Previous Classes
2020 Offerings
Introduction to Medicinal Herbal Teas
Aug 21 12-1 pm in Gilboa
Kate will be giving a short introductory talk about blending herbal teas: which plants to use, why some are better than others, and creating tea blends that are both delicious and medicinal. Participants will sample teas and smell and taste herbs.
Fun with Fermentation: Making Country Wines and Meads
August 15 10am-11:45am $25 or $40 full day (includes bitters class)
In this class, Isaac will share with you simple and easy ways to make tasty, healthy, intoxicating beverages. Emphasizing medicinal plants, he'll show you how to make old fashioned country wines and meads with plants you can forage or grow yourself! We will be sampling some of the delicious beverages he has made such as dandelion wine, wild grape wine, and elderberry mead.
Isaac Hill is a musician, writer, permaculturist, forager, fermenter and all around plant geek. He is the co-host of the Plant Cunning Podcast, a weekly show that explores the mysteries of nature with interesting guests ranging from herbalists, farmers, fungi experts, botanists, to mages, spiritualists and druids. Isaac's obsession with plants began in earnest at the young age of 9. He started experimenting with practical Permaculture in his forest garden in the outskirts of Pittsburgh's suburbs in 2010. Isaac and his partner have been cultivating a small herb and fruit farm in Central NY's West Edmeston since 2019 where he is developing a nursery business with a focus on native and rare plants. He enjoys teaching folks about plants, combing through used book stores, and taking good care of the ducks and geese on the homestead. To check out his music on You Tube or his band's website and the Plant Cunning Podcast here.
Bittersweet: Creating Tasty and Healthy Bitters at Home
Aug 15 12-1:45pm $25 or $40 full day
Join Kate as we talk about the history of bitters, why we use them, and how to make them. There will be a variety of herbs and fruits to explore, both fresh and dried. We will sample a selection of different bitters and discuss how to create new flavor and medicinal profiles.
Kate Miller is the owner and founder of Weathertop Farm LLC. Kate has an MA in Sustainable Development and has studied environmental activism with Vandana Shiva in New Delhi, India and attended the clinical herbalist program at Northeast School for Botanical Medicine studying under 7Song. She has been farming and wildcrafting herbs, fruit and hemp for the past 11 years, and has a thriving business making herbal fruit concoctions and bitters that she sells at markets and in various stores. Her goal is to make Weathertop Farm a place where a variety of practitioners can teach and share their knowledge with the people.
Herbs for Respiratory Illness with 7Song
October 10, 2020 10am-12 $25
This class will look at various herbal treatment and strategies for helping with respiratory viruses such as flus, colds and Covid-19. We will discuss different types of preparations to use as well as specific plants. The goal of this class is the give participants practical tools for working with these common ailments.
This class is outside sitting around a cozy fire. Dress warmly in layers and wear your mask. Limited to 20 people.
7Song is an herbalist, teacher and naturalist living in Ithaca, NY. He is the director and main instructor at the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine and is a founding member and clinical herbalist at the Ithaca Free Clinic. Some of his focuses in herbal medicine include free clinic work, first aid, wildcrafting, medicine making and botany. He also spends a lot of taking photographs of things that run, crawl, fly or photosynthesize.
Our Roots Go Deep
Oct 17, 2020 $25 10am-1pm (possibly longer)
Join Kate as we dig fall root medicine together and talk about why we harvest at this time of year. We will taste tinctures and freshly dug roots. We will dig roots of burdock, echinacea, elecampane, knotweed, valerian, comfrey, angelica, and ashwagandha. There will be the opportunity to purchase fresh roots if available.
This class takes place outside and does not provide lunch, so bring your own snacks and shovel! We will be actively moving and digging roots, but I expect it will be chilly so dress appropriately. Masks required.
