Arlena, founder and owner of Zoetic, LLC, grew up with access to endless acres of open land, forest and nourishing spring water in a conscious agricultural and art community in the foothills of the Green Mountains of Vermont. Her active participation in her community, her family’s vegetable garden and early days of wild foraging cultivated her love for plant lore and culinary adventures.
After several childhood visits to the Southwest/Santa Fe area, intrigued by the high desert landscape, divine skies and hardy vegetation here, Arlena returned in 1992 to make this area of Northern New Mexico home.
Arlena founded Ortiz Mountain Herbals in 1994 in the Santa Fe area, creating small batches of botanical spa products and organic fair trade, loose leaf teas and tisane blends. For the last two decades she has branded her own lines of locally sourced, sustainable fresh food spa products, including Ortiz Mountain Herbals, Apache Plume, Nourish, and now ZOETIC. She also offers consultations on greening the self/home and provides revitalization through landscape and Permaculture design.
She is committed to humanitarian shifts beyond self transformation, to be a stand encompassing a holistic, regenerative horizon for all. As a gardener/ permaculturist/ landscaper, herbalist, vegetarian chef, kundalini yoga teacher and mother, Arlena’s days are full of life.