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.
Spring focuses for the course will consist of:
Seed starting through various methods to nudge medicinal seeds to germinate including techniques like: stratification, scarification and fire germination.
Bed preparation and construction
Mulching of pathways, sheet mulching
Seed transplanting
Soil fertility techniques
Composting, making compost teas, fertilizing
Weed management
Construction of a hoop house
Working with tools and tool care
Blackberry removal and management
Pest control techniques
Summer focuses for the course will consist of:
Harvesting, drying and processing of medicinal plants
Making medicinal preparations of tinctures, hydrosols and other medicinal preparations
Seed collection
Irrigation
Pest management
Weed management
Site maintenance
Fall focuses for the course will consist of:
Continuation of harvesting or processing medicinal plants
Seed saving
Plant propagation from root divisions and cuttings
Mushroom inoculation
Planting bulbs
Winterizing
Cover crops
Students will have support around a related class topic from the teachers that will be an ongoing project each student will choose. This could be creating your own garden, researching a category of medicinal plants for a condition or a self care project.
Instructors
This course is co-taught by Sayvanna SFabian of Garden of Venus and founder of Wildroot Botanicals Leslie Lekos. For more information about the teachers visit the about page.
Being Prepared for the Weather
We will be outside rain or shine. It is important to always come to class prepared to be outside. Good shoes/mud boots are important as well as layers and rain gear for cold weather months. Sunblock and hats are important for summer months. It can also be useful to bring something to sit on and a water bottle for the day.
Lodging for Out of Town Guests
Several of our students come from out of town. We are located between Bellingham and Burlington/Mount Vernon so staying in either location is where students often choose to stay.
Cost
$ 1,500 Register by clicking the button below
(1) Regular price is $1500 due before the start of class.
(2) Payment Plan – you have the option of a payment plan of $400 deposit, plus 3 payments of $400 (total of $1,600) After your deposit is made, the next payments will be due on the first of each month for 4 months.
(3) You may purchase a day pass for any date for $200 here.
(4) Register by January 1st for $100 off using code EARLYBIRD.
Adverse Conditions
Please note that if there are events beyond our control, such as illness, forest fire smoke, or extreme weather that compromise student safety then the school may reschedule a class to another date.
Sayvanna’s bio to add to the instructors page
Sayvanna is a landscape designer, herbalist, and spiritualist specializing in permaculture design, edible landscapes, and native plants. Her work is guided by sustainability, adaptability, ecological integrity and a deep love for ancestral and spiritual wisdom. If you ask Sayvanna, she didn't look for plants, the plants called for her. Her herbalism journey started with her deep reverence for animals and transformed when she moved to the Pacific Northwest to learn about the the place she now calls home. Her purpose is to help foster meaningful relationships between people and the land; helping people remember that they are also part of nature. Her garden design business, Garden of Venus, was born out of a love for the land, its wisdom and the abundance it shares so willingly.
Sayvanna has previously studied herbalism with Leslie Lekos as well as attained her Permaculture Design Certificate under the Permaculture Institute of North America from Penny Livingston. She has a BT from SUNY Cobleskill in Animal Science as well as a Masters of Education in Agricultural Education. In addition to herbal work, she supports other local businesses with herbal production, plans events for foundations and non-profits, supports indigenous ceremonies with healing modalities, competitively Olympic Weightlifting or tending to her animal kin.
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.
Spring focuses for the course will consist of:
Seed starting through various methods to nudge medicinal seeds to germinate including techniques like: stratification, scarification and fire germination.
Bed preparation and construction
Mulching of pathways, sheet mulching
Seed transplanting
Soil fertility techniques
Composting, making compost teas, fertilizing
Weed management
Construction of a hoop house
Working with tools and tool care
Blackberry removal and management
Pest control techniques
Summer focuses for the course will consist of:
Harvesting, drying and processing of medicinal plants
Making medicinal preparations of tinctures, hydrosols and other medicinal preparations
Seed collection
Irrigation
Pest management
Weed management
Site maintenance
Fall focuses for the course will consist of:
Continuation of harvesting or processing medicinal plants
Seed saving
Plant propagation from root divisions and cuttings
Mushroom inoculation
Planting bulbs
Winterizing
Cover crops
Students will have support around a related class topic from the teachers that will be an ongoing project each student will choose. This could be creating your own garden, researching a category of medicinal plants for a condition or a self care project.
Instructors
This course is co-taught by Sayvanna SFabian of Garden of Venus and founder of Wildroot Botanicals Leslie Lekos. For more information about the teachers visit the about page.
Being Prepared for the Weather
We will be outside rain or shine. It is important to always come to class prepared to be outside. Good shoes/mud boots are important as well as layers and rain gear for cold weather months. Sunblock and hats are important for summer months. It can also be useful to bring something to sit on and a water bottle for the day.
Lodging for Out of Town Guests
Several of our students come from out of town. We are located between Bellingham and Burlington/Mount Vernon so staying in either location is where students often choose to stay.
Cost
$ 1,500 Register by clicking the button below
(1) Regular price is $1500 due before the start of class.
(2) Payment Plan – you have the option of a payment plan of $400 deposit, plus 3 payments of $400 (total of $1,600) After your deposit is made, the next payments will be due on the first of each month for 4 months.
(3) You may purchase a day pass for any date for $200 here.
(4) Register by January 1st for $100 off using code EARLYBIRD.
Adverse Conditions
Please note that if there are events beyond our control, such as illness, forest fire smoke, or extreme weather that compromise student safety then the school may reschedule a class to another date.
Sayvanna’s bio to add to the instructors page
Sayvanna is a landscape designer, herbalist, and spiritualist specializing in permaculture design, edible landscapes, and native plants. Her work is guided by sustainability, adaptability, ecological integrity and a deep love for ancestral and spiritual wisdom. If you ask Sayvanna, she didn't look for plants, the plants called for her. Her herbalism journey started with her deep reverence for animals and transformed when she moved to the Pacific Northwest to learn about the the place she now calls home. Her purpose is to help foster meaningful relationships between people and the land; helping people remember that they are also part of nature. Her garden design business, Garden of Venus, was born out of a love for the land, its wisdom and the abundance it shares so willingly.
Sayvanna has previously studied herbalism with Leslie Lekos as well as attained her Permaculture Design Certificate under the Permaculture Institute of North America from Penny Livingston. She has a BT from SUNY Cobleskill in Animal Science as well as a Masters of Education in Agricultural Education. In addition to herbal work, she supports other local businesses with herbal production, plans events for foundations and non-profits, supports indigenous ceremonies with healing modalities, competitively Olympic Weightlifting or tending to her animal kin.