BCBusiness

20 P r e c i o u s L a p l a n t e ; illu s t r a t i o n : M a r g i / i S t o c k B C B U S I N E S S . C A J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 5 Jessy Delleman's journey from a rustic upbringing in Daw- son City, Yukon, to esta blishing her successful business, Raven- song Seeds & Herbals, is a testa- ment to her creativity and deep connection to nature. Growing up off-the-grid, without running water and electricit y, Delleman was immersed in the natural world from an early age. Witnessing her mother tending to a garden, foraging wild plants, hunting and fishing ignited her love of plants and self-reliance and set the base for her future career. "I had this sense of belong- ing in nature," Delleman recalls, "which I think was the founda- tion for what I'm doing now." At 12 years old, she relocated with her family to Agassiz. In her early adulthood, she stud- ied horticulture and art, but it wasn't until she landed an opportunity to take care of a piece of land on the Saan- ich Peninsula that she felt her true calling. "Being on a piece of land and working with nature rekindled that sense of connection that I had as a kid," she says. In 2008, Delleman took her first steps toward entre- preneurship by selling plants at a local farmers market. This later evolved into growing and selling seeds on the Island, and Delleman simultaneously began to make herbal products in the form of tinctures and salves to share with her community. Around the same time, she also started to teach medi- cine-making. Inspired by her mother's knowledge of natu- ral medicine and teachings from First Nations elders, she delved into the world of herb- alism, continuously expanding her understanding through courses, self-study, wildcrafting and years of tending to the land. As her business flourished, Delleman diversified her offer- ings into plant starters and herbal products; she also began hosting workshops and providing one-on-one herbal medicine support. In 2015, she established her signature eight-month Herbal Apprentice- ship Program, solidifying her role as a mentor in the herbal THE HERBAL ENTREPRENEUR The roots of Jessy Delleman's Vancouver Island business can be traced back to her childhood in the Yukon wilderness by Riley Webster S M A L L T O W N S U C C E S S community. "It's one thing to create high-quality products that you feel good about, but when you teach somebody how to do that, it then trickles out into the community," she says. It was that same year when Harmony Pillon joined the Ravensong team as an appren- tice. Delleman and Pillon have worked together since, building the business, taking care of the land and teaching the appren- ticeship program together. Now, 100 percent of Raven- song's herbs are grown, gath- ered and ethically foraged by the duo, and all of the products are crafted in small batches. Each seed and plant is grown using organic practices, without pesticides, chemicals or GMOs. "Growing and gathering the herbs ourselves guarantees our first-hand knowledge of qua- lity and sustainability," shares Delleman. "Our mission is to supply people with seeds and herbal medicines of the highest standard—both medicinally and environmentally." Shor tly after Delleman moved to her own piece of land on the Island, the COVID- 19 pandemic hit and her online sales increased due to a rising demand for seeds. "The inte- rest and inspiration to learn h o m e s t e a d i n g , g a rd e n i n g and holistic health increased with some people having more time to learn," Delle- man explains. "Others were driven by a need to be more self-reliant and some people were more inclined to seek alternative health products and have more agency in their own health and wellness." Despite the rapid growth, Delleman remains committed to maintaining the integrity and quality of her products and teachings. So, while her transi- tion to e-commerce boosted her ability to access a wider cus- tomer base, she's determined to stay true to her mission of help- ing individuals connect with the healing potential of nature. "I don't want to grow this business too big," she says, after sharing that she has two employees and summer interns every year. "I want the heart to still be in it." " I had this sense of belonging in nature, which I think was the foundation for what I'm doing now."

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