebirth of love.
Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.
Today, breathe.
Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic
The birds are singing again
The sky is clearing,
Spring is coming,
And we are always encompassed by Love.
Open the windows of your soul
And though you may not be able
to touch across the empty square,
Sing.
​
- Fr. Richard Hendrick, OFM
March 13th 2020​​