The CPA Herbalist

  Lesson 1: Patience from the Cuttings Not All Cuttings Grow the Same Way A Twig Can Teach Us to Wait A twig that looks completely lifeless can become a thriving medicinal plant in just a few weeks. That simple truth has taught me as much about life as it has about gardening. One rainy morning, I prepared several oregano cuttings for propagation. I filled Styrofoam cups with moist cocopeat and placed them in a shallow container of water. It was a simple setup—almost hydroponic in style. Everything was neat, organized, and easy to monitor. Perhaps the Certified Public Accountant in me still enjoys systems. Then I waited. Seven days later, tiny green leaves began to appear. I smiled like a child on Christmas morning. Not from seeds. Not from mature plants. But from what had looked like lifeless twigs only a week before. That simple experience reminded me that growth often begins long before we can see it. One Lesson Led to Another As I continued propagating herbs and trees, I discov...

Getting Started with What You Have A Note from The CPA Herbalist The Twig That Started Everything One of the questions I hear most often is: "Where will I start?" "I dont have a land." "I dont have a budget." "I dont know about gardening" I understand those concerns because I once asked the very same questions. I did not begin with a greenhouse. I did not begin with expensive tools. I did not even begin with seeds. I began with a single twig. A small cutting from a healthy medicinal plant. No roots. No guarantees. Just a recycled container, a little soil, clean water, and a quiet prayer. Looking back, that little twig changed far more than my garden. It changed me. Why I Started with a Twig Many people think every garden begins with seeds. Mine didn't. I intentionally began with cuttings because they cost nothing. A healthy branch from a generous neighbor, a roadside plant, or our family's forest could become a new plant with a little...

For generations, Filipino families have turned to medicinal plants as part of everyday life. Long before pharmacies became common, parents, grandparents, and community healers learned to care for their families using the plants that grew in their backyards, farms, and forests. Those traditions deserve both our respect and our thoughtful examination. Today, scientific research continues to study many Philippine medicinal plants to better understand their chemical constituents, potential health benefits, appropriate uses, and limitations. Some traditional practices are supported by growing scientific evidence. Others remain promising but require further study. As a retired Certified Public Accountant, I spent my professional life examining evidence before drawing conclusions. As a herbalist and steward of our family's forest, I bring that same discipline to studying medicinal plants. I believe traditional knowledge and scientific research are not opponents—they are partners in th...

When I was younger, I believed that my education as a Certified Public Accountant, together with nearly fifteen years of professional practice, had taught me almost everything I needed to know about life. Over time, I discovered that life has many more lessons to offer—and some of the greatest lessons are found far beyond the classroom and the office . What Accounting Taught Me As a CPA, accounting taught me discipline. Auditing taught me to seek evidence before reaching a conclusion. Those principles shaped the way I think, and they continue to guide me in everything I do today. What Family and the Forest Taught Me My life took a new direction when I married a forester. Together, we were blessed with three sons. Becoming a wife and mother taught me responsibility, patience, and the importance of caring for my family. Living alongside a forester opened a world I had never imagined. I learned to prepare feasibility studies, trace topographic maps for fieldwork, and use GPS to navigat...