Introducing the Berbo Homestead Box, a collection of goods made in collaboration with the flora of my new home in California’s Eastern Sierra. Autumn 2026’s collection is called The Deepening Season. This box includes:

Desert Rain - Creosote Oil—Essence of the desert after rain. A fragrant, emollient body oil. (Ingredients: creosote leaves, olive and avocado oil)

Garden Medicine - Salve & Botanical Oil—Delicately sweet scented herbs, cold-infused from full moon to full moon, resulting in salve and body oil which are equally soothing to the skin and pleasing to the senses. (Ingredients: native sage, lavender, rosemary, organic olive oil; beeswax, shea butter.)

Scent Medicine Incense—Hand-crafted incense created with ground native sage, sagebrush, rosemary, and lavender, all harvested from the Berbo Homestead and formed into cones with marshmallow root and guar gum binders.

The Deepening Season Zine—A mini-essay about early fall on the Berbo Homestead.

Ingredient Notes

Skin sensitivities vary, and while the ingredients below are common and time-tested, please take care to avoid anything which you may be allergic or sensitive to. If you’re uncertain, first test a small amount before using more generously. While these salves, oils, and balms are made with the utmost care and integrity, we are not responsible for any resulting allergic reaction or skin irritation.

Creosote is renowned for its resinous, fragrant leaves, which exude rain-scented essential oils when humidity rises in the desert. Due to potent anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antifungal properties, the plant has been used traditionally to soothe minor cuts and scrapes, bugbites, and skin irritations such as eczema.

Native Sage contains monoterpenoids and diterpenoids which may penetrate the skin to treat inflammation and pain. Its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties may alleviate both pain and minor skin irritations.

Lavender’s antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties are beneficial in calming skin, and inhaling the plant’s fragrance may slow our nervous system activity, leading to reduced generalized anxiety.

Rosemary contains compounds with anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, which may soothe irritations and promote skin regeneration. Its fragrance is thought to be a cognitive stimulant, boosting focus and memory. 

Olive Oil’s high levels of vitamin E and squalane promote skin’s moisture retention, while antioxidants soothe redness and irritation.

Beeswax acts as a protective barrier on skin, sealing in moisture and providing anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties.

Shea Butter is a nutrient dense (vitamins A, E, F) emollient, providing deep hydration and helping to restore skin elasticity.