Founder:

Rachel McGourney is a farmer and herbalist residing in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the visionary of So Well Rooted. Her interest in health and longevity was ignited in her late teens leading to the professional study of clinical herbalism for 3 years at Arbor Vitae School of Traditional Herbalism. There she studied primarily with Claudia Keel, Richard Mandelbaum, and Samuel Perry and many guest teachers. She spent time diving deep into Botany, Phytochemistry, Anatomy and Physiology, Herbal Actions, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Herbal Formulations, Herb Drug Interactions, Dosing, and Safety, Medicinal Preparations, Ayurveda, Pathophysiology, and Materia Medica. She also participated in a biweekly free herbal clinic with the public of New Paltz + Kingston, NY for 8 months.

Her deep love for being outside began early on in childhood. An unending curiosity blossomed about the ways humans and plants have co-evolved, and now she’s been gardening and working on small, regenerative farms professionally for the last 5 years. So Well Rooted is the combination of her passion for growing and gardening with her knowledge and interest in human health, healing, and longevity to create herbal remedies and pantry provisions for you and your loved ones to enjoy.

Brand:

So Well Rooted offerings strive to create balance, promote vitality, and serve as an embodiment of care. All apothecary offerings are predominantly formulated with botanicals grown and tended by hand in Rachel’s herb garden using organic, regenerative practices, harvested seasonally, and/or sustainably wild harvested. Beyond that, the herbs that don’t grow in this bioregion and all other ingredients are sourced from high integrity, organic sources and locally when possible. We believe that the potency of a plant’s medicine is far greater than its constituents alone. Plants help us come home to ourselves. Each offering created is done so with this in mind; with healing at the forefront. Botanicals grown in happy soil by loving hands is the standard of quality for our apothecary products and formulas. At the end of the day, it is of our utmost priority to uplift human and ecological health and understand that they are inextricably linked.

So Well Rooted also offers 1:1 holistic health consultations for folks looking for a more personalized herbal care plan. Through clinical practice, Rachel works with clients to achieve specific health goals with targeted custom herbal formulations, nutritional, and lifestyle recommendations. This service serves best for individuals with chronic / complex health struggles or those on a healing / self discovery journey.

We also acknowledge the history oppression and violence to native peoples and the land in which we tend. Our commitment lies in honoring botanicals in their traditional uses and applications and the Cherokee and Catawba peoples who were the original land stewards of this place.