Sustainability

Avena Botanicals is a small business employing less than 13 full-time people. We take great care in producing each of our products by hand and believe our small size allows us to create herbal remedies that truly enhance peoples health, happiness  and peace of mind.  Our gardens are certified organic by Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Certification Services and certified Biodymanic by Demeter-USA. All of our practices, from the garden to the apothecary seek to nurture the earth.  We source locally for most of our products and services, supporting the local economy, and we are actively engaged in our community offering classes and garden tours for visitors.

Our biodynamic gardening practices ensures the greatest care for the soil on our farm, enhancing and enriching its quality and the plants, pollinators and all the animal life it supports. Many customers comment on the vitality and aliveness of Avena’s remedies which we contribute to our biodynamic gardening practices and love for the natural world.

We use recycled paper products and soy based inks for our printed material, biodegradable starch packing peanuts and recycled shipping materials. All our kitchen scrapes and unbleached paper towels are composted in our 3-bin composting system along with all the herbs that are used in the making of our extracts, oils and salves. We love our home made compost!

An energy-efficient wood burning furnace is now the sole source of heat for our new medicine-making building, old farmhouse and for our hot water needs. We're very excited to no longer heat with oil! We are planning to install a solar electric system within 3 - 5 years.

The health and well-being of Avena’s staff is integral to our running a sustainable business. Benefits to employees include flex time, yearly allotment of free Avena products, health insurance, weekly staff lunch in summer prepared by the gardening crew, free access to herb classes, and opportunities for continuing education.