Happy New Year! 2026 will be my peaceful year! I have been following the venerable monks and Aloka the Peace Dog on their Walk for Peace. This inspirational Walk for Peace is about loving kindness, compassion and peace for all of us. I believe we can do this. Peace starts with us!

Posted on January 19, 2026 by Angie

And yes we have daffodils blooming in January! Winter weather in South Carolina is mild enough for daffodils, hyacinths, crocus and other spring bulbs.

Today is a cool rainy day with temperatures in the 40s. My plants and I love this weather.

My Pansies are blooming and will be pretty until the weather gets hot.

But yes winter is here. Along with cold weather we often have dry, chapped skin and need something to condition and soothe. We offer you this formula to make a lovely cream filled with goodies from nature. Nurturing Natramulse Cream with VenaSilk contains all natural plant based ingredients such as Natramulse, Shea Butter, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Botanical Extract LSC, Vitapherol T50 and VenaSilk. These natural ingredients work together to make a luscious and conditioning cream that is perfect for this time of year! We have set up a formula with weight in grams but have included approximate measurements also. Enjoy!

Nurturing Natramulse Cream with VenaSilk

IngredientAmount
Part A
Distilled Water61.5% = 307.5 grams = 1+1/3 cups
Part B
NatraMulse9.0% = 45 grams = ½ cup
Shea Butter7.0% = 35 grams = 3 tbsp
Vitapherol1.0% = 5 grams = 1 tsp
Extra Virgin Coconut Oil8.0% = 40 grams = 3 + ½ tbsp
Botanical Complex LSC5.0% = 25 grams = 5 tsp
Part C
VenaSilk2.0% = 10 grams = 2 tbsp.
Leucidal Liquid SF4.0% = 20 grams = 4 teaspoons
Microguard0.5% = 2.5 grams = 1 teaspoon
Lavender Essential Oil2.0% = 10 grams = 2 tsp
Total100.0% = 500 grams = approx. 16 oz
  • Part A (water phase) – Using a stainless steel pot such as one of our beakers, heat distilled water to 175F
  • Part B (oil phase) – Using a stainless steel pot such as one of our beakers, combine Part B ingredients and heat to melt point (approximately 175F). Remove melted/hot oils from heat.
  • Add preweighed/measured VenaSilk to warm oils and gently stir into oils.
  • Add Part A (water phase) to Part B (oil phase). Add water very, very slowly to the hot oils, then begin mixing vigorously with stick blender or overhead mixer and continue to cool-down. Once emulsion has formed and begins to cool and thicken, switch to wire whisk or other stir tool.
  • Part C (Cool-down phase) – Add ingredients with mixing when temperature is 100F or less. 
  • Package in jars or pump dispensing bottles

Today I made this luscious cream with some of my other favorite essential oils and blends…..Patchouli and Serenity….heavenly!

You can also find this formula on our website www.theherbarie.com in our online Formulary:

https://www.theherbarie.com/?target=page&id=7

With Love From Stoney Hill Farm…….May you and all beings be Well, Happy and at Peace!

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Underground with the Root Children Again

Posted on January 3, 2026 by Angie

I love Winter and joyfully embrace the introspective and quiet solitude that comes with this time of year. This time of year, most plants are dormant and animals are hibernating or resting or have migrated elsewhere. Nature knows to rest and restore energy and I am inclined to follow nature’s lead whenever possible.It seems counter intuitive to me that our society has made the Winter Solstice the busiest time of year when nature tells us to retreat – to rest – to restore energy – to embrace solitude. But as members of this society we all generally follow along with the masses. The Holidays dictate parties and gatherings and busy “hustle bustle” everywhere. All this makes it difficult to follow the natural order of our world. There’s scarcely any time to rest at all!

I wrote the above words over 10 years ago. My life is different now. Life here at Stoney Hill Farm is peaceful and restorative and filled with a quiet joy and immense gratitude. I no longer go to holiday parties and gatherings. I do enjoy one on one time with special friends, spending time with our many animals, my never ending, yet rewarding work and our wonderful Herbarie customers. And most importantly, I have carved out bigger spaces for my precious solitude and introspective time as well.

Winter is the time to go into the woods. I can easily imagine the Root Children and wood nymphs as they are enjoying winter yet preparing for Spring.

My little dog Maggie loves to explore all the exciting places with me.

I have had the opportunity for formulating with new products and making wonderful potions! We are offering two new surfactants – Decyl Glucoside and Coco Glucoside that you can find on our website. Here is a gentle formula that I have been using myself:

https://www.theherbarie.com/rose-geranium-and-apple-shampoo-and-shower-gel

I’ve also made a lovely cream that is wonderfully smoothing for dry chapped hands! Nurturing Natramulse Cream with VenaSilk: https://www.theherbarie.com/?target=page&id=370

VenaSilk is 30 percent oat beta glucan and is the ultimate in skin conditioning. VenaSilk, Natramulse, Shea Butter and EVCO make such a lovely cream for soothing and smoothing dry skin. Try it!