Aug 30 2020 $25 10am-12 noon
Late Summer Wildcrafting & Harvest
Yup, Summer is on the way out but there is still loads to gather! Come together for a small group of max 10 people for a two hour stroll around the yard while we discuss the last of the summer’s good foraging. We will discuss foraging ethics, then walk the land talking about specific plants and how to make medicine with them.
Masks are required. We will be in a small group and social distancing. Wear sturdy shoes, and if you are allergic to anything bring your Epi-pen! There are lots of bees and hornets this year.
Feb 29 2020
Hemp vs. Hype: What’s it all about?
Kate Miller, Weathertop Farm
$25 for one session, $40 for the full day including lunch
Join us as we unpack some of the hype around this powerhouse plant.
The morning session 10-11:45am covers the basics of our body’s Endocannabinoid System, Plant constituents including CBD and THC (and CBG, etc), and treatment considerations. This session builds the base understanding of the plant and the way it works in our bodies.
The afternoon session 12:45-2:30pm is a hands-on medicine making demo. We will learn how to decarboxylate and make hemp infusions through several methods. We will use CBD infused oils to make a salve. Participants will be able to buy DIY kits or larger amounts of biomass at reduced rates.
Kate Miller is the owner and founder of Weathertop Farm LLC. Kate has an MA in Sustainable Development and has studied environmental activism with Vandana Shiva in New Delhi, India. She has been farming and wildcrafting herbs, fruit and hemp for the past nine years, and has a thriving business making herbal fruit concoctions and hemp products that she sells at markets and in various stores. Kate was looking for a deeper understanding of her herbal practice and attended the clinical herbalist program at Northeast School for Botanical Medicine studying under 7Song in 2017. Her goal is to make Weathertop Farm a place where a variety of practitioners can teach and share their knowledge with the people.
March 28, 2020
Herbal First Aid for the Home 10am-12pm $25
7Song, Northeast School of Botanical Medicine
This class will focus on learning to set up and use a practical herbal home first aid kit. It will cover some of the most common and useful plant medicines to have around the house and how to treat common first aid situations. There will be a focus on herbs to help with pain. Japanese barberry, Valerian, Chaparral, Yarrow, Echinacea and Willow along with many other plants will be covered. The goal of the class is for participants to be able to treat some of the most common first aid situations.
7Song is an herbalist, teacher and naturalist living in Ithaca, NY. He is the director and main instructor at the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine and is a founding member and clinical herbalist at the Ithaca Free Clinic. Some of his focuses in herbal medicine include free clinic work, first aid, wildcrafting, medicine making and botany. He also spends a lot of taking photographs of things that run, crawl, fly or photosynthesize.
April 4, 2020
Reiki Level 1 Certificate Program 9am-5pm $150.00
Jessica Kling Betts
Reiki is a healing practice that brings the bodies - physical, mental, emotional & spiritual - back into a state of peace and well-being through balancing and restoring the energy normally present in oneself. We become tired, ill or feel dis-ease when we are out of balance due to stress, overwork, and worry which deplete or overwhelm us leaving us feeling fatigued, ill and anxious. The Reiki practitioner uses still-touch on a fully clothed and blanketed client, acting as a pipeline for energy that exists around us at all times, and funnels this fresh energy to the client's bodies. The bodies know exactly what and how much energy is needed to recharge one's "batteries" and regain energetic balance once more. This process happens naturally and simply without any thought or premeditation by the practitioner or client. Reiki is safe for anyone at any time, has no contra-indications and does not interfere with medicine. Reduced stress, a feeling of peace, wellbeing and mental clarity are the most common reactions of clients to a session. Reiki I teaches the history, the five guiding principles as taught by Mr. Usui, hand positions for self-care & treatment of others, and the many benefits of Reiki on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual bodies. The student receives one attunement to awaken the energetic centers in the body to begin practicing, a detailed manual and a certificate recognizing them as a Reiki I practitioner.
