Bioregional Herbalism Apprenticeship

Register by 1/15 for an Early Bird Discount

Learn to follow the seasons as an herbalist! In this apprenticeship program we will integrate our bodies with the bodies of the land and learn what plant medicine can look like on seven acres in New England. We will follow the whole path of herbal medicine from seed, to harvest, to jar, to body.

We’ll learn from and work with three main areas of the farm: the woodland edges, weeds in the fields, and the herb garden we’ll tend.

Daily flow:

Each month we’ll start by walking the land, baskets in hand. We’ll take note of the plants that are thriving and those that need extra care. We’ll harvest those that are abundant and at their peak and bring them back to our medicine-making house where we’ll process them and infuse them in oil, vinegar, alcohol, honey, and more.

As we scrub roots and strip leaves we’ll learn all about the medicine of the plants we are working with. Who is this plant, and how can we work with them? What is their chemistry, and what are their traditional uses? How are they best extracted? Who are they best for, and who would do better with other plants?

We will balance hands-on learning with lessons on the foundations of herbalism so that we can build a stronger understanding of the ways plants interact with bodies in general.

Possible monthly flow:

March

• Projects:
  • wild weed pesto
  • violet syrup
• Lessons:
  • starting herbs from seed (very different from vegetables!)
  • intro to plant ID
  • intro to human physiology
• Focus herbs: violet, nettle, cleavers

April

• Projects:
  • digestive bitters
  • herbal “coffee”
• Lessons:
  • tincture making
  • propogating herbs from cutting and division
  • regulating the digestive system
• Focus herbs: dandelion, yellow dock, horseradish

May

• Projects:
  • oxymels
  • flower essences
• Lessons:
  • the medicine of different plant families – working with a plant by knowing who they’re related to
  • low-till perennial gardening
  • cardiovascular wellness
• Focus herbs: hawthorn, rose, elder flower

June

• Projects:
  • fresh herb tea blending
  • hydrosols
• Lessons:
  • herbal energetics
  • working with weeds
  • sleep, energy, and circadian rhythms
• Focus herbs: St. John’s wort, motherwort, anise hyssop

July

• Projects:
  • infused oils
  • elixirs
• Lessons:
  • herbal chemistry
  • effective extraction of plant constituents
  • regulating mood and stress
• Focus herbs: lemon balm, lavender, anise hyssop

August

• Projects:
  • electuaries
  • infused honey
• Lessons:
  • connecting with our own ancestral plant lineages
  • drying and storing herbs for optimal freshness
  • herbal first aid
• Focus herbs: thyme, calendula, yarrow

September

• Projects:
  • double extraction tincture
  • salves
• Lessons:
  • tincture formulation: parts and proportions for an effective formula
  • fall perennial care
  • allergies, hypersensitivity, and inflammation
• Focus herbs: goldenrod, New England aster, elderberries

October’

• Projects:
  • vegetable fermentation
  • wild basket weaving
• Lessons:
  • herbal safety in pregnancy + lactation
  • herb-drug interactions
  • the gut microbiome and how to regulate it
• Focus herbs: cattail, garlic, marshmallow

November

• Projects:
  • syrups
  • medicinal broth
• Lessons:
  • building a home apothecary
  • colds, flu, and COVID
  • integrating our learning this year
• Focus herbs: burdock, elecampane, eleuthero

The Details:

• Sundays:
  • March 29th
  • April 26th
  • May 31st
  • June 28th
  • July 26th
  • August 30th
  • September 27th
  • October 18th
  • November 22nd
• 11am-5pm
• Tiered pricing:
  • Receive a gift: $850 before 1/15, $1000 after
  • Actual cost: $1050 before 1/15, $1200 after
  • Pay it forward: $1250 before 1/15, $1400 after
• +$100 materials fee for your take home apothecary
• New to sliding scale? Learn more here
• Register here!