Time: 10-2PM Dates: Sept 24 Oct 1 Oct 8 Oct 15 Oct 22

Are you ready to get started learning about herbs?  This series is to help you “fill your cup” with likeminded people who want to share in the green path of land stewardship, nature connection, and of course, plant medicine!   We are excited to have you join us this Fall for some fun and engaging classes to get you started on the green path.  These classes will prepare you for next years programs, or may be taken as part one of the “in person” section of the Home and Family Program(part 2 in Spring).  Apply here if you’d like to build this into a program, otherwise, just register above!

We will be introducing you to local Fall medicinal plants in Central Texas, medicine making, nature stewardship, growing plants, how herbs work, and how to take care of yourself.

Classes are in an outdoor setting, in Hill Country just South of Austin and center around Autumn.  You may sign up for the classes as a series or take them individually.

Your instructors are community herbalists Jenny Perez and Darlene Starr.  They have been working with herbs in Central Texas for many years, and are community activists in permaculture and land stewardship.  Jenny supervises our pharmacy and permaculture sections in Advanced Programs and Darlene assists with Introductory studies and our herbalists Without Borders work in the community making herbalism accessible to all.  Read more about them here

You will notice that there are sliding scale options.  Please use our self evaluation method for choosing your need level.  Bud Level being the lower end, Flower being Middle, and Root Level being the higher end.  You may also choose single classes.

Class 1: Autumnal Rituals for the Wild: Cultivating Herbal Sanctuaries

Join us to learn all about what Fall means for Herbalists in Central Texas.  This class introduces you to the bioregion you are living in, and the land you are having your classes on.  The focus will be on building connections, and learning about the native and locally thriving plants as well as how to get started with Fall gardening in Central Texas  We will introduce you to wild foraging, and sustainable gardening practices that suit this area (explored further in Class 2).  The class includes a nature sit and plant walk exploring the medicinal and edible plants that are growing during this season.  Participants will go home with a special herbal remedy just for the season!

Class 2: Autumnal Gardening Rituals: Growing Food and Fall Weeds as Medicine

Learn all about what food and weeds to get to know in Central Texas during Fall and how to incorporate them into your herbal creations. We will dive deep into successful gardening in Texas, exploring soils, companion planting, as well as how to compost and fertilize.  We will discuss several foods and herbs to incorporate into fall beds, and wild weeds that come out in Fall. Students will learn about using Nutritive Herbs and Food as medicine by making a remedy they can eat right there in class as well as a special vinegar creation, known as a “shrub” to take home

Class 3:Autumnal Rituals for Wellness: Prevention and Herbal First Aid  

Are you curious about how to  take care of your first aid needs in Fall with local plants?   Prevention is the best medicine!  What does self care in Fall look like?  We will bring you through practices to keep yourself well, and then what to do if you need help.  

This class teaches you all about several popular folk remedies that herbalists make in Fall, and types of preparations that can come out of your garden or lawn.  We will introduce you to how plants work in the body(their actions) and show several examples.  Students will take home a remedy for Fall Wellness and First Aid as well as learning how to use herbs on wounds directly from the garden.

Class 4: Autumnal Rituals for the Mind and Spirit

Join us to explore cultivating resiliency by using herbs to open our hearts and clear our heads.  This class introduces students to practices to help you ground through rituals, Moon phases, Breathwork, and smoke. We will learn about several herbs that calm and uplift the spirit.  Students will wild harvest herbs to make incense bundles to take home to continue this work later.  

Class 5: Autumnal Rituals for Bodycare and Fun

Herbalists have more fun!  Not only can we use herbs for therapeutic reasons, but for bodycare, beauty, and fun!  This class will be the final one in our Fall series! We will dive into how to use simple ingredients from your kitchen, along with a few special herbs from your yard for home to create beauty enhancing remedies.  In particular we will be looking at different medicated oils used to heal, soothe and moisturize and make a special remedy for your skin.  We will also look at how aroma and scent play a part in these remedies, and how to use plant aromatics in your creations.  Students will go home with a salve and make their own bath blend.