Valerie Weiner is pursuing her dreams as a healing herbalist. AKA Mother Wanderer Earth Medicine, the mum-of-two says: “I'm a big advocate of sobriety and I'm very open about my experiences.”
After struggling with addiction and experiencing homelessness, she began a new path of sobriety and simultaneously became interested in herbology. As she learned more about herbs, she began selling them at local farmers markets and teaching classes at Willowbrook Apple Farm in Oak Glen.
“There's an abundance of local medicinal herbs. Oh, it's heaven for me. I get lost walking there,” she said of Oak Glen. “I love it there.”
Weiner set up shop at Green Space Farm in Yucaipa from September 2023 to April 2024. When Green Space closed, the owner introduced her to the owner of Goody Farm Shop in Cherry Valley, who helped her find a new place to sell her herbs.
“The mission of this sacred space is to create a holistic healing community in the cities of Yucaipa, Cherry Valley, Beaumont and Banning and to provide a place where people can purchase handmade herbal concoctions, herbal supplements and organically grown herbs to create their own home apothecary,” Wiener writes on her website, Mother Wanderer Earth Medicine.
She is keen to share more details about her life journey.
“I used to cry when telling my story because of the shame, guilt and darkness. But now, every time I tell my story, I feel empowered,” she said.
“I want to be a voice for people who say there's no way out. Yes, I get it, you're in a dark hole and you're addicted to drugs and stuff, but there is a way out. Humans are destined to heal and grow and evolve and we all deserve a second chance,” Weiner said.
“I think people should open that door for you as long as you're willing to put in the effort. I also made an herbal tincture to help with detox because detoxing was one of the scariest things,” she said.
Wiener said one day, when he had nearly given up, another homeless woman saw him coughing up blood and told him to use her cell phone to call for help. “She said, 'You shouldn't be here, you deserve more,'” he said.
“I never saw her,” she said. “I can't remember her face. I only remember her shadow, and I will be forever grateful to her.”
She said she's been practicing herbal medicine for four years. She said herbs helped her get sober and maintain hormone balance after giving birth to her second child. She began researching herbs that might help other people with joint pain and as alternatives to cold and flu medications.
“I was practicing herbalism at home and making things for my neighbors and family members like my grandmother and parents, and I thought maybe this is the opportunity I've been looking for, maybe I'll go to the farmers market.”
She said her best-selling products are an anti-inflammatory tea and a tea called “Reclaim My Power” for anxiety and stress. Tinctures for allergies and hormone support are also very popular. She said she is also developing a bug repellent spray.
“Everyone has the potential to be in tune with their intuition and their body, but we're so busy and fast-paced and we have so much going on that we forget to really listen to ourselves,” she said.
“You can call it crazy, you can call it superficial, but I'm here and I'm living proof that following my intuition, following my instincts, following what the universe was telling me and everything, is what got me here,” she said.
She said she likes to say that in her business model, “I don't look at the competition. I look at the community.”
“There's enough wealth and talent out there for everyone to find their niche. Some people might like the way I practice herbalism and make my products, some people won't. And some people will do it differently, in their own way, and they can attract their own customer base just as I attract one. So basically, there's enough money to go around.”
More about Valerie Wiener
https://www.instagram.com/motherwandererearthmedicine/
or
https://www.motherwandererearthmedicine.com/
