Tonics for Our Times

A Peace Corps stint in Fiji (2014–16) stoked Carissa Davenport’s interest in herbs and medicinal plants. After her herbal mixtures proved popular with friends and family, she took the plunge. Davenport and husband, Adam, started Town Farm Tonics in 2020, a time when “people were so concerned about their health, they really gravitated toward what we were creating,” recalls Carissa. Though they began with loose-leaf teas, they moved into tonics as an easier way to educate the general public that “herbs help our bodies do what they already know how to do,” says Carissa. “They are a very powerful way to support your wellness.”

Thus, their Fire Cider and Elderberry Syrup products were born, and teas are still assembled into a half-dozen blends with names from “Unwind” to “Revive” and “Recover.” They also now own Berry Hill Farm in Westport (reopens in June) and have been selling blueberries while planting an elderberry orchard and a garden of perennial herbs.

“For us, this is an opportunity,” Carissa explains, “to be an engine for good in our community by offering people natural, joyful ways to take better care of themselves.”

For a list of stores or to order online, visit TownFarmTonics.com. Don’t miss more info and recipes using their Elderberry Syrup and Fire Cider.