The Rooted Wagon Family Apothecary

Tonight I put my carrot tops to use instead of tossing them.

I blended them down with a little water and turned them into freezer cubes to keep on hand for soups, stews, broth, beans, rice, and whatever else I’m cooking. I like doing things like this because it helps me use the whole plant, waste less, and keep extra greens on hand for cooking from scratch.

And don’t mind my ice trays, I’m clearly not the best pourer.

The watermelon seedlings keep coming up, and the ginger is finally waking up.

Every morning I go out to check on them, and every morning there seems to be something new. Today I counted 14 watermelon seedlings and several new ginger shoots.

It's a small thing, but watching life push up through the soil never gets old.

I've been keeping an eye on my wild strawberries and they're getting close.

I've already got plans for these little berries. I'm thinking dehydrated strawberries, jelly, fruit leather, syrup, and maybe setting some aside for tea blends. The hardest part right now is waiting for them to finish ripening.

I love that these aren't store-bought strawberries. They're growing right here at home, and the flavor from wild strawberries is hard to beat.

Now I just have to keep an eye on them and hope the birds and groundhogs leave me a few.

One of the things I love most about this journey is meeting people who still carry family traditions forward.

Yesterday I was gifted a jar of homemade red hot cinnamon apple butter made from a family recipe. He told me he makes it every year and gifted one jar to me and one to another friend.
Food, herbs, and tradition have always gone hand in hand. Some of the best things are still made the old-fashioned way and shared with others.

I can't wait to try it.

One thing I’ve been really enjoying lately is working with sesame oil.

It’s been used for generations in traditional practices and honestly… I’m starting to understand why. The texture, the warmth, the way it feels in body care blends — I’m kind of obsessed lately.

So far I’ve used it in salves, a tick oil, cooking, and now I’m thinking about adding it into my bath routine too. Food is medicine guys.

What do y’all use sesame oil for?

So let’s talk steam baths for a minute.

I’ve done this since I was a kid and honestly still love it just as much now. There’s just something about a super hot bath where you can sweat it out after a long day, especially after work, stress, sore muscles, or freezing all day.

Some of my favorite things to add are Dead Sea salt, magnesium chloride flakes, castor oil, chamomile, lavender, goat milk, and honey depending on what kind of soak I’m wanting that day.

Sometimes it’s a simple soak. Sometimes it turns into a full human soup chamber.

What do y’all put in your baths?

Spent the evening working on Ashwagandha & Beet Root capsules and fighting with the capsule machine most of the night.

I’ve always been drawn to simple herbal combinations rooted in traditional herbal practices instead of overly complicated blends. has a long history of traditional use in and is commonly used during times of stress and fatigue, while has long been appreciated as a nourishing food-based herb naturally rich in plant compounds and earthy minerals.

I love working with herbs this way — slow, intentional, earthy, and connected to everyday wellness. Just herbs, capsules, and a quiet apothecary evening with powder absolutely everywhere by the end of it.

Yesterday while we were out exploring Nuttallburg, West Virginia, I finally got to test out a tick and bug spray I made for the family here in our little home apothecary.

Made with a blend of sesame oil, jojoba oil, castor oil, cedarwood, lemongrass, lavender, peppermint, patchouli, and mountain savory.

We spent hours deep in the woods, brush, and old coal town trails around the gorge, and I was honestly really happy with how it held up. Not one tick on me, and it seemed to keep a lot of the bugs away while we were out there wandering through the mountains.

Spent the evening exploring the old coal town of Nuttallburg, West Virginia deep in the New River Gorge with my husband and son.

The mountain was alive with wild plants, flowing spring water, moss-covered stonework, old foundations, conveyor ruins, and pieces of history slowly being reclaimed by the forest. We took over 200 photos because every turn felt like uncovering another hidden story.

What struck me most was the contrast — one side of the mountain known as Beauty Mountain for over 100 years, and the other side holding the remains of a once-busy West Virginia coal town now almost swallowed by the woods.

Places like this remind me why I love Appalachia so deeply. The mountains remember everything.

And yes… I’ll make another post later about how my tick spray oil held up out there in the brush and along the trails.

Just packed up a fresh batch of my Women’s Balance Tea.

This blend has spearmint, hibiscus, nettle, and all three tulsi varieties. It smells so good and has such a soft earthy floral flavor.

Made for the girls who love slow mornings, cozy cups of tea, and taking a little time for themselves in the middle of busy days.