Exploring Appalachia with Lauren of Must Love Herbs

I’m delighted to welcome Lauren of Must Love Herbs to the podcast. Lauren brings into sharp focus an area I haven’t explored enough here: the many distinct regional subcultures within the United States. Appalachia — often pronounced “Appa-LATCH-uh” — is one of those rich cultural regions with its own landscape, music, accents, foodways, and deep-rooted traditions. Lauren’s Instagram has grown rapidly because of her warm, sunlit photos and videos that celebrate ancestral gardening skills and herbal knowledge. She also bakes and decorates charming cakes, bread, and pastries with delicate edible florals and meticulously crafted mushroom designs. As an ambassador for Appalachian life, Lauren draws on generations of family experience — her people have lived on their land for more than 200 years.

If your picture of Appalachia is vague or shaped by stereotypes, Lauren’s conversation offers a clearer, more compassionate perspective. Through personal stories and thoughtful reflection she reveals the resilience, creativity, and community-oriented values that define many Appalachian families. Her voice makes apparent how much of this knowledge is inherited: gardening techniques, herbal remedies, recipes, and the social ways that keep neighbors connected and supported.

Lauren’s warmth is impossible to miss — she really is a ray of sunshine. I’m thrilled to introduce her and the traditions she carries forward.

Highlights

• Who counts as an Appalachian and what that identity means today
• Regional differences in Appalachian foodways and cooking traditions
• Lauren’s father — a musician from Appalachia who doesn’t fit the bluegrass stereotype
• What’s thriving in her garden this season (including impressive Market More cucumbers)
• Her favorite medicinal herbs and how she uses them
• “Big Daddy” — Lauren’s grandfather and earliest garden teacher
• Pros and cons of growing up close to family and staying near home
• Community care in Appalachia: “they don’t let you struggle alone”
• Preserving and sharing ancestral knowledge rather than taking credit for it
• Melvana — the woman who purchased the family land in 1900
• A bear that once tried to get to an apple pie
• Why herbalism feels private and personal to Lauren
• Simple herbal recommendations for anxiety and everyday complaints
• What a “holler” is and why it matters to place identity
• Gender roles in traditional Appalachian life and how they’re changing
• Questions of aesthetic: is there a recognizable Appalachian look?
• Belonging and mobility — can you “join” Appalachia or do you only leave?

Listen to Lauren Now

This episode features a relaxed, story-driven conversation that moves between practical gardening tips, herbal remedies, and family lore. The interview is ideal for listeners curious about Appalachian culture, small-scale gardening, and the ways traditional knowledge is passed down through generations.

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Lauren’s Storied Recipe: Kilt Lettuce Appalachian Salad

Lauren’s featured recipe on this episode is the Kilt Lettuce Appalachian Salad — a simple, seasonal salad that highlights what’s fresh from the garden and the regional approach to greens and dressings. Read the full recipe and background on the original recipe page.

Kilt Lettuce Appalachian Salad — recipe and story

How To Contact Lauren

Website: MustLoveHerbs.com

Instagram: @mustloveherbs

Facebook: Must Love Herbs

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