And now it’s January 2026……the rest and rejuvenation has been restorative. I feel it has prepared me for the new year with renewed spirit! The Herbarie Team and I want to wish you and your loved ones all the best in 2026! Much love and good wishes to you all!

Angie

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Fall into Winter

Posted on November 28, 2025 by Angie

We are so fortunate to have had a long lovely Fall. The Camellia Sasanquas are still blooming and have been gorgeous this year. Camellia Sasanquas grow well in all the gardens at Stoney Hill Farm. They are evergreen, drought resistant, deer resistant and they bloom in the Fall! They don’t ask for much yet give so much! The picture below is my Secret Garden.

This is the first blog post I’ve made in about 10 years. It’s hard to believe time goes as quickly as it does. So many changes over those years, most for the better but there have been some losses as well. In reading through the archives of this blog and as we move into winter I am reminded of loved ones who are no longer with us. My Great Pyrenees guardian dog Sally, Cottage Cat and so many others are no longer here at Stoney Hill Farm. But they will be forever in my heart.

In December 2023, my precious dog Phoebe Lovejoy passed also. She was my hiking buddy and constant companion for 10 years. She was a rascally girl and always filled with joy even up until the end. She was the epitome of her name. She and I weathered many storms together. She is missed and will be forever in my heart.

In August 2024, my darling Maggie Rose came to me. I believe it was a Divine orchestration and somehow Phoebe brought her to me. I was at a fund raiser for the local Humane Society and one thing led to another and before I knew it Maggie was my little girl. She is an Australian Shepherd like Phoebe and similar to Phoebe in some ways, but she is her unique sweet self. Maggie has brought me great joy and helps me around the farm as I tend the gardens and the other animals. She is a wonderful companion and I am so grateful for her.

About 6 years ago I planted 6 Asian Persimmon trees. This year we have had an abundant harvest with literally hundreds of persimmons! We have given them to everyone we know who enjoys persimmons. I have dehydrated, frozen, eaten LOTS of persimmons. Persimmons are great in smoothies, breads and baking and just to eat. We are grateful for such a wonderful harvest.

My new favorite plant is Roselle Hibiscus (keep in mind I have many favorite plants :-). My friend Donna gave me a plant in Spring. I’ve never grown it before but absolutely love it! It’s a beautiful plant with such a pretty flower.

The flowers are harvested after they bloom and close and the seed head begins to form.

The petals are removed and used immediately or dried for use later on.

They make the BEST tea that is nutritious and absolutely delicious with some honey mixed in. It’s one of my favorite teas! Of course next year I plan on growing many of these plants.

In October The Herbarie celebrated 25 years! I built The Herbarie from the ground up from my passion and my creativity and all that I have done has come from my heart. Some of our customers have been with us the entire 25 years! We are so grateful to all of our customers who allow us to do what we love doing! In 2026 we will be offering some new products for skincare and hair care so be sure to stay in touch! Our website is: www.theherbarie.com and we are now on Instagram and Facebook. We would love to hear from you!

I’ll leave you with our Yuletide Sasanqua! And I wish you all a wonderful winter filled with warmth, love and good cheer!!

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Everything’s Coming Up Zinnias!

Posted on July 12, 2014 by Angie

These Zinnias were first planted over 15 years ago!  One tiny packet of Cut & Come Again Zinnia seeds were sown in the Cottage Garden.  For a couple of years I kept the flower heads to sow the following year, but after a couple of years they started planting themselves!  I’ve not sown any seeds in over 10 years and now they are everywhere!

  

I love the bright colors – magenta, yellow, carmen, hot pink, orange……….happy flowers!

 

St. Francis among the Zinnias in the big garden.

 

Sunflowers are so expressive!  This one is clearly happy to be alive!  Bees love them and so do the birds.  Actually the birds plant the sunflower seeds by knocking them out of their feeders    🙂

 

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These are my new rain barrels!  I am so excited to have them!  I had gutters installed on my office/lab building and as you can see they feed into the rain barrels.  With 3/4 inch of rain, all the barrels are filled!

 

Cottage Cat “CC” is cleaning up and resting after a long day in the garden!

More later from Stoney Hill Farm………..good wishes and love to you….Angie

 

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Clary Sage and Mountain Mint!

Posted on June 7, 2014 by Angie

ClarySage2Gorgeous almost-summer day here at Stoney Hill  Farm!  The gardens are lush, blooming and ready!  At The Herbarie we have been very busy distilling our Hydrosols!

