Introducing the Berbo Homestead Box, a collection of goods made in collaboration with the flora of my new home in California’s Eastern Sierra—and, only in this first collection, creations made with the last plants I gathered from my beloved former Southern Californian home.

Summer 2026’s collection is called To Listen When the Land Speaks. This box includes:

Chaparral Salve - Essence of Southern California hills—resilient, fragrant, medicinal flora. (Ingredients: local beeswax, shea butter, avocado oil, coastal sagebrush, mugwort, yerba santa, black sage)

Solstice Oil - Pure golden sunshine—from garden-grown calendula—infused in a moisturizing oil. (Ingredients: avocado oil, calendula flowers)

Golden Hour Lip Balm - An emollient balm scented with aromatic desert-grown lavender for soothing sun-chapped lips. (Ingredients: local beeswax, shea butter, avocado oil, beet powder, lavender flowers)

Sage-Dyed Silk - Olivine color from native sage, rich with tannins and flavonoids; one compound bitter, one highly medicinal. Both lend color and the plants’ signature balance of boundaried protection and rich generosity.

To Listen When the Land Speaks Zine - A mini-essay about my first month on the Berbo Homestead, and the story of the creations of these goods, intended to offer the wearer an infusion of joy, healing, and protection during the days of high summer.

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.

Sagebrush has antiseptic properties and has historically been used to cleanse and soothe rashes, wounds, and insect bites.

Mugwort is noted for reducing inflammation—in addition to its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties—and has been used to treat poison oak rash and other skin irritations. Its anti-inflammatory action may also soothe pain from bruising or sore muscles.

Black Sage contains monoterpenoids and diterpenoids which may penetrate the skin to treat inflammation and pain.

Yerba Santa has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties which soothe inflamed skin and support skin regeneration.

Lavender is known to be both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, and inhaling its fragrance may slow our nervous system activity, leading to reduced generalized anxiety.

Avocado Oil is nutrient dense (with vitamins A, D, E) and highly moisturizing due to its rich oleic acid content, making it ideal for dry and sensitive skin. It protects the skin barrier, promotes collagen production, and may soothe eczema and other skin inflammation or 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.