Jessica Kling Betts: I have been practicing Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki for 12 years and teaching for 10. My goal as a teacher is to act simply as a guide empowering students to begin listening to their bodies to increase self-awareness, wellness, and self-love. Daily self-Reiki is the focus of Reiki I, as improved peace in the body, mind, and spirit are direct results of integration of the Ki through consistent use of this simple healing practice. When not teaching or practicing Reiki, I am a teaching assistant working with preschool children in a special education integrated classroom. I am a proud mother to three amazing daughters and enjoy my coffee every morning with my life partner Michael, a brilliant mental health counselor. I have a menagerie of elderly pets and enjoy anything that involves spending time with Mother Earth.
April 18, 2020 Spring Awakening (2 Parts)
9:30am-11:45am Herbs for Detoxification $25/$40
Lynn Golan, People’s Gold Apothecary
It’s Springtime! And just as the natural world around us comes alive and grows a new, so do we! Join us in this class where we will discuss and learn about how to work with medicinal plants and functional foods to emerge from the depths of winter and be reborn into the beauty of springtime. This class will cover herbs to support healthy detoxification, finding and eating the first of the wild edibles, and other ways we can shake off the winter and awaken into this season.
Lynn Golan is an herbalist and artist with a deep love for the wild spaces and the old ways. She comes to us by way of Northampton, MA, where she lives and works as an herbalist. When not working, you can find Lynn climbing on rocks, musing over books, or in her own apothecary. Check her out at www.thepeoplesgold.com
Give Up The Funk! Deodorant, Powders, and Dry Shampoo 12:45pm-2:30pm $25/$40
Kate Miller, Owner/Farmer/Herbalist at Weathertop Farm
As we move into the time when we phase out our deodorant from the product line, Kate is going to teach you how to make that good stuff at home! We will also make a few other powder based home remedies, from a talc free bath and body powder and several dry shampoo recipes that you will LOVE!!
Kate Miller is the owner and founder of Weathertop Farm LLC. Kate has an MA in Sustainable Development and has studied environmental activism with Vandana Shiva in New Delhi, India. She has been farming and wildcrafting herbs, fruit and hemp for the past nine years, and has a thriving business making herbal fruit concoctions and hemp products that she sells at markets and in various stores. Kate was looking for a deeper understanding of her herbal practice and attended the clinical herbalist program at Northeast School for Botanical Medicine studying under 7Song in 2017. Her goal is to make Weathertop Farm a place where a variety of practitioners can teach and share their knowledge with the people.
May 2, 2020
Plant Home Botanical dye class $25
10am-12:30pm
Jennifer Whitmore, Forget-Me-Not Farm
A 2 and 1/2 hour class of natural, botanical dyeing. Learn recipes for creating lasting color with no chemicals! we will pull color from unlikely places, like your food scraps and your hedgerow. Already a plant lover? With the recipes you will learn, and we will make, you can wear your medicine! Love nettle? Black walnut? These are fun ways to play with the plants and you won’t feel bad when your dye pot is exhausted into your compost, because we aren’t using chemical mordants! Sustainable, botanically dyed yarn and clothing coming up!
Want to stay for lunch? Bring a dish to pass and we’ll have a potluck and chat!
Jennifer Whitmore is an herbalist, farmer at Forget-me-not Farm, and tiny farm stay, in Candor, NY. Jennifer graduated from the North East School of Botanical Medicine, and also has studied Michael Cottingham and Margi Flint of Earthsong Herbal. Jennifer was a founding partner at the Bramble Collective, a community herbal apothecary in Ithaca, NY from 2014-2018. Along with homeschooling, Jennifer pursues her passion connecting people with plants, community, and sustainable herbal and farm practices. She is a member of Ithaca Farmers Market, and a shepherdess of 18 years, spinning the the love of botany with her sheeps wool into colorful yarn and other dye projects. You can find Jennifer in the garden with her grand babies or in the woods hunting for mushrooms. You can connect with her for farm stay, personal consultations, classes, or the farms weekly herb and veggie CSA at smallgracesherbal@gmail.com or check out her website smallgracesatforgetmenotfarm.com.
