By Christiane Daily
Staff Writer
GOODRICH-Four years ago, Kimberly Roehm found that her green thumb and love for gardening could lead to a new career.
On three acres of land at her home, she grows 19 different herbs for medicinal teas, kitchen creations and infused oils solely with the purpose of healing and preventing illness. The mother of three has turned her agricultural abilities into therapy by utilizing the medicinal and culinary herbs raised from her small plot of land.
“Gardening soothes me, more than any other thing I’ve found in life can. My kids now call me ‘Dr. Mom.'”
Roehm, a laid-off insurance auditor, opened her business Sweet Serenity Herbs Inc. and runs it successfully from her home. Roehm has studied natural science and the healing property of herbs for five years.
“Getting laid-off was the best thing that ever happened to me. It gave me the time I needed to practice my first love.”
Roehm was also inspired by her 7-year-old son Aaron, who had developed Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which among other things affects sleeping. Trying to avoid a life long dependency on chemical prescription, she started doing research on ADHD and how she could remedy the disorder naturally.
“My first tea that I ever made was ‘Cozy Nights,’ and he started drinking it before bedtime and now he can’t go to sleep without it.”
In addition to Cozy Nights, she features teas such as Break Time Herbal Tea, After Meal Soother Tea, PMS Relief Tea and Winter Wellness Tea, just to name a few.
“I realized that I was helping people’s ailments, stress, and symptomatic problems. I have some clients that cannot be without their teas.”
Roehm is now licensed to sell her products in grocery stores and has been certified inspected and approved by the United States Department of Agriculture. She also sells her products at craft shows, retail stores and hosts herbal tea demonstrations. She makes personalized baskets and custom products for her individual client’s needs.
Aspects in the inspection process that needed to be met for approval were the property she grows her plants on, how she grows, whether her plants are hand picked, the use of organic fertilizer, the drying process and how she stores them.
Roehm only grows her plants in an organic environment. She doesn’t use pesticides or fertilizers that can potentially damage the medicinal quality of the herb.
“I hand pick all my herbs and leaves with minimal touching. If you repeatedly handle the plant, it loses much of its power. Once people actually taste my teas and oils they can tell a difference between store bought herbs and freshly grown ones.”
Roehm feels that using natural products to enhance the body’s ailments is missing from this generation and past ones as well. When a child visits the doctors office for a common cold, they are prescribed with antibiotics that take the good and bad bacteria at the same time. This can often lead to other medical problems, rather than curing the original. Roehm feels the same principle lies within natural products.
“When a company takes the photochemicals out and a plant and is synthesized again and again, it takes away from the true beneficial factor of the product. It’s just not as effective.”
Amongst all her success stories, Roehm believes she’s found her calling. Many of her clients have discontinued chemical treatments and have made the switch to natural products.
“I’ve gone from Kool-Aid and pop to milk, orange juice and herbal tea.”
Sweet Serenity Herbs Inc. is for everyone, except babies and very small children. Males, females and toddlers, starting at about 4 years of age can benefit from her line of products.