INTRODUCTION TO HERBALISM & MEDICINE-MAKING

At The Santa Cruz Permaculture Farm

In this practical and fun class, participants will learn how to source, make, and use a wide range of herbal medicines. We’ll build your home apothecary by making tinctures, syrups, oils, salves, lotions, pastilles and much more. We’ll introduce herbal actions such as Adaptogens, Calmatives/Sedatives, Immunostimulants, Qi tonics and Harmonizers that can be grown in our gardens or sourced locally. We’ll also discuss the crucial role diet and nutrition play in promoting our vitality, immunity, and resilience to stress. Whether you’re interested in herbal medicine and want to begin your journey or are just looking for natural ways to support your energy and nervous system, relax more, and sleep better, all within a supportive community of practice, this class will teach you an abundance of tools that you will use for decades to come.

Join seasoned herbalist Devalina Waring and guest instructors for a comprehensive introduction to herbalism and medicine making.

Devalina is a clinical herbalist, whole-food chef, animist, beekeeper & educator. Originally from the West Coast of British Columbia, she has spent the last decade diving deep into herbalism, Traditional Chinese Medicine, functional nutrition and the natural world. Deva has been teaching herbalism classes at various schools in the Pacific Northwest and held herb camps throughout Northern California. She has a strong background in ethical harvesting, medicine making & herbal first aid. She is passionate about reconnecting people to land and getting people excited about plants. She is currently seeing clients through her private practice: www.wellrootedherbs.com. In her spare time she enjoys bee-centric bee keeping, exploring wild places and weaving.

Full Series: 6 Weekends over 6 Months

Pricing

  • Full Tuition: $1295
  • Partner / Spouse Tuition: $995 (When one partner registers for the full course, the second gets a discount)
  • Early Bird Discount: $1195 (Register more than 30 days in advance)
  • Super Early Bird Discount: $1095 (Register more than 60 days in advance)
  • Teachers: $995 (Special price for For K-12, College and University Teachers)
  • Youth: $795 (Special price for ages 13-18)

Spring-Summer 2024 

  • Basics – April 13-14, 2024
  • Digestive System & Kitchen Herbalism – May 11-12, 2024
  • Nervous System + Botany – June 8-9, 2024
  • The Herbal Garden – July 13-14, 2024
  •  Immune & Common Ailments – August 10-11, 2024
  • The Integumentary System & Topical Applications – September 14-15, 2024

Session Times: Saturday 10am to 5pm & Sunday 10am to 3pm

Fall 2024-Winter 2025

  • Dates TBA

Session Times: Saturday 10am to 5pm & Sunday 10am to 3pm

Individual Sessions

If you don’t want to sign up for the full course but would like to sign up for an individual weekend, you’re welcome to do so! The tuition is $295 per weekend. 

Basics – April 13-14, 2024

The Herbal Garden – July 13-14, 2024

Immune & Common Ailments – August 10-11, 2024

Previous slide
Next slide

Session Descriptions

All sessions include plant walks, plant sits and lots of hands-on making & crafting. Classes run from 10am-5pm on Saturday and 10am-3pm on Sunday.

Session 1 – Basics

  • Explore the basics of herbalism: the how, what and why we use herbs.
  • Explore the language of plants, learn how to engage with plants and become familiar with botanical vocabulary.
  • Study herbal actions, constitution basics, and herbal dosage.
  • Gain proficiency in the art of tea making and blending. Learn about infusions, sun teas, decoctions, and more.
  • Learn about ethical wildcrafting.
  • Discover how to source high quality herbs and learn best practices in drying/storing herbs.

Session 2 – Digestive System & Kitchen Herbalism

  • Explore digestion and nutrition basics to support overall health.
  • Learn how herbs can support the digestion system.
  • Discover herbal flavors and taste, and how they interact with the body.
  • Learn about herbal monographs and materia medica.
  • Make various herbal culinary items like herbal salts, vinegars, oils, pesto & herbally-infused ghee.