May 17, 2020 $25 each or $40 for both classes w/lunch
Plant Walk with Isaac Hill: 10-11:45am
Join Isaac in a walk around Weather Top Farm where we will learn how to identify all the fun plant friends, and a bit about their uses and lore. Isaac comes to this subject as a plant generalist, with experience in identification, herbalism, propagation, and the culinary arts.
Plant Propagation 12:45-2:30 pm
Join Isaac in a discussion and hands-on workshop where you will learn all the different ways of propagating plants, and get some hands on time to make your own cuttings to grow and take home with you. From stem or root cuttings, to all the ways to germinate a seed, to grafting, there are many ways to grow your own plants from just tiny little bits of plant stuff.
Isaac Hill is a plant geek, permaculturist and musician from Pittsburgh who has recently relocated to a homestead in Central NY. He started learning about edible wild plants when he was 9, during his home schooled years. After college he interned with and earned a Permaculture Design Certificate from Darrell Frey, author of "Bioshelter: Market Garden" and "The Food Forest Handbook." Since then Isaac has been leading plant walks in PA, OH and NY, and propagating plants wherever he can.
June 13, 2020
Mushroom Tincture Making 10:30-Noon
$25 or $40 for the full day
With John Michelotti of Catskill Fungi
Mushrooms have been utilized by cultures around the world for centuries. Now these formidable fungi are breaking ground among the scientific community as well as appearing in products all over the United States. What do each of these mushrooms have to offer? How do we find them? How can we prepare them? Find out all this and more as we explore the underground workings of this exceptional Kingdom in this 2 part workshop.
10:30am-Noon - Tincture Production:
Make your own Chaga tincture to take home! Learn about the cast of characters in the fungal world and what benefits they have for people and the planet. We will cover different forms of extractions of mushrooms and what properties are derived from them.
Guided Mushroom Walk 1:15-3 pm
$25 or $40 for the full day
With John Michelotti of Catskill Fungi
Medicinal Mushroom Walk: Let's take to the woods and see what there is to see! We will talk about the different mushroom we find, their benefits to people and the planet, as well as their functions in the environment. Explore the different characteristics of mushrooms and learn how to identify them.
John Michelotti is the owner of Catskill Fungi whose mission is to empower people through Fungi via outdoor guided mushroom classes, cultivation courses, educational talks, private consultations, mushroom art, and mushroom health supplements which he makes from mushrooms he grows on his family farm in the Catskill Mountains. He served on the Mushroom Advisory Panel for Certified Naturally Grown to help develop the standards for ecological practices in mushroom production. John is the President of the Mid-Hudson Mycological Association (MHMA), and a member of North American Mycological Association (NAMA) as well as Amazon Mycorenweal Project researching the utilization of Fungi to remediate oil spills in the Amazon Rainforest. His goal is to educate and inspire people to pair with fungi so we can improve our health, our environment and our communities. https://www.catskillfungi.com
2019 Offerings
May 5, 2019
Morning Class: Mushroom Tincture Making **FULL**
10am-11:45am
$25 or $40 for the full day
With John Michelotti of Catskill Fungi
Mushrooms have been utilized by cultures around the world for centuries. Now these formidable fungi are breaking ground among the scientific community as well as appearing in products all over the United States. What do each of these mushrooms have to offer? How do we find them? How can we prepare them? Find out all this and more as we explore the underground workings of this exceptional Kingdom in this 2 part workshop.
10:30am-Noon - Tincture Production: Make your own Chaga Tincture to take home. Learn about the cast of characters in the fungal world and what benefits they have for people and the planet. We will cover different forms of extractions of mushrooms and what properties are derived from them.
