Wellness Roundup: Rogue Herbalist, Vermont Bee Balm, and Meadow Bee

Did you know that we have lots of local products in the Wellness Department? We interviewed three local producers who are making high quality wellness and skincare products right here in the state of Vermont. These are people we know and products we trust! 

Rogue Herbalist

BFC: What was the initial inspiration for starting Rogue Herbalist?

Chuck of Rogue Herbalist: My inspiration grew from a lifelong love of herbal medicine and the belief that herbalism should remain accessible — truly the “medicine of the people.” I wanted to create a place where high-quality, small-batch plant medicine is made with integrity and offered with real education and care. Rogue Herbalist grew out of that mission: to preserve traditional herbal knowledge while offering products people can trust.

BFC: Can you give us some insight into what the early days were like?

Chuck: In the early days, Rogue Herbalist was a true grassroots operation. I was working at Sunflower Natural Foods, a small family-owned health food store in Vermont during the day, and at night and on my days off I was crafting tinctures in my tiny apartment kitchen and trying to sell products into local health food stores. We had a lot of challenges with selling CBD — from website hosting to payment processors, there is still a lot of discrimination around cannabis. I didn’t quit my day job until I absolutely had to — every step was built slowly and intentionally. From the apartment to a commercial kitchen, and then eventually to our own brick-and-mortar apothecary, it’s been a steady evolution driven by passion

BFC: What sets you apart from other potentially similar companies?

Chuck: Rogue Herbalist is a hybrid business, which I describe as a three-legged stool. 

We manufacture our own small-batch herbal extracts, which we also wholesale to partners like the Brattleboro Food Co-op. We operate a full brick-and-mortar apothecary in Morrisville, VT, offering a curated selection of natural products alongside our own formulas. and online. What truly sets us apart is our commitment to quality above all else. Every extract we make is produced in intentionally small batches, using ingredients that are always organic, wildcrafted, or locally grown. Our goal is simple: craft the cleanest, most potent herbal products possible, and keep them fairly priced so they remain accessible.

BFC: Is there anything you particularly appreciate about
being local to this area?

Chuck: Vermont is my home state and it has a deeply rooted culture of local organic agriculture, herbalism, and natural wellness — a community that genuinely values craftsmanship and herbal healing. Being here means we’re surrounded by people who appreciate the same things we do. It’s the ideal place to grow an herbal business grounded in integrity, sustainability, and tradition.

Vermont Bee Balm

BFC: What was the initial inspiration for starting Vermont
Bee Balm?

Julie of Vermont Bee Balm: My husband Kelly and I make and deliver all our products, we have been doing so since 2004. I was inspired to start our business when I couldn’t find a simple balm to heal my hands. I was a nurse’s aide and got allergic dermatitis from using latex gloves. When I discovered that using beeswax and olive oil in a balm could actually cure my hands, I wanted to help others. There are so many chemical products on the market aimed at curing cracked fingers or hands, yet they are not effective and many contain alcohols that dry the skin and make the problem worse. Luckily, at that time people were starting to look for natural products, and we were happy to provide a natural option for those suffering from dry, cracked skin.

BFC: Can you give us some insight into what the early days were like?

Julie: The early days were quite a learning curve, trying to figure out which stores our products would sell well in. We tried to find stores that would allow all walks of people to try our balm, such as general stores, building supply, tourist attractions, and natural food stores and co-ops.

BFC: What sets you apart from other potentially similar companies?

Julie: I think what sets us apart is the simplicity of our ingredients: most of our products only contain beeswax and olive oil. We have found that by keeping it simple, people are less likely to have skin reactions. Most people experience healing within a few days.

BFC: Is there anything you particularly appreciate about
being local to this area?

Julie: Living in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, with the weather changing constantly, has made us proud to be able to help those with dry, cracked skin.. 

Meadow Bee

BFC:What was the initial inspiration for starting
Meadow Bee?

Wendy of Meadow Bee: I was a teacher in Wilmington, Vermont, 27 years ago. I had the good fortune to have health-related guest speakers come talk to my high school students. Herbalist Isabelle Hadley came to speak and she passed around brightly colored dried herbs and delightfully scented vials of essential oils. I was hooked. I started learning about herbs at Isabelle’s log cabin in Jacksonville. Shortly after we moved to Peacham, VT, and unknowingly our new house was 30 minutes away from where Rosemary Gladstar lived and taught at Sage Mountain. Good fortune got me where I needed to be. I started learning about herbs to keep my mind busy while raising three children. I found I loved making herbal products for the skin.

BFC: Can you give us some insight into what the early days were like?

Wendy: Everlasting Herb Farm was tiny, but took off in 2012. This took over our whole house in a good way. In 2017 my husband and business partner, Matthew, single-handedly built a barn in our backyard. It took two years to build but it is beautiful. I have space to formulate and create orders to send out. The Brattleboro Co-op is one of my favorite stores because every single staff member is fabulous. I really mean that. I happily drive four hours round trip just to do demos because your customers and staff are wonderful people to be with. 

BFC: What sets you apart from other potentially similar companies?

Wendy: I have studied with Rosemary AND Formula Botanica in London. Formula Botanica is an organic skin care formulation school. This is a solid foundation for what I do every day. We use high-end natural and organic plant-based ingredients in every single product we make. We use unusual, very expensive ingredients like bakuchiol (a natural retinol), cranberry seed oil, watermelon seed oil, and red raspberry seed oil. Our ingredients are not ones commonly used. We also make an award-winning plant-based deodorant called Meadow Bee. We just won six more awards this year. It really WORKS all day long with one application and it doesn’t irritate sensitive skin. It won’t stain clothing or leave white marks all over your shirt. And it comes plastic free!! One tin lasts four to six months with daily use, making it the most economical natural deodorant around. And it’s my very own formulation that we make right here in Vermont. 

BFC: Is there anything you particularly appreciate about
being local to this area?

Wendy: I was born in Chittenden County and I have lived here in Vermont my whole life. I lived in the tiny town of Stratton when I taught at Wilmington High School and now live in the Northeast Kingdom about an hour south of Canada. I love Vermont. I am Vermont. Brattleboro has been a very cool place for a long time. It’s a big hub for folks who live and want a natural lifestyle. When we came off the mountain we would either head to Bratt or Bennington. Way back when Brattleboro just had an amazing vibe. It still has that vibe. It is a very cool town. 

Written by Sarah Galgano