About Us

Community Care Apothecary is a queer & neurodivergent family owned herb shop in downtown Florence, MA. In addition to carrying a wide selection of over 100 organic bulk herbs, we proudly offer a full line up of our very own small batch medicinal teas, tinctures, salves, syrups, alcohol free extracts, natural bath & body products, eco-friendly home & garden supplies, care packages and seasonal herb boxes.

Many of the herbs featured in our extracts are grown in our luscious herb gardens located in the valley, as well as other local small scale organic herb farmers such as Fox Trot Farm, Sawmill Herb Farm, the generous folks at Paradise Lot and Meeting House Farm Collective. 

Since opening our doors in 2021, we've had the opportunity to put deep roots down in our new community while cultivating supportive relationships with our neighbors, local families and fellow community gardeners & farmers down the road at Grow Food Northampton. Slow and steady, we are settling in to the rhythm of the seasons, year by year, harvest by harvest and building upon this solid foundation to have herbal supports ready for you when you need them most. 

We offer full length clinical consultations, regular monthly herbal support workshops, youth programs, private herbcrafting parties/team appreciation events and starting in spring of 2024, our level one apprenticeship, Herbalism Through the Wheel of the Year. 

Local and wanting to stop by? We're here 5 days a week with a fresh pot of tea on waiting to meet you! For our community spread out far and wide, we happily ship within the US and offer virtual consultations & workshops. To stay in the know about classes, community events, herb walks, garden parties, new products, apothecary happenings and the Cat Pic(k) of the Month, sign up for our monthly newsletter or follow us on instagram @communitycareapothecary

We look forward to connecting with you!

xoxo the CCA fam

Reede Haroian LaRose (they/them) - Herbalist, Formula Maker & Shopkeeper

Reede weaves in their experience of integrative health care, where they specialized in chronic pain management, trauma informed pelvic & abdominal therapy, injury & rehabilitation and fertility, prenatal & postpartum support for more than a decade before opening the shop. In addition to time spent in the treatment room doing manual therapies, supporting pregnant folks as a full spectrum doula and educator has been a meaningful part of their practice for many years.

As a later in life identified Autistic nonbinary trans person, they are especially enthusiastic about connecting with fellow LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, chronically ill and disabled folks who will benefit from working with an herbalist that shares these significant identities which are often times not understood or met with care. They are a parent, artist, lifelong green witch, story teller and cultural worker. 

You'll often find Reede pining over their cats, smothering plant babies in their ancestral herb garden, nerding out and talking about all things Armenian.  

Naomi (she/her) - Shop Assistant 

Anoush Rose - Public Relations shop cat

Ella Maudel - Marketing Director

 

Friends of CCA rocking our queercrafted herbal t-shirts in our first year: from left to right - Pampi, Koko, Reede, Olivia, Leila & Em, in a gorgeous food forest stewarded with love and care at Paradis Lot in Holyoke, MA.