The Clary Sage (Salvia sclaria)  is blooming beautifully and was distilled yesterday!

Clary Sage Hydrosol is aromatic with a calming and soothing bergamot/Earl Grey scent.  It’s excellent to use in skin care for its balancing characteristics. We love using our Clary Sage Hydrosol in our personal care products!

ClarySage1

I like to use Clary Sage Hydrosol in my toners, creams and lotions or as a refreshing spray mist. It can be used as is or diluted or blended with our other Hydrosols such as Rose Geranium to make a balancing blend. Clary Sage Hydrosol is especially good for oily skin but will actually be balancing to any skin type.

MountainMint

Today, we’re distilling Mountain Mint Hydrosol!  Mountain Mint Hydrosol (Pycnanthemum species) is refreshing, cooling and very aromatic. Mountain Mint Hydrosol can be used for skin care or hair care or for aromatherapy.

Since our Mountain Mint Hydrosol contains a significant amount of essential oil we do not recommend using directly on skin. We recommend using 5% – 50% in most skin care or hair care formulations.

Mountain Mint Hydrosol can be blended with other hydrosols such as Melissa Hydrosol or Spearmint Hydrosol for a cooling facial or body mist.

Mountain Mint Hydrosol also combines well with our Catnip Hydrosol. We use these two hydrosols as a base for our Natural Insect Repellent. Directions:
1) Combine the following essential oils in equal parts: Geranium, Lavender, Clary Sage, Ylang Ylang, Eucalyptus, Lemongrass, Rosemary, and Cedarwood virginiana.
2) Combine this essential oil blend with AquaEm or Plantamulse Liquid.
For application to skin, use 0.5% – 2%.
For application to socks/clothing, use 2%-5%.
3) Add Catnip Hydrosol/Mountain Mint Hydrosol (1/1 ratio) mix well and package in a spritzer bottle to make a very effective natural insect repellent.
Avoid eyes and sensitive skin.

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Back soon with more news from The Herbarie at Stoney Hill Farm!  Love and Good Wishes!  Angie

Posted in New From The Herbarie, The Garden | 1 Comment

The Roses Are Blooming!

Posted on May 18, 2014 by Angie

We’re harvesting and distilling our roses to make our wonderful Rose Hydrosol! 

Rose Hydrosol is distilled from our many varieties of antique roses which include English roses, damasks, gallicas, true teas, chinas, bourbons, and noisettes.

Heavenly rose scent fills the air as we walk among the roses in the gardens.  The light rose scent carries over into the Rose Hydrosol which can then be used in many different ways.

Eden is a David Austin rose that climbs along the fence going into the Rose Garden.  The pink tipped flowers are beautiful!

Take a walk with me through my Secret Garden……Alister Stella Grey is blooming on the trellis on the left and is covered with hundreds of exquisitely fragrant flowers!  As soon as we begin our walk, the fragrance joins us.  Along the path on the right, Hermosa and Katy’s Pink are starting to bloom.  In the far back on the trellis you can see the pinkish golden-yellow, apricot colored blooms of Reve d’Or.  In the far back to the right is Belinda – very big girl – about 15 ft by 15 ft.

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Reve d’Or is almost in full bloom. The beautiful apricot color reminds me of sunrise!

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Graham Thomas…… I think I’m in love with you!  These gorgeous, richly colored, butter-yellow flowers are very fragrant and are part of our Rose Phytolate Botanical Complex.

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Perfection! The classic rose form and fragrance of the Dorsey rose is a favorite with The Herbarie Team!

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 The Herbalist.  David Austin rose with simple beauty and fragrance.

 

 Belinda Rose in the Rose Cottage Garden and Dawn climbing rose in background.

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Cottage Cat

Cottage Cat

Cottage Cat near Rose Cottage.  “CC” lives at Rose Cottage and welcomes all visitors!  She enjoys posing for pictures too!

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Cottage garden with old fashioned pump and pond.  Belinda rose in front, smaller than her sister in the big garden as seen below.  We’ll have to keep an eye on her so she won’t get too big!  Big sister Belinda grows in the primary Rose Garden.  She is spectacular!

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Constance Spry is an English Rose and blooms only once. But the blooms are sooo beautiful and the fragrance is sooo heavenly!!  I adore this rose!  Constance Spry is part of our Rose Hydrosol!

AlisterStellaGreyHummerHaven

Now we are in Hummer Haven…..a great place to stop and smell the roses, listen to the wind chimes, watch the birds……and just be still for a while.

I hope you’ve enjoyed your visit to our gardens at Stoney Hill Farm!  Love and Best Wishes!  Angie

 

Posted in Musings From Stoney Hill Farm, The Garden | 1 Comment