Thyme

Steady herbal warmth and subtle notes of lemon and mint make thyme one of the kitchen’s most dependable herbs. Revered in rustic European cooking, it deepens soups, roasted meats, vegetables, sauces, and slow-cooked dishes with quiet savory depth. Beginning in the 1790s, the Shakers cultivated “sweet herbs”—culinary herbs valued for their flavor and fragrance—alongside a far larger variety of medicinal plants. Basil, dill, marjoram, oregano, parsley, sage, and thyme remain among the earliest cultivated culinary herbs in the Shaker tradition and have long been foundational in the Shaker Village herb tradition. Known for careful craftsmanship and disciplined agricultural practices, the Shakers were among the first in America to cultivate, dry, package, and distribute herbs on a large commercial scale during this period. These traditional culinary herbs helped extend the usefulness and variety of foods in the years before refrigeration, while Shaker methods of harvesting and preservation made them available for year-round use. Bundles of dried herbs prepared for kitchens and apothecaries alike became an enduring part of Shaker industry and daily life in America. Shaker communities became widely respected for the integrity, consistency, and dependable quality of their dried herbs, which were distributed through an extensive seed and herb trade throughout the nineteenth century. Continuing that tradition of small-batch preparation and traditional craftsmanship, we are pleased to offer a variety of culinary herbs, herbal seasonings, spices, and botanical blends that bring the Shakers’ rich heritage of herbal knowledge into modern kitchens by elevating everyday recipes to delicious gourmet cooking.