Infusiast Spotlight: Planted with Katie

Welcome to our LĒVO Spotlight series! We're thrilled to feature Katie from "Planted with Katie," a dedicated herbalist and educator. Katie's journey into herbalism was inspired by her personal health challenges and her drive to explore holistic remedies. Her passion for natural healing has led her to create a wealth of educational content, helping families build their own herbal toolkits. Join us as we delve into her inspiring story, her connection with LĒVO, and the creative processes behind her incredible herbal products.

Can you share a bit about yourself and your journey into the world of herbalism?

My journey into herbalism started when I suddenly developed an autoimmune disease that took my hearing and gave me vertigo + tinnitus. Doctor after doctor after doctor and the only answer I was given was to suppress my immune response with steroids.

I realized the conventional health information we get is just not enough sometimes and that I needed to become my own advocate using plants as medicine.

I dove into the world of holistic health and herbalism, and never looked back.

What inspires your work, and how do you hope to impact your community or audience?

I’m inspired daily by the amount of people who want to learn and use more natural remedies for themselves and their families. As a mother myself, I am deeply passionate about helping families develop a toolbox of herbal medicine when the need arises.

Most of my work consists of writing blog articles (at plantedwithkatie.com) and filming videos (at plantedwithkatie on most platforms), going into detail on various herbal remedies the public can make themselves.

How did you first come across LĒVO, and what made you decide to incorporate it into your work?

I first came across LĒVO when researching different ways I could make potent, effective herbal products. It has made my process of formulating herbal oils a lot quicker and has even made the oils themselves more potent!

In what ways has using LĒVO changed or enhanced your creative process?

LĒVO has made it possible for me to make more herbal recipe variations for the public in a shorter amount of time (rather than waiting the standard 3-4 weeks for an herbal oil to macerate).

Can you share a memorable experience or project where LĒVO played a pivotal role?

Calendula flowers have a special place in my heart. Using LĒVO has elevated my calendula oils and brought out the vibrancy in the oil and representation they so deserve!

Walk us through your creative process. How do you go from idea to execution, particularly when using LĒVO in your creations?

I gain inspiration from my peers' pain points. What do they or their families struggle with that an herbal remedy could help solve? Once I have a remedy in mind, I find out with herbs and which menstruum (water, oil, honey, alcohol, glycerin) would be best for the product. Once I’ve gotten the ingredient list, I’ll write out the recipe as a whole and create a blog post around it. Once the blog post is written, I’ll film a video making the herbal creation with my LĒVO machine.

How do you experiment with different ingredients or recipes using LĒVO? Are there any favorites you've discovered?

There really isn’t much that LĒVO can’t handle. It has made my infused honey a lot easier to make & handle. I can choose a low setting like 95°F so as to melt and infuse the honey with herbs, but not harm the honey's medicinal properties. I like to add elderberries, orange, cinnamon, and cloves for a delicious elderberry infused honey.

What challenges have you faced in your work, and how have you overcome them? Has LĒVO helped in addressing any of these challenges?

A challenge I always came up against was gently heating herbal oils to release their beneficial properties but not overheating them, rendering the herbal oils ineffective. I needed to carefully watch my oils over a double boiler, using a thermometer every other minute, or I’d place them in the crockpot where the low setting was too high and the keep-warm setting was too low of a heat. Enter the LĒVO machine, where I can use specific settings tailored to my herbal creation.

What have you learned about yourself or your craft since you started using LĒVO?

I’ve learned that almost anything is figure-out-able. I used to think herbal products on the market were too hard to make or that they should only be manufactured in a state-of-the-art facility. Since using LĒVO, I can make state-of-the-art herbal products in my own home.

How do you engage with your community or audience around your creations? Do you have any tips for others looking to share their work?

Just start. Start messy. Start when you’re not ready. Start when you don’t have everything figured out. Your community will guide you where you need to go, so pay attention to their comments and feedback.

Build a community and don’t worry about the numbers following you or the metrics. And always have a mission that drives you each day, especially when it gets hard.

Have you collaborated with other creators or brands? How do those experiences shape your approach to your work?

I am pretty picky with collaborations because I always want it to either be with a person I already follow & connect with, or a brand/product I already use in my daily life or something I would use even when I’m not filming it.

What future projects or ideas are you excited about? Can LĒVO play a role in these plans?

I’m excited to share that my line of herbal products will be released soon at plantedherbals.com. I only restock on the 10th of each month, and once I’m sold out I will restock the next month. This allows me to work in-season with herbs, to take breaks, and to always bring my best when it comes to formulating products.

LĒVO plays a role in helping me batch herbal oils, honeys, and more! I’m hoping to have 2-3 LĒVO machines running at all times to keep up with my products.

How do you see your work evolving, and what impact do you hope to have in the long term?

What started out as a social media account and blog, sharing herbal and natural remedies I make for my family, has turned into a lot more than I ever expected. I will continue sharing my DIY herbal remedies online, offer further herbal education for families, and share the herbal products I make. My goal is to help 1,000 families start using herbal remedies for their daily health & happiness.

Finally, could you share a favorite recipe of yours that utilizes LĒVO? What's the story behind it, and why did you choose to share this one with our audience?

My favorite recipe is actually the simplest recipe - Calendula Oil. I grow my own Calendula officinalis in my garden and it’s such a giving plant. The more flowers you take, the more it gives. I dry the flowers, pulse them, and add them to my LĒVO along with a skincare oil, like jojoba oil. I allow this to infuse for at least 12 hours all the way up to 24 hours at 95°F. Then I strain the calendula oil and now I have a potent skincare oil that helps heal cuts, scrapes, moisturizes and hydrates the skin, and so much more.

Can you provide some tips or insights for those trying out this recipe at home with their LĒVO?

Always use dried herbs as you don’t want to introduce excess moisture. Agitate your herbs with a processor or mortar and pestle to release all of the beneficial properties, then use 1 ounce dried herbs to 8 ounces oil for a really potent infusion.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

Get your hands dirty and start creating your own herbal remedies! You’ll never learn until you try.

Where can our audience follow you and your work online?

@plantedwithkatie on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Pinterest.

My herbal blog is www.plantedwithkatie.com.

My products can be found at www.plantedherbals.com.

Thank you for joining us in this spotlight on Katie from "Planted with Katie." Her dedication to herbalism and her innovative use of the LĒVO machine showcase the incredible potential of natural remedies. We hope Katie's journey inspires you to explore the world of herbal infusions and create your own healing products. Don't forget to follow her on social media and check out her blog and products for more herbal wisdom. Stay tuned for more inspiring stories and recipes from our LĒVO community!