Today we’d like to introduce you to Shannon Mulligan-Mayernik.
Shannon, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I had been working the 9-5 grind for quite a few years when a co-worker of mine invited me to a herbal class at a local apothecary in NY State. I had never worked with plant medicine before but a night out with a friend was something I’d never pass up. It was in that class, taught by my now friend and mentor, Robin Rose Bennett, that I fell in love with plant medicine. Yes, it took just one class and I was hooked. I started reading books, taking classes, and eventually starting a business based on the idea that plants can be medicine and I wanted to share that with everyone.
In 2015, Mayernik Kitchen LLC was started and I am proud to say, we just celebrated 7 years in business. It was a slow transition while my husband, Matt and I worked out exactly what we wanted to do with the business. We’ve had plenty of failures and many successes and in 2018, I left my 9-5 corporate job and started a new, part-time job at a local farm, working in the greenhouses, where I was then able to give a lot more time and energy to Mayernik Kitchen.
Mayernik Kitchen is an herbal apothecary, located in Pompton Plains, NJ. We offer a wide range of plant medicines from herbs we grow on our herb farm located in Sussex County, NJ. We grow over 60+ medicinal herbs, forage for those we don’t grow, and support other organic farms around the world for plants that don’t grow here in NJ.
We opened our brick and mortar in December 2020 and also ship nationwide.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
To be honest, I don’t think the road is smooth! We hit many bumps along the way, but I think that makes us a stronger company.
When Mayernik Kitchen was first started, I was still working full time so let’s say MK was my side hustle. I’d work the 9-5 grind and then come home and start on Mayernik Kitchen. I’d be making products into the evening and packing orders any chance I got. I’m not going to say it was the hardest thing in the world, but it was not fun. The 9-5 was dragging me down and so that was when I had to decide to leave a job with steady pay, benefits, and paid time off. That part was hard!
Thankfully, I landed a job at a local farm where I was able to work part-time and that helped me to continually grow Mayernik Kitchen. I was no longer packing orders at 10 p.m. to ship the next day! In October 2020, I left the farm to pursue Mayernik Kitchen full-time.
I think with any business, there are going to be hard days, and some really easy days. Those hard days allow you to see the potential you have to keep on going.
The one challenge we faced was opening up a retail space in the middle of a global pandemic. We all had experiences with shipping issues and shortages of building materials so trying to build out a commercial kitchen was not the easiest and took a lot longer than it would have if we started today, but it was so worth it.
What we offer to our community and those around the country was needed at that time, so even though it was hard, for us, the timing was perfect.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Here at Mayernik Kitchen, our main focus is plant medicine. Now you may be wondering, what is plant medicine? Plant Medicine is an alternative to your everyday over-the-counter meds that we make with plants growing both on our farm and in our backyard. We are your local pharmacy!
We farm over 60 medicinal herbs that we use in our products. For those products we do not grow, we forage locally or source organically from other farms. We have created over 100 different products in the past 7+ years that we offer both in our shop as well as ship nationwide.
A few of the plant medicines we create include Elderberry Syrup, Fire Tonics, tinctures, salves, hydrosols, flower essences, teas, and much more. We also offer classes and workshops for those who want to learn about plant medicine.
Not only do we teach about plant medicine and the benefits of including herbalism in your everyday life, but we also love to teach about growing, harvesting, and preserving the herbs you may be growing. We offer a 10-month herbal apprenticeship which takes you from seed to harvest and then preparation. This 10-month program is for anyone interested in growing herbs, at any capacity. Our 2024 waitlist is now available to sign up for!
I think the one thing that makes us stand out is we are an open book. We have years of knowledge and it would be a disservice to you and our community if we kept that to ourselves. We share it all! What we know, we want you to know, so you can pass it along to the next person. That is the way the community is created and folk methods are preserved.
What matters most to you?
What matters most to me is that folks are aware of other options. It is all too often we hear “I never knew this existed”. Our job as herbalists and plant medicine makers is to make our products & preparations available for all. It is also our job to teach others, whether that’s about the plants growing out of their backdoor or about ways to substitute a healthier lifestyle with plant medicine.
This was all that was available many years ago, and somewhere we lost the connection to the earth and what it provides. There’s no better time than now to get back to our roots and learn the way of the past.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mayernikkitchen.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayernikkitchen
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mayernikkitchennj
Image Credits
Laura Lee Photography
