Foraging Wild Foods Course 2027
Mar
20
to Mar 21

Foraging Wild Foods Course 2027

March 20, April 17, May 15, June 12, July 17, August 21, September 18, October 16, November 20

All classes are on Saturdays from 10 am – 4 pm.

Over these nine months we will explore how harvesting food from our landscapes fosters a deep connection to where we live, the people we are in space with and with ourselves.  Classes will consist of wild harvesting excursions, simple gathering times around a fire to explore topics around ethical harvesting, building community and self care methods.  We will also be creating and installing harvesting spaces to support the abundance of the plants we love for the future and as a way of reciprocity.

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Foundations of Herbalism 2027
Mar
21

Foundations of Herbalism 2027

March 21, April 18, May 16, June 13, July 18, August 22, Sept 19, October 17, nov 21

All classes are on Saturdays from 10 am – 4 pm.

Foundations of Herbalism is an immersive nine-month program that provides students with a foundation in bioregional and western herbalism. Our teaching method for this course centers around the importance of experiential learning and spending time in the field with the plants.

We believe the very best teachers are the plants themselves and we strive to guide the building of your relationship with them in a way that suits each student. We blend this method of learning with the stories of our personal experiences and the knowledge that has been gathered from scientific understanding and people’s first-hand experiences who have long herbal traditions and practices. Our weekends together are a blend of in the field, and classroom style learning.

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Land to Medicine: Cultivation of Herbal Medicine
Mar
27

Land to Medicine: Cultivation of Herbal Medicine

2027 Dates and Times: 

March 27, April 24, May 22, June 26, July 31, August 14, Sept 25th, October 23, November 13

Saturdays 10am-3:30pm

This is an experiential course where learning is through hands-on activities following the rhythms of the seasons.  This course will be supporting the growing of herbs that supply Wildroot Botanicals apothecary and students will also be receiving some medicines that we grow for their personal use.

Each day will focus on discussion sections and hands-on work.  This is a class for those that are okay getting their hands dirty and are excited to learn through working in the gardens.  It is appropriate for beginning growers or those looking to expand their knowledge and experience growing medicinal herbs and medicine making.  Course content will generally consist of the lists below but what the seasons and spaces present will also guide our topics for the month.

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  • “If you are looking for a deep connection to plants and self, this is a great course to explore the nuances between our natural world and how we not only relate to it, but how we can learn to thrive with our plant ally’s.  Leslie is a gifted instructor who shares her deep knowledge of plants while grounding us in ceremony and reverence for all those who walk this earth.”

    Cate, Student in Foundations of Herbalism 2022

  • “Leslie’s approach to the health and well-being of the whole person has permeated everything I do now. I have met some great friends and herbal medicine is a part of my everyday experience. Making teas, tinctures, salves, and other herbal medicines that provide for the health and well-being of my family give me tremendous joy. Taking classes at Wildroot has truly been life changing.”

    Amy, Student in Foundations of Herbalism 2018 and Intermediate Herbalism 2019

  • “My time in Leslie’s Foundations of Herbalism class has been such a transformative experience for me. My eyes have been opened to a whole new world and perspective. Not only do you learn the very basics of herbalism, but in every class youre reminded of the deep-rooted connection we have to this Earth. I felt like I was being called home this year as I stepped into the world of herbalism with Leslie’s class. Leslie’s teaching style is patient, informative, respectful, personal. I feel like the foundation (haha) has been laid out well to where I feel confident in moving forward with my learning”

    Ariel, Student in Foundations of Herbalism 2022

  • “Anytime Leslie is holding the space, the feeling is palpable. Body and mind are calmed, sensing the safety and an invitation to bring one’s whole self to class. She has impeccable intuition for when it’s time to draw boundaries, and when it’s time to dive into issues. There are few spaces, and few teachers like this. Even entering her classroom feels like ritual. There is a warmth and deep, genuine kindness that radiates her home, carried into the physical realm by the blended sweet, earthy smells of drying herbs all around you. And of course, no one makes a cup of nourishing tea like Leslie. ”

    Emmy, Student in Intermediate Herbalism Program 2018

  • "Classes are held in places Leslie has frequented for years, which foster a sense of intimacy among teacher, plants, and students... Leslie’s teaching is deliberate, intentional and intuitive. The knowledge that I gained from sharing space with her has enabled me to progress exponentially as an herbalist. I feel a connection to place, an understanding of what modern western herbalism can look like, and also a sense of the endless possibilities ahead.”

