An Interview With Bevin Clare, Herbalist and Mom
by Lee Warren
Red Moon Herbs hosts the 8th annual Southeast Women’s Herbal Conference on October 12-14 in Black Mountain. Bevin Clare is a very special presenter. Here’s a short interview with her.
What are you currently excited about teaching?
As the director of a clinical program I immensely enjoy watching students move from being students to being practitioners. Seeing them apply their learning and skills in such a way to evoke change in the people they meet is powerful.
How has becoming a mom changed your relationship to health and herbs?
Having children, people say, allows you to see things through their eyes. I learned about herbs as I was older but for my son, it is a way of life. The idea of gathering flowers or making preparations or drinking beneficial tea is part of the way people live and care for themselves. I see the simplicity of the system so much more readily and have developed a love all over again for the generosity of the natural world.
How do you approach seasonal foods and beneficial plants?
The fun thing about living seasonally is that it brings together age old traditions with the fascinating new science of chronobiology. We are learning so much about how much our animal selves are tied to the rhythms of the natural world around us and with many of these understandings our traditional practices are reinforced. It’s a simple question of observing what is around you in the seasonal rhythm of nature and acting in unison with it as much as you can.
What’s your current favorite way to incorporate herbs into food?
Since it’s summer, it has to be fresh herbs. It’s so easy to make a crazy pesto out of just about any greens you have and to use it on, well, anything!
Bevin Clare, MS, RH(AHG) is a clincial herbalist, nutritionist, teacher, and Chair of the Herbal Division of the Master of Science in Herbal Medicine program at Tai Sophia Institute. She is also adjunct faculty at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and a guest researcher at the National Institutes of Health. She holds an MS in Infectious Disease from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Bevin serves on the board of directors of the United Plant Savers and the American Herbalists Guild.
