About Nourish Grove
Nourish Grove began the way most worthy endeavors do: slowly, with intention, and at the right time.
Truly, this company started years ago as a vision in Austin, as a hobby. I’ve always felt at home in the garden, working with plants, and making things from scratch. Living in Austin was a full immersion in a perfect soup of health and wellness. During my decade living there, my daily yoga practice was one of the most important things in my life. During these years, I completed my 200-hour yoga teacher training, and while learning the roots of yoga, my teacher taught us the science behind Ayurveda, the 5,000-year-old holistic healing system from India, often called the "science of life." Everything clicked for me during this time. It’s funny how healing ourselves through plants and connecting to the earth is labeled as “new age,” but really, it’s the oldest form of medicine and healing in the history of humans.
After my 200-hour yoga teacher training, I wanted to learn more and deepen my understanding of the practice. I continued my training and became a registered Yin yoga teacher (and eventually, a pre- and post-natal yoga teacher.) Yin, a slower-paced, meditative style of yoga, targets deep connective tissues and stimulates the 12 main meridian channels, the body's energy pathways, to remove blockages and improve qi (life force) flow to organs, drawing from Traditional Chinese Medicine.
All of this exposure to the ways people heal and nourish their bodies all over the world was more than inspiring to me. I couldn’t understand why it was so “niche” in the US to have these skills and knowledge about how our health can be improved at home. To be very clear, I am not anti-Western, modern medicine. I just think that a balance of many approaches is the best way to health.
My skills and knowledge strengthened as they needed to, as I learned more about toxins that are in food, skincare, and cleaning supplies I had all over my house. As I, or the people around me, needed answers, I found them. I knew that there were ways to heal a sunburn without grocery store gels containing food dyes and lab-created fragrances. How about we just use the parts that truly help our skin? So, I started growing tons of aloe. (I’m also very pro sunscreen, the first step to caring for our skin in the sun.)
I didn’t overhaul my family’s life overnight. I did it over time, and as I did, I learned all about the plant makeup, the safety, and who I could help with each plant. (Can I drink this tea while pregnant? Can babies use this cream? Can my dad take this with his medication?) I’m a teacher by trade, I knew I’d be a teacher in the 2nd grade, and I always will be a teacher; it just looks a little different in different stages of my life. My family is now settled beautifully in San Antonio, where our family is taking big, beautiful next steps to help those around.
Sitting in my first garden, circa 1997. Tomatoes and okra!
In our little backyard in Austin, I did it all in pots! Small but mighty herbal medicine.
Setting up our first garden bed in San Antonio! My son has been by my side in the garden since he was born.
Just as I’ve evolved over the years, so will Nourish Grove Co! This first year, I’ll be selling products and sharing information on safely using herbs and spices to nourish you, as well as yoga, art, candles, and other beauties to freshen your home. Eventually, I’ll be hosting retreats, workshops, and growing my presence in our robust San Antonio farmers’ markets.
I hope all these years of experience translate in a way that helps others heal, learn, and take control of their health through all the things we get from the earth. It doesn’t have to be intimidating, expensive, or out of reach. I’ve grown plenty of herbal medicine in little porch pots, and even buy them right at the grocery store. I can’t wait to share it all and show you how accessible it can be to nourish yourself and your home.
Thanks for being here, trusting me, and supporting women-owned small businesses.
Cheers to our health!
Ashley
