Apothecary

In the years following, Carli continuously  learned about, experimented with, and created new offerings. At one point she was making everything that she could think to make! She made natural toothpaste, healthy dog supplements, and herbal oils that followed the moon cycles. Her passion only grew.

From 2005-2010 Carli attended a private college that focused on natural health. It was there that she deepened her education about aromatherapy, herbalism, naturopathic first aid, and holistic animal care. Although the college taught her a lot, it was no match to experience and spending time with the plants themselves. Knowing the plants directly became a fundamental belief in Carli's work. She went so far that she based all her products on plants that she grew or wild harvested herself. Her knowledge of the local flora and ecosystem was deep and traditionally based. This shift meant that the product line shifted too.

With the rewarding work of growing and harvesting all her own herbs, even building a lye hopper to make her own potash for soap, Carli recreated her product line, reducing the variety of products she made to ones that were more specifically focused.

This was when the idea for Carli's Free Medicine Basket was born! The Free Medicine Basket was a way to provide natural health care to people without having to stress about the real fear of being shut down due to what the government deemed as false healing claims. The basket was set out at farmer's markets, her own farm stand, and other natural workshops that took place in the area. It contained tinctures for lung support, immune support, liver function, blood cleansing, digestive function, calming and sleeping, alertness, and more! The Free Medicine Basket was a hit and a dream to revive.

The shop ended up doing so well that Carli had to close it due to too high of a demand for what she could produce on her own. it was only two years later that it was all reborn.

A version of what is now the Wild Moon Shoppe was born in 2019. It was born out of passion, desire, and necessity. With a progressing neurological disorder, a bleak outlook on life and purpose, and no income, Carli knew that it was time to reopen shoppe.

Wild Moon Shoppe could not contain all the elements that it did previously due to Carli's physical limitations and her downsized garden space. Where she once had acres of land and gardens, she now had an urban backyard with raised beds. Since gardening was and is one of Carli's greatest passions, she did not miss an inch of opportunity to pack it full of the plants she loves. The garden thrived! Carli also extended her plant knowledge to contain the plants she was now living among in a different part of the country. Every weekend she would go to the mountains, river, or lake to gently and ethically wild harvest what she needed for her products. This was a rewarding and healing experience.

The reopening of the shoppe came just a few months before Christmas. It was a hit! Carli sold out of all her long-awaited returning soaps and salves. This gave Carli momentum, hope, and a renewed sense of purpose.

While it has been difficult to produce, supply, store, and maintain an inventory living on the road, Carli does her best to restock favorite items when she has the opportunity. Wild Moon Shoppe is an important part of Carli's story and fundamental to her beliefs and passions. It has grown into so much more than a place for soaps and salves. It is a place for expression, creativity, and the spark that ignites her soul.