April
SATURDAY
Make salve and customize it for specific conditions. Cover infused oil and various salve techniques, uses, pro and cons. Demos, black cancer and aromatherapy salves. Make Sting /Bite Clay Remedy. Edible Plant ID of wild and garden herbs, Create Plant Presses and discuss history and use, Herbariums and botanical history. Take herb garden and woods tours. Discuss principles of Plant Energetics. Herbal Botany, Wild Edible Herb books and references, Websites and supply sources, newsletter resources.
After class option: watch DVD Numen, the Nature of Plants about herbs and herbalists. Then, option to hang out at fire pit.
SUNDAY
Wild Herb short walk on historic stagecoach road to Bear River, ID 35 medicinal and edible plants and cover uses. Plant list with botanical names provided. Wildcraft herbs. Start your Plant ID Notebook. Discuss medicine-making, different ideas about herbal applications, plant related ecology, ethnobotany and botany. Meet with Bee Man Al to discuss venom therapy. Cover recipes and ideas for edible potluck next month and more resources. Provide wildcrafting guidelines with different viewpoints.
After class option: Early dinner at nearby restaurant.
May
SATURDAY
Cover tincture making including advanced techniques that include percolation, spagyrics and their development with pros and cons of each. Collect and ID herbs to make Tinctures and Glycerites and Medicated Wine. Discuss alcohol conversion techniques, herbal pharmacopeias, dispensatories and the Electics and other forms of medicine. Patent remedies history. Introduce plant spirit work. Liz’s class on indigenous art and survival skills. Make twine from plants. Wild food potluck with recipes. Review homework projects and experiences.
After class option: watch Herbalist Michael Moore DVD doing percolation technique. Sorceress movie about Medieval herbalist.
SUNDAY
Go to a different section of Bear River for herb walk to id 30 plants, with some review. Plant list with botanical names provided. Wildcraft along the river. Make Poison Oak Remedy along shore and make Native shampoo. Cover all medicine-making options, plus hydrotherapy. Choose and make flower essences. Discuss flower essence history and Dr. Bach’s work. Applications for herbal ecology. Cover medical botany with detailed handout.
June
SATURDAY
FIELD TRIP: Visit local Beeman and Researcher. View his slide show on bees and honey, tour hives (with head veil!), and see honey production. Get honey, wax and propolis to make healing bee products and discuss their medicinal properties. Back to herb farm to discuss and make medicines with honey, propolis and beeswax, such as Syrups, Cough Drops and herbal infused honey. Wildcraft and prepare horehound, elecampane, etc. for syrup. Make herbal joy balls with medicinal plants.
After class option: to be announced.
SUNDAY
Wildcraft St. John’s wort patch and process. Cover infused oil techniques. Suntan and sunburn preparations. Make your choice of helichrysum and other infused oils from garden and discuss. Press and prepare tinctures from May. Make blackberry and other cordials and elixirs. Discuss and try samples. Cover medicinal constituents in plants with detailed handout. Cover sitz baths, foot, hand baths, poultices and compresses using herbs and essential oils. Intuitive art project focusing on plant form/color. Class on the art of Simpling and stories with herbalist/intuitive Marina Bokleman. Discuss campout.
After class option: Experience Marina’s herbal healing guided journey.
July
CAMPOUT FRIDAY–SATURDAY–SUNDAY
Plant ID contest. First class 3pm, first herb walk begins 4:30pm. Swimming in lake, Canoeing, Sweat lodge, and Evening campfires with herbal stories/songs, High sierra walks to ID 40 high country plants and their uses. Wildcrafting. Make clapper sticks and flower essences. Student wild plant research discussion. History of Herbalism around campfire. Plant ID contest. Harvest Elderflower for pancakes with elderberry syrup. Wildcraft and prepare teas, poultices, etc from plants. This is easy car camping next to a lake.
If room, friend can attend all classes for $170. Your children under 18 can come free.
August
SATURDAY
FIELD TRIP: Field trip to tour private Flower Essence Society garden in Nevada City. Lunch and then class under their shade tree. Swim in pond. Stop for tour of Haalo Herb Shop in Nevada City. Plant walk and ID at Pioneer Park, Nevada City. Review homework projects. Harvest and prepare black walnut antifungal. Discuss anti-fungals, anti-bacterials and other remedies. Vinegar extracts pros and cons. Health properties of vinegar. Student presentations.
After class option: DVDs, swim and potluck party.
SUNDAY
Complete Saturday’s preparations. Distill essential oils and aromatic waters. Prepare peppermint digestive water and smudge sticks from wild and garden. Student presentations. Herb Garden Tour. Make herb pills and lozenges. Herbal consultations, diagnosing, prescribing and developing formulas. Harvest and prepare Mullein eardrops along with other late summer herbs. Final projects, Herb Barter Fair, Herbal Games, Medicine Exchange, Contests with herbal prizes.
Related Areas of Interest:
Herbal Apprenticeship Program Description
Kathi Keville, Principle Instructor