Business recently moved to a new location in Oswego
By Stefan Yablonski
Earlier this summer, The Organic Earthling moved from downtown Oswego to the city’s eastern edge — the Lowe’s Plaza, 437 State Route 104.
Owner and managing partner Lindsay Gaffney is considering an even bigger move — taking the business nationwide.
“I’ve had several business owners in the past couple of weeks approach me asking if we were interested in developing it into a franchise,” she said. “So we’re in the research and development phase to create the easiest ways to be able to duplicate what we do across the nation.”
An herbalist, certified in plant medicine through Cornell University, Gaffney’s currently studying for her doctorate in naturopathy through Kingdom College of Natural Health.
“I expect to complete my doctorate studies by 2027,” she said.
She studied graphic design and fine art at Mohawk Valley Community College. While studying fine art, artistic anatomy is what sparked her love and fascination with the intricately woven workings of the human body.
“Building my personal library, I engaged in a self-study of anatomy and physiology providing a foundational grasp on the working mechanisms of the human body,” she explained.
She and her husband, James, opened their business in August 2020 in Oswego. It included chemical-free bath and body products, organic groceries, herbal supplements and CBD products.
“We want to educate the community in ways to eliminate toxins to improve better health outcomes. We understand that true health isn’t about a magic pill. There are many contributing factors to overall success,” she said.
On Earth Day 2021, they opened the café portion of The Organic Earthling serving whole fruit smoothies, fresh juice, frozen yogurt, salads and more.
“We’ve crushed it with customer reviews, collecting a remarkable 100% 5 stars on Google during our past four years of service. That’s a testament to the efficacy of our products and our knack for treating each customer like a cherished member of our family,” James agreed. “Ours is a small business the community stands behind in support.”
Lindsay built a general understanding of retail sales while employed at Kay Jewelers. While others dreaded corporate training, Gaffney volunteered to attend meetings to learn techniques and methods of effective sales.
There she met her future husband and managing partner of the Organic Earthling, James.
On the first day of spring in 2017, with two children (Jacob, 14 and Jeremiah, 11), the Gaffney family moved into its newly purchased 13-acre home in Mexico. One of her first priorities was how to best utilize the yard, field and forest of the property. She eagerly engaged in self-study of homesteading and forging for edibles.
“Many edible plants have medicinal benefits. I began to explore those values,” she said. ”I learned the basics of making tinctures, drying herbs and other methods of preservation to utilize resources from the land.”
She has “a strong heart for teaching” and explored possibilities to become a teacher with focus in sciences. That desire intensified when she worked for Mexico Academy Central Schools as a substitute teacher. She was requested by name by the head of the science department consistently because of her dedication to teaching and effective methods conveying lessons to the students.
Life-changing event
The event that inspired them to develop The Organic Earthling was the bleed of James’ brain tumor. Sending excruciating pain and pressure across his head and neck, his brain cavity pooled with blood. An emergency MRI realized their worst fears — a medical team helped prepare them for brain surgery. Two scheduled surgeries were canceled out of health concerns.
He was bed-ridden — in very poor health.
“This set in motion my desire to study and research herbal remedies and nutritional solutions to improve his health with the ultimate goal of surgery,” she explained. “Out of desperation, feeling as though we were running out of options, we began to explore natural remedies.”
Gradually his health improved to the point where six months later, after making diet changes and incorporating medicinal herbs —when preparing for surgery — the next MRI showed that the tumor had shrunk substantially. The neurosurgeon no longer recommended brain surgery.
“The core foundational piece to our success, the anchor that helps us to weather the storms and carries us through challenges, strengthening our resolve, is faith in God. He’s guided every area of my life to make me who I am today; I trust Him to lead me further in the way I should go,” she said.
After completing her doctoral studies, Lindsay wants to open a natural wellness clinic to help guide people in natural health solutions tailored to individual health history.
“My last long-term goal — when I set up my clinical practice, perfect it and establish it as the trusted way to integrate herbal medicine and natural health solutions into various health protocols — I plan to duplicate and train other teams of health professionals across the nation as a branded, trusted, reliable source of heath practices. There are many naturopathic doctors, but you never really know what to expect — are they going to be a quack?” she said. “That’s why I think in a culture growing in interest in natural health solutions, it’s more important than ever to establish a standard.”
In her spare time, she loves to read and study. She enjoys singing and dancing; spending time in the garden and connecting with nature, hiking and forging for wild edibles.
“I love serving the community in Oswego and am grateful for its valued support of this growing supplement company, The Organic Earthling,” she said.
