The Vervain Collective - Healing for the Soul and Soil
By Jackie Sommer
The Vervain Collective is a beautiful, quaint, and welcoming space, brimming with a wealth of resources, located inside the Roots Zero Waste Market in Garden City. If you haven’t been in to visit with them yet, we hope to persuade you to get familiar with this incredible community hub of health, education, and inspiration!
Owners of The Vervain Collective, Kelsey Jae and Dr. Nicole Pierce, NMD, and shop steward, Erika Knipe. Photo by Arlie Sommer
The Vervain Collective purchases many Certified Organic dried herbs, roots, seeds, and flowers from Purple Sage Farms and highlights this partnership on their shelves. They also carry specialty items like smudge sticks handmade by us!
Dr. Nicole Pierce, NMD, a licensed Naturopathic Physician and Kelsey Jae, JD/MPP, founded the business in 2019. They meticulously curated the retail space and also offer classrooms and workshops to other practitioners, including a Licensed Naturopathic Physician, a Nutrition Coach, an ADHD Coach, an Amma practitioner, and Reiki Masters. A list of practitioners and services are available on their website and appointments can easily be booked from there.
“We see ourselves as a hub or gathering place for local practitioners and makers. Our business model seeks to come together in this shared space to collectively support each other as healers, educators, and proponents of sustainability and local action,” says Dr. Pierce.
We deeply appreciate The Vervain Collective's initiative to support other local businesses and practitioners. They are role models for a more sustainable way of shopping and living healthfully. The store strives for a shopping experience that is cognizant of bettering the health of the planet and our bodies. They serve the community in a uniquely empowering way.
This woman-owned business supplies “over 200 types of individual medicinal herbs and an equal amount of tincture and tea blends, superfoods, supplements, skin care, and other forms of holistic health care options.” Amazing customer service is at the heart of what they do and they are happy to help anyone navigate their huge selection.
“Our shop is staffed by knowledgeable and friendly herbalists who can help empower you to understand your body,” says Dr. Pierce.
The Vervain Collective strives to support local businesses and makers first. When they were in the beginning stages of opening their store, they toured the farm with us, gave us a list of products they needed, and collaborated with us to see what we could grow for them.
“Supporting local and small businesses is a way to invest in our community as well as the future of our community… not only is it good for the soul and soil, but it is also good for the economic infrastructure of our community.”
Dr. Pierce leaves us with some inspiration: “As we move forward into our future, we really hope that more people come and share their experiences with us and explore how we can help each other.”
We couldn’t agree more and we hope to encourage you to support this amazing local gem. We are so grateful for their partnership and their impact on our community!
