From left to right: Jeff and Elise Higley, David Gordon
This past week, a few of us from evanhealy had the privilege of visiting Oshala Farm in Oregon — first as part of a learning journey with the Sustainable Herbs Initiative (SHI), and then as participants in Herb Camp.
Our time with SHI was an opportunity to meet with brands, farmers, wild crafters, stewards, and advocates — to spend time connecting with plants, with place, and with each other. Together, we held thoughtful discussions around:
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Values, vision, and business realities
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How we can better support smallholder farmers, both domestically and internationally
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How to sustain and protect wild plants and wild collector communities around the world
Jeff Higley teaching Organic Farming 101 at Oshala's Herb Camp 2025.
It was a time not only for dialogue, but for commitment — to take these conversations into actionable SHI commitments, both as individual members and as a collective working toward a more ethical and regenerative botanical industry.
Following this, Oshala’s Herb Camp welcomed us into the daily rhythms of farm life, where medicine making, materia medica, botanical crafting, and farm activities allowed us to experience the spirit of the land and the joy of community.
We are honored to source a variety of Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) herbs from Oshala. These herbs — calendula, self heal, nettle, chamomile, and more — are raised with devotion, integrity, and a deep respect for the land. During our visit, our co-founder and CEO David Gordon stood in the fields with Oshala’s founders, Elise and Jeff Higley, to talk about their journey, their challenges, and their vision.
From left to right: Calendula, Self heal, Nettle, Chamomile
David opened the conversation with what so many of us feel when we visit the farm: awe. “What I see here is that you put your heart and soul — your whole life — into what you do. Just share a little bit about why.”
Elise’s response came without hesitation: “It kind of seems like it wasn’t really a choice. It was a plant calling.”
What began as a small vision grew organically, fed by the demand for great quality medicinal herbs grown domestically by people whose hands and hearts could be trusted. “The more we got into it, people were like, we need great quality medicinal herbs. And here we are, on all this acreage, growing 90-something crops.”
A snapshot of one section of a nearly 400 acres regenerative herb farm.
Oshala Farm's on-farm drying facility allows them to capture the peak moment of the highest constituent varieties of their freshly harvested plants.
Jeff reflected on the learning curve of the work: “We’re constantly taking a deeper dive — how to farm more in tune with nature, how to work with our people better. I still feel like I’m a beginner, all these years later. And that’s the joy of it — the learning never stops.”
David asked what might seem obvious to an outsider: why not sell, or take an easier path?
Elise smiled: “Sometimes that sounds nice. But ultimately, our hope is that the farm continues in medicinal herb production for decades. And that means proving it can be financially sustainable — for us and for the next generation. Everyone who works here needs to thrive, because people use these herbs for their well-being. They want to know everything, from the ground up, was thriving so they can thrive.”
Part of that commitment meant going all in on Regenerative Organic Certification. Jeff shared how this transformed their business: “We looked at what it costs to live here in Jackson County. ROC recommends 10% above a living wage, so people can put money away, care for their families, and build a future. When we started, we couldn’t afford to keep people year-round. Now we do, because people have bills year-round. We want them to be able to raise families, buy homes, and feel proud of what they do.”
As part of their ROC commitment, Oshala farmworkers are paid 10% about the living wage for Jacksonville County.
David noted the relationship between Oshala and evanhealy is deeper than commerce.
“From the outside, people might think your employees work for you. What’s the reality?”
Jeff laughed: “Oh, we work for them. We’re here to support the team. We’ve gone from cultivating plants to cultivating people. Without these passionate folks, we wouldn’t be here.”
When David marveled at the complexity of what it takes to grow, harvest, dry, and process herbs with medicinal integrity, Jeff explained: “We’re growing medicine. For evanhealy, it’s medicine for the skin. We aim to grow the highest constituent varieties, harvest at the peak moment, and capture that moment in our dryers. So that the value, the efficacy, the healing, is there for the customer who needs it.”
Elise spoke to the heart of the partnership: “When we plant those seeds, it’s: this is for evanhealy,” Elise said. “From the very beginning, that intention is infused in what we do. And it feels so good to know where these herbs are going — that they’ll become products that bring healing and joy.”
Our time at Oshala Farm reaffirmed what we believe — that what we do is more than skincare — it’s earth care. That the health of soil, plants, and people are all part of the same story. And that when you hold one of our products, you are holding the labor of love of farmers like Elise and Jeff, and their team.
Jeff demonstrating how to harvest Calendula.
Watch the entire interview here. Filmed on location at Oshala Farm, Grants Pass, Oregon.
