ABOUT
FLORA FARM
Flora Farm is a BIPOC and women led medicinal herb farm and herbal apothecary in Port Angeles, Washington.
We are dedicated to growing and foraging high quality medicinal plants for 100% of our herbal medicine preparations using regenerative, no-till and biodynamic principles that harmonize with the rhythms of nature.
Our herbal medicines are crafted in small batches using traditional and experimental medicine making techniques that explore how seasonality and Place can be infused into herbal medicine in effective ways.
We offer experiential workshops that on a sliding scale that explore herbalism, farming, decolonial sensemaking, ritualized forms of self cafe and ecologically inspired art.
Click below to stay connected and join us at one of our in person workshops, at an upcoming plant sale or at the farmers market.
medicine of the people. medicine of the land
"Farming and herbalism by virtue, incite change, growth and opportunities for healing in communities".
- Sabrina Peraza
Hello.
MEET SABRINA PERAZA
Herbalist, farmer, medicine maker & forager of Flora Farm.
I began farming at a young age, though it was disguised as chores.
The main women in my life all kept gardens and had me work in them in one way or another. My mom showed me the magic of interplanting within a cottage garden & the medicine of living with a 100-year-old orchard. My maternal grandmother taught me about roses, vegetable gardens and the wonder of planting bulbs in the fall. My abuelita showed me the resourcefulness of a Cubana’s garden while taking cuttings from plants at the park or in a neighbor’s yard to root into recycled containers.
My formative education in business and work ethic began at a young age, though it was disguised as a way of life. My father is a political refugee from Cuba and is the hardest worker I have ever known. I saw first-hand the difficulties that immigrants face in the work place and he taught me about the incredible drive and hustle necessary to persist through adversity by making your own way. My maternal grandfather - a truck driver by trade - showed me the power of collectivized efforts by being a part of the PNW branch of Teamsters and was awarded the prestigious 1,000,000,000-mile award through his dedication and impeccability to his career. My abuelo was a magician, a jeweler and a scholar, he sacrificed everything to move my family to safety, to take a risk for greater opportunity disguised as the American Dream. My path to herbalism started 10 years ago, though it was disguised as a way to heal my chronic pain. I began to look for alternative strategies to manage chronic pain that began to arise in my jaw, neck & musculoskeletal system. Herbalism stood out to me as an accessible and dynamic healing modality as I began in earnest to seek holistic strategies for pain management. I loved its seasonal fluidity, the simple yet effective preparations as well as its presence and use as medicine in cultures around the world. It felt to me like the medicine of the people. After several years of self-study in herbalism and foraging, I enrolled in a 2 ½ year herbal immersion program that taught me about identifying and growing medicinal plants, their herbal actions and therapeutic benefits as well as the techniques on how to prepare them into herbal medicine formulations. Over the last 5 years, I traveled to herb gatherings around the PNW and gained mentorship that helped me hone my skills and find my unique approach to herbalism to share with my community. I spent 3 summers working on organic vegetable farms and gained experience in permaculture and regenerative agriculture as well as the nuances and challenges of market production. Slowly, I began to truly listen and form relationships with my eco-system. This allowed me to forage with confidence and start a medicinal herb garden that would eventually become a farm with the help of many hands.
Farming and herbalism by virtue, incite change, growth and opportunities for healing in communities. I believe that one can pursue a career path driven not just by the need for economic stability, but for the need to honor the lineages that we come from while providing something meaningful to our communities as a result of our efforts.
Each season I am deeply appreciative of how herbalism connects me to the landscape and keeps me endlessly inspired to grow and create medicines that reflect a sense of place. It is how I most authentically relate to the world around me, honor my ancestors, support my community and tend to my personal healing journey.
I hope to be able to connect with you deeper over this special field of medicine.