Afternoon Class: Guided Mushroom Walk **FULL**
12:45pm-2:30pm
$25 or $40 for the full day
With John Michelotti of Catskill Fungi
1:15pm-3:00pm - Medicinal Mushroom Walk: Let's take to the woods and see what there is to see! We will talk about the different mushroom we find, their benefits to people and the planet, as well as their functions in the environment. Explore the different characteristics of mushrooms and learn how to identify them.
John is the owner of Catskill Fungi whose mission is to empower people through Fungi via outdoor guided mushroom classes, cultivation courses, educational talks, private consultations, mushroom art, and mushroom health supplements which he makes from mushrooms he grows on his family farm in the Catskill Mountains. He served on the Mushroom Advisory Panel for Certified Naturally Grown to help develop the standards for ecological practices in mushroom production. John is the President of the Mid-Hudson Mycological Association (MHMA), and a member of North American Mycological Association (NAMA) as well as Amazon Mycorenweal Project researching the utilization of Fungi to remediate oil spills in the Amazon Rainforest. His goal is to educate and inspire people to pair with fungi so we can improve our health, our environment and our communities.
May 19, 2019
Morning Class: Plant Walk
10am-11:45am
$25 or $40 for the full day
With Isaac Hill
In this plant walk, Isaac hopes to introduce you to some new plant allies and share new uses for allies you already have. He comes to this subject as a plant generalist, with experience in identification, herbalism, propagation, and the culinary arts. We will find and discuss plants that can be used in the second half of the class, Home Brewing.
Afternoon Class: Home Brewing: Country Wines and Herbal Beers
12:45-2:30pm
$25 or $40 for the full day
With Isaac Hill
In this class, Isaac will share with you simple and easy ways to make tasty, healthy, intoxicating beverages. Emphasizing medicinal plants, he'll show you how to make old fashioned country wines and hip herbal beers with plants you can forage or grow yourself! We will be sampling some of the DELICIOUS beverages he has made such as dandelion wine, nettle wine, elderberry wine and root beer.
Isaac Hill is a musician, writer, permaculturist, forager, fermenter and all around plant geek. He's been experimenting with practical Permaculture in his forest garden in the outskirts of Pittsburgh's suburbs since 2010, and been obsessed with wild plants and their uses since the age of 9.
http://thehillsandtherivers.com/index.html
Morning Class: Radical Womyn’s Health
10am-11:45am
$25 or $40 for the full day
With Ashley Sapir Lathrop of Dreamkeeper Botanicals
Radical Womyn's Health is a workshop for anyone and everyone seeking to explore how herbs can support female bodied folks through the phases of their months, moons and lives. Moving through the aspects of what is often referred to as the triple goddess (maiden, mother, crone) we will study which plants have been traditionally, and continue to be, trusted allies for women's health. These include plants that support balanced hormones, healthy detoxification, mineral and nutritional herbs for infusions, as well as addressing specific topics such as menstrual cramps, pre-natal support, mood swings, peaceful peri-menopause and moonpause.
Ashley Sapir Lathrop has been a student of nature since she was a child and began her path as an herbalist twenty years ago, after studying with an indigenous Nicaraguan midwife. As a community medicine womyn, medicine grower//maker and mother Ashley is committed to plant medicine & nature connection as a primary means of healthcare. She is continually deepening her relationship with herbalism and adores facilitating multi-faceted learning opportunities for others on the green path.
Afternoon Class: Herbal Salve Making
12:45pm-2:30pm
$25 or $40 for the full day
With AC Stauble of Traveling Herb Farmer
Salve is an oil based moisturizer for the skin that is infused with herbs to moisturize the skin and help heal wounds, minor burns or skin irritations. This class will focus on the topical uses of herbs infused in oils. Attendees will learn the uses of individual herbs for external use, how to harvest herbs and make infused oils, salves, muscle rub and lip balm. It is a hands on demo. We will make a batch of salve together and everyone will leave with some salve to take home. Why spend lots of money on lotions and creams that are often full of chemicals when we can make natural skin soothing remedies for much cheaper?
