Hello and welcome! I’m Reana Kim, the farmer and herbalist behind Black Rabbit Farm Apothecary. My herbalism work grew out of years of work in the conservation and food policy space, as well as a commitment to community support. The apothecary (and my mutual aid seed sharing program, Share a Seed) first started as a means to help and heal during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the pressure of the pandemic eased, the apothecary grew. In 2023, my partner and I decided to make room for that growth, and moved from DC to New Mexico to start the farm.

Choosing the name and image of a black rabbit for the farm apothecary comes from my partner’s Korean heritage. 2023 was a big year for us - we got married, decided to buy a home, and I decided to start my journey toward becoming a full-time farmer and herbalist. In Korean astrology, each year has a corresponding animal, element, and color. 2023 was the Year of the Water Rabbit and the color associated with water in Korean mythology is black.

I believe that there are equal parts science and magic in nature and am what would be called a Strega in my Italian culture, or a Hedge Witch in some Western European ones. The “hedge” in Hedge Witch historically referenced both a literal border between civilization and the wilderness and a metaphoric/metaphysical boundary between the known and the unknown. Those known as Hedge Witches were typically female healers who lived just outside of a town, past the hedge. Hedge Witches were revered (and sometimes feared) for their knowledge of plants and natural curatives and their connection to the magic and mystery that resides in all living things. The dualism of science and magic is embodied in everything I do on the farm and each product I create for the apothecary.

If you’ve read this far, thank you! I hope you find your own bit of magic at Black Rabbit Farm Apothecary.