    Gabe, Student in Foundations of Herbalism 2020

  • “Leslie is an amazing teacher. After 3 years of learning with her, I find myself coming back for more. I am now confidently preparing my own plant medicine as well as offering herbal support for friends and family. Most importantly, I have learned how to deeply care for myself, my community, and the Earth. I’m forever grateful to Leslie continuously sharing her wisdom.”

    Meghan, Student in Foundations of Herbalism 2017, Intermediate Herbalism & Apprenticeship 2019 & 2020

  • “Wildroot Botanicals was such an enlightening and informative program for herbal instruction. Leslie took me down a path – building on my previous herbal knowledge, equipping me for more practical clinical applications, and literally lightening my spirit, through the special times of healing that came from the shared connections and experience our group cultivated together. I found synchronicity in the like-mindedness of treating the plants and the earth with love and respect- and our places as healers working what is around us was supported through her program. I am thankful for the opportunity of learning I had by choosing her Herbal Immersion Program (for 2 years), as well as the classes she offered with other amazing herbalists. The love I have in my heart for the people and what I learned I carry with me always.”

    Jenna, Student in Foundations of Herbalism 2017 and 2018

  • "I took the Foundations of Herbalism class in 2024 with Leslie and had an absolutely wonderful experience. Leslie has an incredible knowledge base that combines Western, scientific knowledge and Earth centered teachings and the wisdom she has gained from her own experiences as an herbalist. She is a skilled educator and community builder and has a gift for making everyone in the room feel comfortable, included, and seen. I learned so much in this course about the incredible native plants of WA, herbal medicine, and how to deepen my own relationship with plants, the land, spirituality, my community, and myself. I left the course with increased self-confidence in my own herbal knowledge and beautiful connections with the people in the class, some of whom will be lifelong friends. I also really appreciated how Leslie structures the class days and course material, while leaving flexibility for the class to pursue our interests and adjust to changing seasons, weather, etc. I am so grateful to Leslie for creating this course and I would recommend it to anyone interested in herbalism. Total beginners and experts alike will get so much out of this course."

    Marina H.

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FAQs

  • The Foundations Program is suitable for all levels of students, from beginning herbalists to intermediate and advanced, including:

    •Those who are interested in fostering and deepening a relationship with plants.

    • Anyone wishing to improve their own health and those around them with herbal medicine.

    • Professionals currently working in health care. A significant number of our students have been registered nurses, counselors, social workers, massage therapists, doulas and other health care professionals. Some students have had previous training in fields such as Traditional Chinese Medicine and Naturopathy and already had significant herbal and clinicial knowledge. However, their feedback has been that our programs offered something different, which is direct experience interacting with plants in their natural state. Students reflected that this enriched their love, connection and understanding of herbal medicine and healing work.

    •Students planning to develop their own herbal businesses. Past students have incorporated their knowledge into their caregiving fields, began herbal medicine farms, herbal product lines, or herbal consultations.

    •People wishing to help themselves and their families, their community, and/or those who wish to incorporate it into their work.

  • While both programs offer students rich learning opportunities to interact with plants and herbal medicine, there are differences.

    In the Herbal Foundations Program we start out at Wildroot Botanicals in the mornings to learn about plants and their medicines. In the afternoons, we go out to selected outdoor locations for field studies and plant identification and have opportunities to gather herbal medicines.

    In the Wild Foods Connection Program, the emphasis is on wild food as medicine and there is an invitation of a personal journey toward more connection with land, self and community. In this class we will spend most of each class outside harvesting, processing and sitting around a fire or in a circle.

    Both programs provide ample opportunities for students to develop a direct relationship with plants and have an emphasis on experiential learning. The Foundations Program is structured so that students learn about theories of Western Herbalism, while the Wild Foods Connection Program focus is directly interacting with the plants and learning by doing.

    The Foundations Program is held on Saturdays and the Wild Food Connection Program is held on Sundays on the same weekend, once a month for nine-months.

    Many students have taken both programs, which are complementary to each other, either at the same time or in subsequent years.

  • Yes at your request upon completion. Please note that herbalism is not a certifiable profession in the USA, meaning that you are not required by a governing body to have a certificate to be an herbalist.

  • We are unable to provide any refunds. Please read the program information carefully to see if the course and dates are a good fit. If you have any questions at all please contact us to discuss prior to registering and we will be happy to answer any questions you might have.