04/27/2026
The first time I grew Rosemary, I didn’t expect much. In fact, I was growing it so I could add it to some delicious steaks on the grill! Which I fact, worked great! But there is so much more to Rosemary than just the culinary aspect.
It sat in a simple clay pot on the edge of the porch, where the sun hit hardest in the late afternoon. The wind in North Dakota doesn’t really visit—it moves in and rearranges things—and I remember wondering how something so rooted in the Mediterranean could possibly feel at home here.
But rosemary has a quiet kind of toughness. It doesn’t beg for rich soil or constant watering. In fact, it seems to prefer being left alone a little—dry roots, warm sun, space to breathe. It thrived in my south facing bright dry front yard.
And over the weeks, it settled in. The stems thickened. The scent deepened. Every time I brushed past it, that sharp, clean, almost pine-like smell followed me for a moment, like it had something to say. And back then, I didn’t think of it as anything other than a kitchen spice. But, Rosemary has so much more to offer.
There are herbs that soothe—and then there are herbs that stir.
Rosemary falls into that second category. It’s the one you reach for when things feel sluggish or slow. Traditionally, it’s been used to bring warmth and movement back into the body—especially in tired muscles or cold hands that don’t seem to warm up.
On long days, when your energy dips and your mind starts to fog, even the scent can feel like a reset. Clearer. Sharper. More awake.
By midsummer, the plant had grown enough that I started cutting from it without hesitation.
A sprig tucked into roasting potatoes. Another laid across a piece of chicken before it went into the oven. Sometimes just stripped and chopped fine, mixed into butter with a little salt.
Rosemary doesn’t disappear into food—it changes it. Deepens it. Grounds it.
Even something as simple as warm bread dipped in oil takes on a different character with a bit of rosemary added in. It’s one of those flavors that feels both rustic and intentional at the same time.
But let’s dig a little deeper into Rosemary. Did you know it is antibacterial, anti microbial, and anti fungal? Did you know drinking a cup of rosemary tea will increase urination because it’s a diuretic, hence aid in getting rid of that UTI? Did you know it is a powerhouse in supporting the body to help get rid of headache’s and migraines? Or house it was traditionally used in supporting the body during menstruation?
Now I grow Rosemary to appease my tastebuds, but also to have in hand when I’m feeling sluggish and have a pesky headache on the verge of pushing through.
Or when a UTI suddenly comes on and I need some support in pushing through fluids through my body.
Just like any medicinal herb, it’s not a one cup of tea fix, but a support agent to continue to take to support my body when it’s needing a little extra help.
