We recently connected with Anna Bradford and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Anna thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

My passion for plants and crafting herbal medicine was sparked during my pregnancy with my first child. I was working as a nurse in a women’s hospital, taking care of moms and babies. I was introduced to a woman that was renting an apartment from my mom who had a deep passion for plant medicine and was excited to share her wisdom. We sparked a friendship and started getting together and making tinctures, fire cider and oxymels. I was mesmerized and hooked. I wanted to learn more and I was so happy making medicine with my heart and my hands. After having two children, I slowly expanded my herbal passion, grew lots of plants on our farm and made elderberry syrup, tinctures, salves, fire cider and infused oils from the plants I grew for my family and friends. I was so thankful to be able to stay home with my children and make medicine to help everyone stay healthy. I loved nourishing my family in this simple and empowering way. I was encouraged to start selling the things I made and after much resistance I took the leap, gathered my courage and started an Etsy shop. My shop really started to grow after I went back into the nursing field during my divorce. I wanted to be home making medicine and the medical system was not where I was meant to be. I quit my nursing job after 7 months and put my energy into growing my business. I expanded my product line, learned more in the herbal world, and grew more medicinal plants on our land. My business grew quickly and I was able to support my family by staying home and doing what I loved every day. I launched my website in February 2023 as an effort to grow separately from Etsy with the vision of growing my business on my terms. In July Etsy permanently suspended my shop for violating their policies. I was shocked and left to start at the beginning again, this time embracing my mission and dreaming beyond the limits of a big corporation. Its slow growth but I am figuring out how I want to make an impact as an herbalist, woman, mother and earth intuitive. My mission is to make medicine from the earth to nourish families and help humans remember their healing powers. I believe the earth is healing and guiding us to know the simplicity of connected living and thriving. I want to use my voice and wisdom as a highly sensitive woman to spread healing, plant knowledge and medicine making through my community and reach humans craving a new way of being on this earth.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am 34 years old and have been practicing herbal medicine and learning about healing plants for almost 9 years. I grew up on a farm in a small Colorado town with my mom and 3 sisters. I currently live on a 120 acre organic farm with my mom and sisters in Missouri. We are growing our little homestead as we all grow our families and stay connected to the land. and each other. I am a nurse by formal degree and education and a plant intuitive and medicine maker by heart, passion and soul mission. My love of herbal medicine started when I was pregnant with my first son and I was enthralled with crafting remedies to help my family heal from common illnesses and stay healthy and feeling good. I have also suffered from migraines since my teenage years and the healing plants I needed happened to be right outside my front door. I am in awe of the earth’s wisdom and care and how humans can align to the web of healing by learning the plants around them. The medicinal plant world is so vast and everything we need to heal is right within our reach. The plants you need will show up right in front of you and the magic is in the noticing and listening.
I love crafting simple medicines like elderberry syrup, mushroom extracts, salves and tinctures that families can use for daily support and nourishment. My products are different from most others because 90% of the plants I use in my products I grow on our farm or wild harvest nearby. This is so important to me and makes the medicine much more potent and connected.

I love helping people who are craving a life away from pharmaceuticals and wanting true healing as they learn about their bodies and what they need to care for themselves and their families. It is real empowerment and compassion to be able to care for yourself and not rely on the western medical system that has no structure for true health and healing. I am so proud of what I create and the passion that lives in me and wants to be shared. I am proud of the tenderness and love that I put into everything I create. I am proud of my desire and need to nourish my family and live intuitively connected to the earth.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I have definitely put a lot of energy into caring for my customers and making sure everyone who puts their trust in me is met with gratitude and given connected customer service. I respond to every inquiry and make sure every concern is resolved. I spend a lot of time writing personalized customer notes and packing orders with lots of care. My products are effective and made with love and healing intention, crafted with fresh plants I grow myself.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Business as Spiritual Journey Course by Asia Suler Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Marketing for Hippies-Tad Hargrave
Free Birth Society-Emilee Saldaya

Contact Info:

• Website: www.healingmotherherbals.com
• Instagram: healing_mother_herbals
• Facebook: Healing Mother Herbals
• Email: [email protected]

Image Credits
Caitlynn Moses (1st picture w/chicken)