Sarah Shelton-James never expected to become a farmer. For 15 years, she worked as a veterinary technician, always drawn to animals and the outdoors but never imagined that tending to plants would one day become central to her life. But in 2020, when the pressures of work at the veterinary clinic collided with the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sarah found herself needing relief. She always loved her job, but the stressors of the work environment were beginning to take a serious toll on her mental, emotional, and physical health. Sarah decided to go the natural route before taking any pharmaceuticals, which led her to an herbalist, and to Tulsi tea. 

Tulsi is an herb known for its stress relief and anti-inflammatory effects. After three to four weeks of drinking the tea on her morning commute to work, Sarah noticed that although her work environment had not changed, she had. Her stress levels had greatly diminished, and she was able to perform her job effectively without feeling frazzled and drained by the day’s end. This personal breakthrough sparked something within her.

After experiencing the benefits of Tulsi firsthand, she began experimenting with tea blends by researching herbs, testing combinations, and crafting recipes at home. What started as a personal exploration quickly grew into a passion, and by September of 2021, she launched BWG Herbal Teas with the help of her husband, Joe. As a self‑proclaimed “country kid” and daughter of a Master Gardener, Sarah has an innate tenderness and curiosity for the natural world. So with her business afoot, Sarah realized she could take control over the quality and freshness of her ingredients and began growing her own herbs right there on her family's land in Casscoe, Arkansas.

“To me, bloom with grace means bloom where you’re planted,” she explained. “You can find joy where you are and do small things well, right now.” 

It is a philosophy that shaped her business and relationship with the land and a reminder to herself when challenges would arise.

Sarah had the instinct for growing and was honing her expertise day by day. She said her first year of farming herbs was deceptively easy, remarking that Tulsi loved the Arkansas heat and humidity. But when she branched out to more herbs, eventually taking on more than 30 varieties, she realized on the challenge she took on. 

Sarah explained that every herb grows differently, and since most medicinal herb guides are written for northern climates, she had to learn southern herb production largely through trial and error. Drying herbs added a whole new challenge. They must be dried around 80 degrees with airflow and low humidity, something that is hard to achieve in an Arkansas summer. After she lost batches, her brother helped her build a drying shed, complete with a commercial-grade dehumidifier. 

Slowly, her operation transformed into a carefully curated farm. But there were still obstacles to overcome. She had drainage issues with her soil, and she needed guidance on nutrient and pest management. If Sarah wanted to fully actualize her dreams for her tea farm and have the financial and technical means to do so, she needed a helping hand. That’s when she turned to Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Sarah visited the DeWitt Field Service Center and was immediately met with open-minded and enthusiastic staff ready to support a non-traditional specialty crop farmer. With their assistance, Sarah was granted an Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) contract that afforded her a high tunnel, which extended her growing season and increased yields especially for more sensitive annuals. She was also approved for a solar-powered pump and drip irrigation system, which drastically reduced labor, improved plant health, and freed her from manually watering her crops or relying on family to help when she is away. 

“(The DeWitt Field Service Center) had never seen anything like what I was trying to do, but they were eager and willing to learn with me,” Sarah explained. “I wouldn’t be where I am without (NRCS). Their help has been a game changer.”

That willingness mattered. As a beginning farmer, Sarah didn’t know exactly what she needed, only that she wanted to steward her land responsibly and grow herbs more efficiently. With the guidance of Arkansas County District Conservationist Marshall Handcock and other NRCS staff, Sarah worked through the conservation planning process identifying soil, drainage, and infrastructure needs she had never considered.

Much of what Sarah was already doing aligned with conservation principles, even before she knew it. She used compost, chicken litter, and organic fertilizers to enrich her soil. She experimented with cover crops like red clover and buckwheat to reduce compaction and add nutrients. She planted pollinator-friendly rows of herbs and other native plant species and eventually added honeybees to her farm.

“I didn’t realize a lot of the things we were doing were conservation,” she said. “You can do small things that help a lot.”

This is especially true when it comes to BWG Herbal Teas. Through the years of growing her business and perfecting her craft, she’s learned that one cup of tea can change a person. At spring meet-and-greet events, customers approached her with heartfelt stories of health and lifestyle changes because of her tea.

“People have stopped me just to thank me for my teas,” she said. “One lady had chronic nausea and said my blend Belly Bliss was the only thing that helped her.” 

If anything, she hopes her teas encourage people to pause. 

“I hope tea reminds people to slow down, breathe, and enjoy what they’re drinking,” she said. “Even the ritual signals your brain: it’s time to chill out.”

Sarah’s personal connection to her craft and clientele shows up in the way she dreams of her business’s future. She intends to further experiment with different tea blends, expand her retail and wholesale reach, and maintain involvement and wellness advocacy within her community, without losing sight of what success means to her, and in some ways, that means staying small on purpose.

“I measure success in smiles that I get when people taste the quality and benefits in my tea. We’ve grown our food as organically as possible and I want to keep that up, keep it natural,” Sarah explained. 

She does not express interest in expanding her acreage but rather hopes to maximize the use of the land she has now. And indeed, she has accomplished a lot on a quarter acre of land.

“You don’t have to be big to do big things”, Sarah stated. “You can make an impact right where you are.”

Bloom with Grace is living proof of this.