Charles J. Riffenburg III is a dedicated and rigorously trained philosopher and herbalist based in Vermont, whose work bridges deep academic study, hands-on herbal craft, and passionate advocacy for health sovereignty.

Raised in Castleton, Vermont, Charles holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Religion, with a minor in Political Science, from Flagler College (St. Augustine, Florida). His early professional development included managing Old City Remedies, an herb shop housed within the Nation’s Oldest Drugstore, as well as an intensive one-year apprenticeship under Laurence Layne at Healing Waters Clinic & Herb Shop. These formative experiences provided not only practical herbalist skills but also deep insight into herbal therapeutics, client care, and the culture of medicinal plant tradition. He also served as the Area Sales Representative for Nutraceutical Corp for four years, where he acquired broad expertise in the natural products and supplement industry.

Complementing his foundational work, Charles has pursued advanced herbal studies through the East West School of Herbology (Planetary Herbology) and the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism. His training spans botany, wildcrafting, clinical herbalism, nutrition, product formulation, and plant energetics. He has completed 2 years (over 1,000 educational hours) at the VCIH, received his family herbalist certification, and many specialized workshops: including wild-mushroom foraging, botanical identification with Arthur Haines, and formal programs such as Herb Pharm’s online modules.

Charles is an award-winning herbal products formulator. At the International Herb Symposium, he earned recognition in 2015 for his Four Mushroom Immune Complex and again in 2017 for Sweet Fern Cough Syrup, underscoring his commitment to combining tradition, craftsmanship, and scientific rigor.

In 2018 Charles launched his own herbal product line, and in April 2020 founded Rogue Herbalist Academy & Apothecary, which serves both as a hub for high-quality herbal formulations and as a center for education—teaching herbal medicine, wildcrafting, phytochemistry, and empowering individuals to engage proactively with their health.

Key Competencies and Commitments

• Extensive training and hands-on experience in herbal medicine, wildcrafting, botanical identification, clinical practice, and product development.

• A philosophy rooted in integrating ancient herbal traditions (Western herbalism, Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine) with modern scientific understanding.

• Deep commitment to health freedom: educating the public, promoting transparent herbal formulations, and advocating for the right of individuals to make informed, natural health choices.

• A practitioner and educator who values local, sustainable sourcing, ecological awareness, and respectful relationships to plant medicines.

In addition to his academic training, he is also a student of the East West School of Planetary Herbology and the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism. He has taken numerous classes in nutrition, herbalism, and wildcrafting. In 2015, he won an herbal product award at the International Herb Symposium, and another award in 2017. He is an avid wildcrafter and is committed to promoting the health freedom of all people. In 2018, he launched his herbal product line, and in April 2020, he launched the Rogue Herbalist Academy & Apothecary.