Course Syllabus: Herbalist 101

You should enroll in this class if your goal is to become an herbalist for fun or profit.  The best way to start on the path to becoming an herbalist is to become intimate with a few plants and learn the basics of herbal preparation.

This course will cover 25 herbs that you can find in your kitchen or backyard! They include Dandelion, Mullien, Yarrow, Nettle, Plantain, Calendula, Cleavers, Burdock, Yellow dock, Marshmallow, Red clover, Comfrey, Catnip, Chamomile, Alfalfa, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Flax, Fennel, Ginger, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Tumeric, and Garlic. Detailed descriptions with scientific names, constituents, associated aliments and recipes will be included. This class will also cover herbal consulting, herbal preparation, wildcrafting. This course will also cover how to make herbal remedies for friends and family, basic herbal pharmacognosy, your role as an herbalist, the spiritual aspect of healing, different types of herbal tradition such as Native American, Western herbalism, Folk medicine, and much more!

You will learn how to make infusions, decoctions, tinctures, fluid extracts, elixirs, essences and many other recipes. This class will also cover the healing philosophy of balance and the role and responsibilities of the community herbalist.  Begin your herbal journey with me today!

Disclaimer: This course is for education only and has not been evaluated by the FDA, it is not intended to treat or diagnose disease. Please consult your Doctor before taking herbal medicines.

 

Materials That Come in Handy

Not required but highly recommended for the course; alcohol for tinctures (100 proof vodka or 190 proof Everclear) or glycerin, Bees wax for salves, apple cider vinegar, almond or olive oil.

Most of the material you will need to make quality medicine may be already well stocked in your kitchen:

Accurate kitchen scale that measure in ounces and grams

Blender

Coffee grinder

Double boiler

Crock Pot

Measuring spoons and cups

Whisks

Glass or plastic funnels

Candy thermometer

Mortar and pestle

Sharp knives

Large stainless strainers

Colanders

Muslin and cheese cloth

 

New cotton diapers

Rubber gloves

Stainless steal or glass pots and pans

Rubber spatulas

Canning jars

Extra material to make work more efficient may include:

Tincture press (professional or I have instructions later in lesson how to make your own) you may use a potato ricer or salad spinner

Dehydrator

Capsule filler

Suppository molds

Percolator

Food processor such as Vita-Mix

Shovel (long and narrow) for digging plants
Knife for cutting plants

To Get the most out of this class you may decide to wildcraft your own plants, detailed instructions are included in the course, this will require you go out in nature. You may still learn from this course if you do not wish to go outside. If you wish to, you may purchase the herbs we study on line at Mountain Rose herbs or at your local supermarket.
There are some great books you may wish to purchase to complement this course, they are not required.
Medical Herbalism David Hoffman
Edible Wild Plants & Useful Herbs Jim Meunick (His VHS identification videos are excellent)
The Herbal Medicine Maker's Handbook James Green
Pathways To Healing A guide to herbs, ayurveda, dreambody, and shamanism Don Ollsin
Healing with the herbs of life Leslie Tierra

This course is intended to be a basic herbalist course. Herbal medicine making, herbal history and traditions, wildcrafting, holistic wellness, and medicinal herbs will be studied.

Grades will be based on class participation.

This course is for education only and has not been evaluated by the FDA. Please consult your Doctor before taking herbal remedies. An herbalist does not diagnose, prescribe or treat disease.

There is much to be learned from participating in the class forums, from your journal, from thought provoking assignments,  and hands on work creating remedies in this course. You may choose to purchase extra materials to make a different remedies for this course, this is not required, but it will enhance your studies if you decide to do so.  Please allow at least 4 hours per week for hands on participation to get the most out of this course.