Registration is closed for this event
Join us for 14 full-day sessions over 7 weekends to delve into the world of herbalism from May through November. This course will cover the foundations of herbalism, medicinal herb gardening, processing and preserving, and making plant remedies.

Plants and humans have always had a close relationship. Generations upon generations of humans have relied on the plant world for food, medicine, shelter, and much more.

It is only recently that humans have grown separated from the landbase and from the natural world. We have forgotten what the plant world has to teach and to offer us. Luckily the plants are all around us, just waiting to be discovered again. This Herbal Intensive course is an invitation to do just that. It is an invitation to re-enter the world of plants and their medicinal uses, to regain the knowledge that was once shared by everyone and hopefully one day will be again. 

During the course of this intensive, participants will spend one weekend each month to learn a hands on approach to herbalism. With a focus on doing and creating, students will participate in all aspects of plant use and medicine making, including gardening and growing the plants we will be using, foraging for wild varieties, understanding the body systems and plant families and how they interact, plant preparation, medicine making and medicine application.

Students can expect some light homework assignments and discussion via email in between scheduled class weekends. Students should come to class ready to participate in all aspects of plant propagation and medicine making. Students can expect to leave this class with a basic working knowledge of a variety of plants and trees that can be grown or wild harvested for use as medicine and a solid understanding of how to do so. 

This class will be held in our historic Summer Kitchen and as well as the gardens, field, and forest of the Horn Farm Center.

Expectations of the students in this course:

  • Please be present! Ability to attend each of the dates listed below is ideal.
  • There will be homework (including reading assignments and research) to further advance your study. Be prepared to spend 1-2 hours each month outside of class.
  • Be prepared to participate and get your hands dirty! This is very much a hands-on experience.

Students outcomes:

  • Basic understanding of the connection between herbal practices and the human body systems
  • Broadened awareness of the self in relation to the natural world
  • Reconnecting to lost skills and knowledge
  • Practical skills to make tinctures, teas, salves, poultices, shampoo, and plant remedies
  • Practical skills of processing and preserving herbs
  • Students will leave the course having crafted their own herbal medicine kit
  • Medicinal herb gardening - Plant propagation, planting and maintenance, soil health
  • Students will have the option of helping to maintain onsite herb garden between classes
  • Foraging basics - ID, harvest, usage, and seasonal availability of local wild plants

WHEN: Classes will be held on the third weekend of the month on both Saturday and Sunday from 9am-4pm  

  • May 18-19
  • June 15-16
  • July 20-21
  • August 17-18
  • September 21-22
  • October 19-20
  • November 16-17

What to bring:

  • A notebook
  • Lunch, snacks, and water
  • Clothing appropriate for being outside in all weather 
  • Gardening gloves

COST: The fee for this course is $950 per student. You may pay in full at registration or secure your spot with a deposit. A payment plan is available to pay the balance in four monthly payments. The deposit is non-refundable after April 15 unless we are able to fill your spot. 

Register early, class size is limited to 12 participants.

About the instructor:
 
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This course is being led by Natasha Herr. Natasha is a local herbalist and naturalist who has studied the natural world for many years. She has had the great fortune to learn from several incredible teachers, including Sarah Preston, and Katie Singer, author of The Garden of Fertility. Currently she works at The Susquehanna Waldorf School as a kindergarten assistant. She is an avid gardener and was co-owner of an ecological landscaping company for five years. Natasha writes for The Year of Black Clothing blog, the What is That Tiny Buffalo blog, and is the author of Liminal: A Novella, published through Black and Green Press. Her passion is sharing her love of the natural world with others.

Header photo by Michelle Johnson Photography.

 

 

 
When
May 18th, 2019 9:00 AM to November 17th, 2019 4:00 PM
Event Fee(s)
Herbal Intensive $950.00
Deposit $100.00