Strange Roots
This weekly newsletter is dedicated to empowering you with the knowledge to grow your own food and process plant medicine—no matter your experience level or space. Whether you're working with a sprawling garden, a patio, or just a windowsill, you'll find practical, evidence-based guidance to help you cultivate a thriving, medicinally rich environment.
If I can help you establish a sense of control on this nightmare hell ride, I will be happy.
As a perfumer, plants are my business, and I have developed my knowledge and skillbase for over 20 years, including studying Permaculture Design through Oregon State University, and a certification in Medicinal Plants from Cornell University.
This knowledge is offered absolutely free to anyone who wants it. If you care to support this work, emails will also include links to my various products and services.
What You’ll Get Every Week:
✅ Step-by-step guides for growing nutrient-dense food and medicinal plants
✅ Practical methods for processing herbs and making plant medicine
✅ Tips for gardening in all USDA Growing Zones
✅ Advice for both large gardens and small-space growers (patios, balconies, and indoors)
✅ Sustainable, ecologically sound practices rooted in real-world experience
Who’s Behind Strange Roots?
I’m Jinx Strange, a perfumer, gardener, and practitioner with 20 years of hands-on experience cultivating food and medicinal plants. My expertise is backed by:
🌿 A Permaculture Design Certification from Oregon State University
🌱 A Medicinal Plants Certification from Cornell University
🌾 A deep commitment to ecological best practices
Whether you're a beginner looking to grow your first herb or an experienced gardener refining your craft, Strange Roots is here to guide you—every step of the way.
I want to manage your expectations: All growing is going to take an investment of time and money, though it need not always be a lot (if you only have indoor space, your biggest investment willl be lighting).
You aren't going to replace your entire caloric intake with homegrown food, at least not at first. I recommend learning one or two plants at a time, and gradually expanding your growing until you reach the capacity of your resources.
Growing food and medicine was always meant to be collective! It is very hard for one person to tend the needs of enough seasonal plants to feed an entire family (it is possible, but in today's world let's pretend that it's not). This isn't about a fantasy of rugged individualism - this is about doing what you can for yourself and the people you care about, reducing your vulnerability to exploitation and food web insecurity, and becoming part of a bigger network of people willing to cooperate for common good.