My name is Morrie Shafer. I was a city kid until I moved to rural Pennsylvania as a 10- year old. My life was suddenly filled with creeks, running through orchards and farms, and planting my own garden. I fell in love with nature then, and it was deeply transformative. At 14, my family moved to a more wooded area. I began hiking and developing an interest in the plants I would see growing on my many adventures. At 15, I became a “natural foodie” and began cooking my own meals. I went to college at Penn State University as a nutrition major, but quickly decided that feeding red Jell-o and canned green beans to hospital patients was not my idea of health. I decided then to pursue my other love, history, and went on to earn my Master’s Degree, focusing on different aspects of the discipline, but eventually earning dual degrees from Rutgers University and New Jersey Institute of Technology. Job prospects for advanced degree historians were abysmal in the 90’s, so I gravitated back to my original interest in the natural world and holistic health.

I spent the next few years studying with Rosemary Gladstar at Sage Mountain, at the NY Open Center (Green Medicine program), Northeast School of Botanical Medicine (Clinical Herbalist program), and the School of Herbal Therapeutics (2 year Clinical Herbalist program & Graduate year). My long-standing interest in nutrition led to Holistic Health Coach certifications from The Institute for Integrative Nutrition and the Dr. Sears Wellness Institute (Family Health Coaching).

I love to cook, garden, and pursue all things DIY. I started Herbal Arts Apothecary to continue to spread the knowledge that I believe is our birthright as human beings.