From Childhood Fascination to Master Herbalist
I’m Lori Trojan, and I am passionate about learning and teaching about the healing powers of herbs. As a Master Herbalist and Master Gardener, I grow over 80 varieties of culinary and medicinal herbs on my 3-acre farm. It’s a joy and a privilege to transform them into teas, body care products, kitchen delights, and herbal remedies using recipes passed down through generations in my family.
Whether you’re looking for natural alternatives for your family’s wellness or you want to learn how to grow and use herbs yourself, I’m here to share the knowledge my Grandmother taught me, and her Grandmother taught her.
My Journey to Herbal Medicine
Where it All Began
From the time I was about 8, I spent most summers with my grandparents at their small cottage-like home in western Missouri. I remember it as an enchanting place surrounded by thick fruit brambles and wild gardens brimming with intriguing rare and mysterious herbs.
My grandparents used only natural and organic methods in their gardens – there was no choice to do otherwise since today's chemical pesticides and fertilizers didn't exist yet. Companion planting, regular weeding, and rotating plant varieties were just a few methods they used to keep their gardens healthy and thriving.
Learning from a True Plant Whisperer
Grandma respected and honored the plants as if they were human. I watched as she communed with them, sometimes humming, sometimes singing, nurturing and encouraging each one to flourish. She was as unique as the plants themselves – a humble medicine woman whose wisdom had been instilled by generations of natural healers.
She had been taught the secrets of preparing herbal salves, liniments, ointments, syrups, lozenges, tonics, tinctures, teas and more. My grandma, her mother before her, and hers before her had been the "doctors" in their village for generations before degreed medical professionals were widely trusted.
"What is a weed? A weed is a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Generations of Herbal Wisdom
Old-World Knowledge Brought to Kansas
My Grandma was one of eight children in a family that arrived in America when she was 16 years old. They had roots deeply embedded in European soil for centuries before they escaped their oppressive life in search of freedom and opportunity.
Here's what makes our story special: they brought treasured rare medicinal plant seeds with vast knowledge of their uses along with them on their journey. My ancestors continued to keep their old-world traditions alive when they settled here, including making natural herbal remedies to be used by family members, friends, and neighbors.
The Magic of Plants
Along with medicine-making, Grandma delighted in creating and sharing hand-made herbal body creams, oils, and perfumes. She taught me so many things over the years. A herb that could heal a burn by rejuvenating skin cells could also soften skin and reduce the signs of aging. A herb could season a chicken for dinner and also be used as a hair rinse to add shine. That same herb could be pressed into an oil to keep rodents away.
Her vast knowledge of uses and preparations for simple plants seemed magical and endless. Grandma instilled in me a knowledge and love of the herbs that had sustained the health of our family for generations.
Wild Ivy Herb Farm Today
Honoring Tradition on our Lawrence Farm
Today at Wild Ivy Herb Farm, I aspire to honor the memory of my beloved grandmother and continue a family tradition of cultivating and creating natural herbal products from recipes centuries old. As a certified Master Gardener, Master Herbalist, and naturalist with a love for the land and all things wild and natural, I bring both ancestral wisdom and modern expertise to everything we create.
My 3-acre Wild Ivy Herb Farm in Lawrence, Kansas grows a vast variety of culinary and medicinal herbs using sustainable permaculture methods. Every plant is tended with the same care and respect my grandmother showed her garden, and every product we make carries forward the time-tested knowledge she shared with me.
Our Favorite Products
From My Garden to Your Home
My Wish For You
I wish you success in the design, planting, and nurturing of your own unique and magical herb garden. Whether you're just starting out with a windowsill pot of basil or dreaming of a full medicinal garden, there's a place for herbs in everyone's life.
Enjoy the hand-made quality of the past in the pure and natural herbal products we produce today. When you choose Wild Ivy Herb Farm, you're not just buying a product – you're connecting with centuries of plant wisdom and supporting a local business that truly cares about your family's wellness.
Let’s Grow Together
Have questions about herbs? Wondering if a workshop is right for you? Want to learn more about sustainable growing? I’d love to hear from you!
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We love seeing how you use our products and incorporate herbs into your life. Tag us in your posts!