AC has been cultivating her relationship with plants, growing and studying herbs for over 6 years. She graduated from the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine in Ithaca, NY in 2017. AC is an herb farmer who travels often and will farm in community, often on different lands. She makes medicine from plants she grows or her friends grow or wild harvests (abundant plants only). She offers the herbal medicine she makes to her clinical herb clients. AC also sells herbal products like skin salve, muscle rub, lip balm, tinctures, and more, at markets and through mail order. Her favorite way to share herbal medicine with her community is through the kitchen. Serving up tea, wild foods, and a healthy dose of herbs to most every meal. AC has traveled the country in her mini school bus apothecary gathering plants, working at some farms, serving up big pots of free tea, and sharing medicine the past few years under the name, The Traveling Herb Farmer. See her the photo journal of her travels on Instagram @travelingherbfarmer or @thebutterbus
https://www.instagram.com/travelingherbfarmer/
https://www.instagram.com/thebutterbus/
April 14, 2019
Reiki Level 1 Certificate Program
9am-5pm
$150.00
With Jessica Kling Betts
Reiki is a healing practice that brings the bodies - physical, mental, emotional & spiritual - back into a state of peace and well-being through balancing and restoring the energy normally present in oneself. We become tired, ill or feel dis-ease when we are out of balance due to stress, overwork, and worry which deplete or overwhelm us leaving us feeling fatigued, ill and anxious. The Reiki practitioner uses still-touch on a fully clothed and blanketed client, acting as a pipeline for energy that exists around us at all times, and funnels this fresh energy to the client's bodies. The bodies know exactly what and how much energy is needed to recharge one's "batteries" and regain energetic balance once more. This process happens naturally and simply without any thought or premeditation by the practitioner or client. Reiki is safe for anyone at any time, has no contra-indications and does not interfere with medicine. Reduced stress, a feeling of peace, wellbeing and mental clarity are the most common reactions of clients to a session.
Reiki I teaches the history, the five guiding principles as taught by Mr. Usui, hand positions for self-care & treatment of others, and the many benefits of Reiki on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual bodies. The student receives one attunement to awaken the energetic centers in the body to begin practicing, a detailed manual and a certificate recognizing them as a Reiki I practitioner.
Instructor- Jessica Kling Betts: I have been practicing Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki for 11 years and teaching for 9. My goal as a teacher is to act simply as a guide empowering students to begin listening to their bodies to increase self-awareness, wellness, and self-love. Daily self-Reiki is the focus of Reiki I, as improved peace in the body, mind, and spirit are direct results of integration of the Ki through consistent use of this simple healing practice. When not teaching or practicing Reiki, I am a teaching assistant working with preschool children in a special education integrated classroom. I am a proud mother to three amazing daughters and enjoy my coffee every morning with my life partner Michael, a brilliant mental health counselor. I have a menagerie of elderly pets and enjoy anything that involves spending time with Mother Earth.
March 17, 2019
Herbalism Through the Ages
10am-2:30pm
$40 Including Lunch
This presentation is a global exploration of herbal medicine throughout time. We will discuss and sample some of the first remedies ever recorded and learn about momentous events throughout history that shaped the main systems of herbalism used today: Chinese, Ayurveda and Western Herbalism. We will examine the crossover of these systems that each culture independently developed simultaneously. Students will go home with recipes and ancient wisdom to apply to modern life.
