Belfire Botanicals

written by

kevin Jacobi

posted on

December 12, 2025

About Belfire Botanicals — Susan’s Story

Deep in the Appalachian Mountains of Eastern Tennessee, Belfire Botanicals stands as a testament to passion, craftsmanship, and the quiet strength of one woman dedicated to the healing power of plants. Today, the business is guided by Susan — an herbalist whose skill, intuition, and hands-on experience shine through in every tea, tincture, balm, and remedy she creates.

Belfire Botanicals began as a shared dream between Susan and her late husband. Together, they poured themselves into learning, experimenting, and honoring traditional herbal practices. When he passed, Susan didn’t just inherit a business—she inherited the full body of their work: the books, the notes, the formulas, the lessons learned from years of making remedies side by side. What she also carried forward, though she rarely gives herself enough credit, was her own deep well of knowledge. She had been there for every harvest, every formulation, every small-batch creation. She had the hands, the heart, and the experience to continue the craft — and she did.

With quiet determination and remarkable talent, Susan stepped into the role fully. Today she runs Belfire Botanicals with a blend of respect for tradition and her own confident, intuitive approach to herbal wellness. Each product is still made by hand, in small batches, using high-quality, thoughtfully sourced ingredients. Her teas are calming, her tinctures effective, her salves and balms trusted by loyal customers who know her work is honest and carefully crafted.

But what truly sets Belfire Botanicals apart is Susan herself. She isn’t a big brand or a faceless company — she’s a real herbalist, working daily with the tools, journals, and wildcrafted wisdom that shaped the business from the beginning. She listens to her customers, she studies constantly, and she puts intention into every step of the process. Her commitment to natural health is personal, and it shows.

For anyone seeking plant-based remedies made with authenticity and heart, Belfire Botanicals offers a line of products created by someone who genuinely understands their purpose. Susan’s work honors the past while confidently charting her own path forward — and we’re proud to introduce her to our Land Basket Farm family.

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For Sale Items.

First Draft of Assets for sale. (as of 2 Nov) I will refine as I go. Some assets have caveats - ie I wont sell them till the end.

A Change of Seasons

A Change of Seasons As fall descends upon us with all its glory, leaves of every color fall from the trees and paint the landscape …… the event marks the end of a season well lived and there begins a new season after winter’s rebirth. I recall almost 40 years ago sitting in Botany class learning about how leaves change color and fall from the tree…. The abscission layer – a layer of cells that form in the leaf stem eventually separating the leaf from the life blood of the tree…..& it eventually falls.    Losing Cathy almost 2 years ago was my abscission layer - the beginning of an end……… the end of a beautiful season of life. This will be Land Basket Farm’s final season of operation. I will sell this farm this year or next and likely end up in Texas.  What will I do ?  I will continue to blog & be an advocate for healthier living, I will travel, enjoy the outdoors, run races and be a part of my grandchildren’s lives.  Some of you will look upon this event with sadness, but you should not. It is a change in seasons and comes in many forms for all of us. The era of Land Basket Farm will always bring a smile to my face – the work that Cathy and I did together and the people we connected with along the way. I will miss it all.  Our Final Season and what to expect   We have significant inventory on hand and operations will continue normally through December. Read the newsletters. We will continue attending the Knoxville Market for the rest of this year. Our last market will be December 19. We will not attend the winter market in January, Feb & March. On Farm pick up will be the only fulfillment option in January 2027. I anticipate the website will close ~ Late January depending on sales. We’ll offer more frequent specials this fall. Read the newsletters. The Next Season—and This Blog My most loyal readers know I am passionate about living longer and healthier lives. I am a crusader against sugar and many of the modern aspects of our diet that do not serve us. If you have enjoyed the Land Basket Blog, its journey, and its advocacy, I invite you to join me in the next season: Phase III Life. Finding Health and Happiness Later in Life.   Phase III Life is my new blog that will continue what Land Basket started (all content has been transferred). I will continue write about the things that affect our health, and shed light on topics that help us as we age.   Thank you for being part of this season. I hope you’ll join me for the next.  Ps - The Farms Assets are on the chopping Block - See what's for Sale (first draft) 

with customization by Good Roots