Lesley Assu TRENDSETTER

Lesley Assu, of the Haidi nation, is a local Haidi witch, herbalist and mother of trusts in old world medicine, the plants and spirits of the trees. Lesley was traditionally raised in both Haidi Gwaii and in her father’s community of the We Wai Kai where she developed deep roots to the land and sea. Lesley’s passion for traditional medicine goes beyond her business at Standing Spruce Farm & Apothecary. She is also raising her two children and two nephews with the traditional knowledge and the practice of harvesting medicine, passing her knowledge down to future generations. The future is always top of mind with products developed with sustainability in mind. The farm operates on a zero waste policy, using all aspects of the farm and botanicals in their products including honey which is harvested, and beeswax used by the apothecary in lip balms, remedies, and skin care. 

Lesley is one of the only indigenous Farmers in the territory. She believes that there is a better, more meaningful way to provide food security than large scale/commercial farming. The dream of Standing Spruce began with 4 chickens on a small piece of land. With hard work and determination the growth of Standing Spruce now includes retail on an e-commerce platform, and a small retail store situated on the farm, where you can find farmed goods, Daala’s farm stand, and stocked shelves with all of her creations. The goal is to provide clean ethical food, honey and crops not only for her family but also for friends and for the community. – www.standingspruce.com