Session 3 – Nervous System & Botany

  • Gain understanding of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system and the benefits that a well regulated nervous system can provide.
  • Learn about adaptogens, Qi tonics, and Nervines.
  • Learn to identify plant families, their scientific names, and cultural history of plants.
  • Understand the reproductive parts of plants, and how plants photosynthesize and communicate across landscapes.
  • Explore the basics of plant constituents.
  • Explore the basics of Tincture making.

Session 4 – The Herbal Garden

  • Get to know characteristics and ideal growing conditions for different plants.
  • Dig into soil microbiology and structure, the carbon cycle, and how water moves in soil.
  • Learn about holistic pest management, beneficial insects, and supporting your local biome.
  • Differentiate between growing habits of annuals, biennials, and perennials and how to plan your garden thoughtfully.
  • Explore the many methods of propagation and what works best for particular plants.
  • Learn about watering and nutritional needs, the importance of mulch, and the basics of building rich compost.
  • Discover the benefits of biodiversity and closed-loop gardening.
  • Gain hands-on experience seeding, transplanting, pruning, and harvesting herbs.

Session 5 – Immune & Common Ailments

  • Explore herbs for building a healthy immune system. 
  • Learn all about immunmodulators and immunostimulants.
  • Explore the wonderful world of medicinal mushrooms.
  • Make herbal syrups and fire cider.
  • Make herbal gummies and pastilles.
  • Learn about herbal vinegars & fire cider.

Session 6 – The Integumentary System & Topical Applications

  • Discover the supplies needed for making herbal preparations.
  • Learn about the integumentary system
  • Make herbal body oils, salves, lotions & poultices.
  • Learn about common first aid plants for topical care.
  • Learn about making tinctures and glycerin extracts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you can make up material you missed during the next session.

Please use the registration button above.

Cancellations up to two weeks before the course begins will be refunded, excluding a $150 processing fee. No refunds are given after that date.

Participants are welcome to defer their enrollment to the next session of the course.

Most classes are held on our 26-acre farm north of Davenport, CA, 20 minutes north of the Westside of Santa Cruz and 1 hour from San Jose or San Francisco. Participants are welcome to camp onsite for the weekend of the course and enjoy the gorgeous natural surroundings and beach access.
Course participants are very welcome to camp at the farm Friday and Saturday of the course weekends. Our facilities are rustic, but comfortable. Building community around the campfire is a wonderful bonus! The farm is a gorgeous place where you will feel immersed in nature and enjoy spectacular stars at night and walkable beach access. There are restaurants and markets nearby in Davenport and Costanoa.
Class meets Saturday from 10AM-5PM and Sunday from 10AM-3PM, with a lunch break both day. We typically have potluck lunches either Saturday or Sunday.

Full Series: 6 Weekends over 6 Months

Pricing

  • Full Tuition: $1295
  • Partner / Spouse Tuition: $995 (When one partner registers for the full course, the second gets a discount)
  • Early Bird Discount: $1195 (Register more than 30 days in advance)
  • Super Early Bird Discount: $1095 (Register more than 60 days in advance)
  • Teachers: $995 (Special price for For K-12, College and University Teachers)
  • Youth: $795 (Special price for ages 13-18)

Fall 2023-Winter 2024 

  • Session 1: October 14-15, 2023
  • Session 2: November 11-12, 2023
  • Session 3: December 9-10, 2023
  • Session 4: January 13-14, 2024
  • Session 5: February 10-11, 2024
  • Session 6: March 9-10, 2024

Session Times: Saturday 10am to 5pm & Sunday 10am to 3pm

Spring-Summer 2024 

  • Session 1: April 13-14, 2024
  • Session 2: May 11-12, 2024
  • Session 3: June 8-9, 2024
  • Session 4: July 13-14, 2024
  • Session 5: August 10-11, 2024
  • Session 6: September 14-15, 2024

Session Times: Saturday 10am to 5pm & Sunday 10am to 3pm

 

Subscribe to our newsletter

Get an email twice a month with regional permaculture news, offerings, and community events. We don’t share your email address, ever. Unsubscribe at any time.
* indicates required