Organizing Herbal Blogs

Wow! 

It is incredible how many fabulous herbal blogs there are out there! It wasn't that long ago when there were just a handful of blogs to read. 

Don't know what I am talking about? You'll have to check out my attempt at listing all the herbal blogs in one location. 

I have had a plethora of wonderful feedback about this project, from readers eager to seek out new herbal information to bloggers thrilled at the increase in their visiting stats. 

By far the most common comment is, "how do I read all these blogs?" 

Well, I can't tell you how to increase the hours in your day, but I can offer some advice on how to organize it all by using an RSS feeder. 

If you are already familiar with an RSS feeder then this will be nothing new to you. If you aren't aware of this free handy software, read on. 

There are many free RSS reader softwares to choose from. I've only used Vienna, but I am guessing that most of these work the same. 

You can find a listing of free RSS reader software for macs here. 

If you are using a windows-based machine you can find a listing of RSS feeders here. 

Here's why I LOVE it. 

I copy and paste blogs I want to follow into my Vienna reader. When I open the software (or hit refresh), it automatically loads any new blog posts for all my blog subscriptions. This allows me to easily see who has recently written a new blog post. 

But here's the best part - the search feature! 

Let's say I want to learn more about stinging nettle. I can type this plant into the search function (perhaps using its binomial, Urtica dioica). Vienna searches all of my subscribed blogs and then compiles a list of articles that mention Stinging Nettle. 

Now I have a large list of contemporary herbal writers and their thoughts on Stinging Nettle.

Found an article you love? Don't forget to visit the blog and let the writer know. We bloggers love comments.  

And yes, the fact this is really exciting to me does make me an herbal nerd. I am aware. 

So load up your RSS reader and enjoy all those blogs! 

Do you have a way to organize your herbal blog reading? Please share in the comments! 

Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Healand co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild and has taught thousands of students through her online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.