Herbal Basics 2023

February

Home Remedies

Herbal remedies "A to Z"  are already in your kitchen when you need them RIGHT NOW! Aromatherapy and other ideas for staying well when everyone’s sick. Learn about herbal home keeping, make products to clean with herbs, including laundry, pets, bath, and kitchen. There are ways to clean without killing off all our good microbes as we clean.

Enjoy the day at one of the area's oldest farmsteads. Includes all instruction, a plant i.d. walk, samples to take home and a potluck lunch among friends. Come to one class or come to them all.

March

Smooth Move, Digestive Health

New information about the microbiome is coming out constantly. Learn how herbs,ferments, wild foods and especially nourishing herbal infusions can help your digestion. Discuss common digestive complaints and herbal strategies to heal them. Learn about anthlemitic and carthartic herbs.(Yes we sometimes still need them!) Wild Foods! The Mustard Family.

April

Oh My Aching…

We'll look at the musculoskeletal system and talk about herbal anodynes and analgesics. Learn about herbal first aid using materials that are widely available, like kitchen spices, weeds, and wild plants. Herbal tooth care.  Most of the remedies we will discuss can be purchased inexpensively at your local herb store, grown or made at home. Create a first aid kit. The Borage Family.

May

Down There

Reproductive health for different ages and stages of our lives. Look at some gynecology and “GUYnecology”. Using aromatherapy and flower essences. Make a hydrosol, an essential oil and a flower essence.

“Botany in a Day” and “Botanica Erotica”. The Rose Family.

June

Soothing the Body, Mind, and Spirit

Relaxation and Stimulation are our first introduction to herbs for many of us.  Even Peter Rabbit’s mom knew about chamomile tea. Nervine and antispasmodic herbs; safe and effective sleep and mood helpers. Stimulant herbs (not the usual suspects) that increase the sensitivity of the nerves and that stimulate and energize the entire body. Introduction to homepathy, flower essences and other vibrational healing.The Mint Family.

July

Gonna Make You Sweat

We’ll be studying the herbs that help us eliminate toxins through our urinary tract and our skin, the diuretics and the diaphoretics. Herbal strategies for common urinary tract problems. Discuss some of the reasons we might need help to sweat. The Art of Spiritual Bathing. The Sunflower Family.

August

Beauty is NOT Skin Deep:

In August we stay out of heat and celebrate ourselves in a day of pampering. We'll start with a study of one of our largest organs, the skin. We'll include learning about anitinfective herbs and wound care and We’ll discuss natural skin care (beauty isn't skin deep) and then prepare everything we need for a facial steam, cleanse, mask, tone and moisturize and do a facial.  If you don't want to, you'll never need to buy products for this again! Please bring a bowl and towel to class. The Carrot Family.

September

Alteratives, Adaptogens, and Tonics

Our circulatory systems are the river of life. Alteratives have historically been thought of as “blood cleansing” agents or "detoxifying". Think of them as change agents. Help problems as diverse as skin problems to mood through the use of herbs. Tonic herbs slowly build up strengthand energy by  improving our appetite and encouraging increased absorption of nutrients and elimination of wastes. Adaptogens are specific herbs that protect us during times of stress. The Pea Family.

October

Winter of Our Lives

Learn to make your own cough, cold and flu remedies The respiratory system and strategies for acute problems like cold and flu and chronic problems like asthma and apnea.We'll consider the art of formulating and herbal care for the sensitive ones in our lives.Change the taste and the texture for the finicky ones, tricks and tips for compliance Lessons from the pandemic, antiviral herbs, being prepared. Demulcent and expectorant herbs. The Marshmallow and Allium Families.

Learning how to use the locally available herbs and “weeds” for yourself, your family and community will change how you think and DO about many aspects of life. We’ll gather and discuss the use of herbs, get to know one another and face the strange changes!

​

​