Mission
Tonic is your source for all things herbal. We create a warm & inviting space for people to explore botanical medicine, with trained herbalists on staff to assist you in your journey to health and wellness.
Our goal at Tonic is to inspire & empower our community members to take health and sustainability into their own hands. We are dedicated to renewing the mutually-supportive relationship between plants and people. We facilitate this connection and the opportunities for healing that surround it, by offering high quality products, medicine-making supplies & ingredients, individual herbal consultations, & workshops on everything from family herbalism to lacto-fermentation to wild-crafting. We believe that through local medicine and local nutrition, we can begin to heal not only our individual ailments, but many of the afflictions affecting our planet as well.
Meet our outstanding crew of healing practitioners & associates
Bailey Ballenger, lead manufacturer, elixir goddess & budding herbalist
Lakeja Baylor, Budding Herbalist
I am first a mother, second I’m an herbalist. I teach classes,workshops, and I provide herbal consultations. I have been studying Herbalism for 6 years now, with each year more education, awakenings, creations, and so much more love for the Herbs. I completed 2 years of college, pursuing business. In 2020 I completed the Entrepreneur Herbal Course from Herbal Academy. In 2021 I completed the Pediatric Herbalism Family Herbalist Medicine Program Course through The Human Path & Herbal Medics Academy. I am currently enrolled in Herbal Academy’s Business Herbal Course, and will be done soon. My dream is to be a Registered Herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild before I’m 30. I love to study Herbalism through different cultural lenses, such as African American Herbalism, TCM, as well as Curanderismo (I am not a Curandera, but I heavily respect their forms and rituals of healing).
Carmela Cesare, Herbalist, Reiki Practitioner, Co-Owner of Tonic
Carmela practiced public interest law for 22 years. Her law practice included defending indigent people in criminal and civil cases. Most recently she prosecuted felony cases. Having always maintained a keen interest in medicinal plants, in 2014 she competed her course work and received a Master of Science in Therapeutic Herbalism from the Maryland University of Integrative Health. Now, as co-owner of Tonic, she provides the community with ethically sourced, organic herbal products and herbal consultations. She also serves on the Jefferson County, WV Board of Health. She maintains memberships in the American Herbalist Guild and United Plant Savers
Ashley Davis, Herbalist, Co-Owner of Tonic
I was led to herbalism from an interest in social and environmental justice, from a desire to lead a more sustainable & self-sufficient lifestyle that included being able to grow much of my own food and medicine. I took my first herbal medicine class while I was still in college in Vermont, studying anthropology & visual art. I immediately fell in love with the herbs and connections that I found between gardening, medicine-making, art, wellness & spirituality.
After college I continued to study Permaculture and herbal medicine. I completed a 3 year clinical training program with Kat Maier through Sacred Plant Traditions. After that I began to see clients, teach workshops, and make herbal products from my home in Harpers Ferry, WV. During that time I completed a 500 hr certification in Ayurveda through the Joyful Belly Institute.
Now in Shepherdstown, WV, I continue to deepen and expand my knowledge by serving my community through Tonic Herb Shop, where I see clients, teach workshops, and formulate products for the public. I continue to be fascinated by the connections between human and planetary wellness, between microcosm and macrocosm. I believe that much healing can take place simply by reconnecting with the seasons and what they have to offer.
Meaghan Thompson, Clinical Herbalist
A lifelong student of nature, Meaghan grew up exploring the forests and fields around her home as much as possible. Through her studies to become a Master Naturalist she fell deep in love with the plant kingdom and their medicinal virtues. Beginning her journey in the Wise Woman tradition, Meaghan went on to study clinical herbalism at Sky House Herb School, followed by studying at Green Comfort School of Herbal Medicine. Spending two years working in the gardens at Sacred Roots Herbal Sanctuary deepened her relationship with the green allies she was learning about. Meaghan now sees clients for clinical consultations and runs a medicinal herb CSA in Capon Bridge, WV.
Jenna Halim
The whispers of the wildflowers have always touched my heart. As a lifelong gardener and woodland wanderer, I’m continually amazed at how my plant path continues to deepen. And as it does, it is a joy to share with others. As a budding herbalist, it is my intention to create a space for exploration and community botanical crafting to nourish us with food and medicine. After decades of foraging, farming and teaching at nature based schools, I am currently deepening my studies of herbalism.
I completed my undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies as a McMurran Scholar at Shepherd University. Along with the blessing of many mentors along my path and as an avid reader, I source information from multiple teachers and perspectives. Working at Tonic Herb Shop helped me gain more familiarity with how the community interacts with herbal medicine and I recently completed an internship at Fox Haven Farm supporting the Medicinal Herb CSA where I now work as a collaborative land steward and educator.
My classes are an entry point to discover the many offerings of the plants around us and how we can grow in intimacy and be allies to one another.