What began as a personal search for healing has grown—quite literally—into a small herbal business rooted in science, sustainability, and local soil.
Gwen McCrone, age 26, launched her herbal product business, Hearthstone Herbal, in 2022, not long after leaving Lakehead University and a forestry degree behind. The decision came in the wake of personal upheaval and grief: Her mother passed away from cancer in 2021, and McCrone—already questioning her career path—left school and pivoted toward something more meaningful to her.
“It was a powerful catalyst,” she said. “I wasn’t doing what I wanted with my life. Herbalism felt like a calling home.”
McCrone had long been interested in herbal medicine, sparked by her own chronic health issues and her mother’s experience with Lyme disease. Frustrated by the conventional medical system, she began exploring alternative paths to wellness.
“I was bedridden with pain at age 14, and my doctor told me, ‘That’s normal. Don’t worry about it, it will get better once you give birth,’” she said. “Even at 14, that kind of dismissal made me realize something was wrong.”
Years later, she was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and finally found relief through naturopathic care, including herbal tinctures. “It made an immediate difference,” she said.
Now based on a rural property outside Thunder Bay, McCrone cultivates more than 15 species of medicinal plants in her home garden. She processes all herbs herself, favoring a technique called curing, which uses a dehumidifier to gently dry the herbs while preserving their medicinal properties. “I’ve tested air drying and dehydrating, and curing gives the best quality by far,” she said. “It’s gentle, it’s controlled, and it keeps the plants potent.”
She sells her handcrafted products—such as salves, facial serums, and bulk herbs—at local artisan markets and through her online store. While most of her customers are in Thunder Bay, she’s shipped orders across Canada and to the United States.
One of her most popular items is a deep repair facial serum, made with chamomile, calendula, marshmallow root, and wild rose. “It’s very lightweight and nourishing,” she said. “It’s the product I sell the most.”
McCrone also crafts evergreen and comfrey salves for moisturizing and body care, but she’s careful about how she describes their uses. “Because of Health Canada regulations, I can’t say something will treat a condition,” she said. “I can tell people how herbs like calendula or comfrey have traditionally been used to support certain symptoms, but I never make medical claims.” One example she gives is eczema. “We’re allowed to say that calendula has traditionally been used to support conditions like eczema,” she said. “But I can’t say it treats eczema.”
That ethical line is one McCrone takes seriously. While she’s working toward more advanced credentials, she currently identifies as a folk herbalist and focuses on topical products and educational workshops.
“There’s a misconception that herbalism is fringe or unscientific,” she said. “But I base everything I do on understanding the chemistry of plants and how to use them properly. There’s real science behind it.”
McCrone’s approach is deeply local. She describes her work as “bioregional herbalism,” using plants native to or well-adapted to her region. She grows comfrey, yarrow, chamomile, motherwort, and calendula—among others—and forages when appropriate. “I want people to have access to fresh, high-quality herbs—not ones flown in from across the world,” she said. “When you use my products, you can smell the difference. You can feel it.”
While the business is currently part-time—McCrone also holds side jobs—it’s growing steadily. In the future, she hopes to expand her offerings and perhaps pursue clinical herbalism. But for now, her focus remains on education and access.
“A lot of what I do is about helping people unlearn the idea that herbs don’t do anything,” she said. “That’s just not true. It’s never been true.” McCrone encourages people to learn for themselves and even offers workshops on how to make tinctures and infused oils at home. Her hope is to bridge the gap between skepticism and curiosity—bringing people closer to the science and wisdom behind herbal medicine.
To learn more about Hearthstone Herbal, visit: hearthstoneherbal.ca.
