aka The Queen Bee 🐝
Suzanne M. Tabert is a bioregional herbalist, wildcrafter, and the founder and director of herbal education at the Cedar Mountain Herb School. Drawing from a lifetime of personal and academic study of plants and their habitats, she has dedicated over 38 years to teaching herbal medicine. Suzanne is a proud member of the American Herbalists Guild and the American Herb Association, a Partner in Education with United Plant Savers, and serves as a practicum supervisor and adjunct faculty at Bastyr University. Her mission is to share her love and knowledge of plants with the world, a passion she plans to pursue for the rest of her life.
My passion for herbs began as a little girl, nurtured by my Aunt Mary, who lived to the remarkable age of 99 before passing in 2006. Aunt Mary shared her quiet reverence for plants, inviting me into her sunroom in Pennsylvania, where dozens of vibrant plants flourished. She taught me how to care for them and introduced me to the joys of gardening and cooking with herbs.
Aunt Mary’s wisdom extended beyond the practical—she shared traditions from her Slovak heritage, like planting a money plant by the door to invite prosperity into the home. Her lessons left a lasting imprint, from adding parsley and garlic to chicken soup to recognizing the healing power of nature.
One of my most cherished connections to Aunt Mary is her spearmint. The rootstock, now over 80 years old, has traveled with me to every new home, continuing her legacy. I share pieces of it with my apprentices and friends, who plant it in their own gardens, spreading Aunt Mary’s memory and the love she inspired across the country.
I was born in Pennsylvania and raised in Illinois, where the soil was so rich and black it seemed as if plants would spring up the moment a seed touched the ground. My dad had an enormous vegetable garden, and every spring, when I was old enough, he would carve out a small plot just for me. I can still picture him picking a ripe tomato right off the vine, sprinkling it with salt, and eating it without ever leaving the garden. Those moments taught me so much.
My dad canned pickles from his garden cucumbers and, with some effort, got us kids to eat kohlrabi raw—a feat I still marvel at. I don’t recall everything I grew in my little garden, but one year stands out: I planted seeds that grew into tiny, seedless watermelons. The joy of growing and eating vegetables I’d planted myself is something I’ve never outgrown.
My dad often reminisced about his grandma, who would send him out every spring to pick dandelion leaves. She’d sauté them with onions and garlic in bacon fat—a simple yet delicious tradition. She understood the wisdom of food as medicine. Dandelion leaves are packed with nutrients, and the acidic bacon fat helped her family better absorb the calcium and iron. She didn’t know the science behind it, but she knew her plants.
When people ask, “Who are you?” and you reply, “I’m an accountant,” that’s what you do, not who you are.
For me, my work and who I am are one and the same. Not many people can say that, and I consider myself truly blessed. Working with plants is both my life and my day job, and it brings me endless fulfillment.
One of my greatest joys is taking students to my favorite places and introducing them to the plants and their habits. Whether deep in the woods, atop mountains, across mountain passes, or by the ocean, the plants are always there—vital, waiting to be noticed. They have so much to offer, so much wisdom to share. They heal, nourish, and teach, and I feel privileged to help others discover their gifts in the plant world.
I have learned from many incredible people along the way and have poured over hundreds of herbal guidebooks, but the plants themselves have been my greatest teachers. Every day—quite literally every day—I work with them. I harvest wild herbs in diverse habitats, formulate herbal remedies, teach and learn alongside my amazing tribe of apprentices and day students, drink herbal teas, cook with herbs, and use my preparations to keep my family, students, and friends healthy and nourished.
My “science geek” side drives me to dive deeply into understanding the human body—its anatomy, physiology, and the intricate ways it functions. I am endlessly fascinated by how plants interact with cells, tissues, organs, and body systems. This passion keeps me rooted both in the academic world and out in the forest, constantly bridging the gap between knowledge and nature.
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Field based programs designed to expand working knowledge of medicinal plants, nutrition, and effects on body systems.
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Learn herbs on your OWN time and from the COMFORT of your own home! ❧
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Calculate the volumes of any two alcohol proofs to create a tincture of a particular strength.
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