Ozarks Bioregional Herbalism
I’m an herbalist, naturalist, researcher, and educator in the Missouri Ozarks. My work explores what it means to practice herbalism bioregionally - rooted in the plants, habitats, people, and culture of this particular place.
Keynote speaker, Ozark Bioregional Herbalist Symposium, November 8, 2026.
Bioregional Herbalism, and Why the Ozarks
The Ozarks are home to an extraordinary diversity of plants, landscapes, and living communities. Ozarks bioregional herbalism grows from a relationship with this place - its medicinal plants, the habitats where they grow, and the people and traditions that carry knowledge of their healing properties.
At its heart is a search for ways of living and healing that recognize the deep interdependence of people and the natural world. The land shapes and sustains us, just as our actions shape the land. Through learning from plants, working with them for healing, and participating in the life of this place, we seek relationships that support the well-being of the whole.
The land shapes and sustains us, just as our actions shape the land.
A Life in Bioregional Herbalism
- Early 1980s
Putting Down Roots in the Ozarks
Moved to the Ozarks, joined Mau Blossom at Golden Light Center, and began learning from regional herbalists and healing traditions while becoming involved in the Ozarks bioregional movement. - Early 1990s
Expanding Clinical Practice and Teaching
As Golden Light Center transitioned from homebirth services to family and wellness care, developed a broader clinical herbal practice and began leading ongoing classes and study groups. - Early 2000s
Joining a Wider Herbal Community
Began teaching at the Ozark Folk Center, connecting Ozarks plant knowledge and clinical experience with a wider community of herbalists. - 2008–2017
Expanding the Meaning of Healing
Following Mau Blossom’s death, began exploring new dimensions of healing through ecological grief, gratitude, and practices of connection with the living world. - 2017–present
Listening and Responding to a Changing Earth
Began focusing more deeply on climate change and our collective responses to ecological uncertainty.
About Sasha Daucus
I’ve always been drawn to the living world, especially to plants. I love discovering their particular character—their leaves, flowers, roots, the places they grow, and the other living things that share their habitats. Herbalism brings together this curiosity about the natural world with the satisfaction of putting what I learn to use in supporting human health and well-being.
My relationship with the Ozarks began in the early 1980s, when I joined Mau Blossom in the work of Golden Light Center, the midwifery and natural healing practice she founded. Over the decades, my work has grown to include clinical herbalism, teaching, research into Ozarks plant knowledge and healing traditions, and participation in the Ozarks bioregional movement. These experiences have shaped my understanding of herbalism as a way of learning about plants, people, and the places we inhabit.
These days, I especially enjoy sharing what I’ve learned with others who feel drawn to knowing plants and places more deeply. After more than four decades in the Ozarks, I continue to find new things to discover and appreciate in the living world around me.
Get in Touch
I welcome hearing from people who share an interest in the Ozarks, its plants, and the relationships between people and the natural world. Feel free to send me a message using the form below.