AnnMarie Tedeschi has had a life- long affinity to nourish and support the people around her. Her goal as an herbalist is to empower people to understand the whole picture of their health and to make their own remedies. She initially became certified in 2009 by Jane Bothwell at the Dandelion School of Herbal Studies in California while also completing Rosemary Gladstar’s home study course in the same year. From 2012-2015, she farmed and worked as the Product Manager at Tweefontein Herb Farm in New Paltz. In 2014, AnnMarie studied with Medicine Woman Kristen Avonti in Massachusetts. Most recently, in 2017, she studied botany and clinical herbalism with 7-Song at the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine in Ithaca. AnnMarie offers a variety of workshops, herbal health consultations, custom made remedies and has a local line of products called Infinite Roots Herbal Creations.
https://www.infiniteroots.info
https://www.facebook.com/InfiniteRoots/
2.17.19 Lotions and Potions $50 10a-2:30p
Lotions: Join Kate as she talks about infusing oils with organic herbs for different properties. We will talk about the benefits of using different oils for different reasons. We then will make and discuss lotion, lotion bars, and massage oils. After lunch, we will have the Potions class: Kate will talk about and make Elderberry syrup and several flavors of Bitters, while Bethany will will discuss the process of making a love potion with astrological considerations, phytochemistry, and folk magic. Everyone goes home with samples!
Kate Miller is the owner and founder of Weathertop Farm LLC. Kate has a MA in Sustainable Development and has studied environmental activism with Dr. Vandana Shiva in New Delhi, India. She has been farming and wildcrafting herbs and fruit for the past eight years, and has a thriving business making herbal wellness and tasty potions that she sells at markets and in various stores. After developing severe skin allergies in her 20’s Kate began making her own soap and body care, later studying herbal medicine and natural healing. Kate was looking for a deeper understanding of her herbal practice and attended the clinical herbalist program at Northeast School for Botanical Medicine studying with 7Song in 2017.
2.24.19 Basic Soap Making and Organic infused oils $25/$60
10a-2:30p (this class may run long depending on numbers of attendees)
Join Kate as she walks you through the basics of cold process soap making. We discuss making herbal infused oils and how to use them in soap making, and then jump right in to making soap! This class is hands on, and messy- wear a smock or old clothes that you don’t mind getting oils stained. It involves Lye which can be dangerous, if you are making soap we will ask you to bring protective eyewear. You can attend the class only for $25, or class and making your own batch (approx. 20-25 bars) that you will take away with you is $60. Class space is very limited on this one, so apply in advance. please note, because once we start making soap it is difficult to stop, there is no formal lunch but we will have snacks and finger foods. Feel free to bring food if you would like something more.
Kate’s Bio is above ^^
3.3.19 Part 1: Building a Home Apothecary ($25 single or $40 full day)
10am-11:45am
Join Lynn Golan as she instructs you on the basics of creating a home apothecary. What are the most important and useful herbal remedies and how do you make them?
Lynn is an herbalist who practices with deep reverence for Mother Earth. She has studied with 7Song at the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine and is now completing a Clinical Residency at the Sage Healing Collaborative through Farmacy Herbs in Providence, RI. Lynn has an intuitive approach when working with people to achieve healing from the core. She aims to inspire people to connect to nature and empower people to take back control of their own health and wellness. Lynn also loves fermentation, mycology, and traveling.
Part 2: Herbs for Stress and Anxiety 12:45pm-2:30pm
In a rapidly-changing world full of external stimuli, within a culture that emphasizes productivity, it is no wonder that most Americans struggle with some form of stress and/or anxiety. In this class we will discuss various manifestations of stress/anxiety in the body and the mind, and explore ways in which botanical medicines can help alleviate these symptoms.
Aviva Rabins has spent the last 15 years studying natural medicine independently. She has formally trained in Western clinical herbalism at the Northeast School for Botanical Medicine in Ithaca, NY and the Blazing Star Herbal School in Ashfield, MA. For the past 2 years she has volunteered as a clinical herbalist in various free health clinics in NY and MA. She enjoys wildcrafting, gardening, and medicine making, but focuses on the usage of herbal medicine in clinical settings, particularly in chronic illness and addiction/recovery. When she's not exploring the woods and rivers of western Massachusetts, she is working towards receiving her RN.
2018 Offerings
ALL-DAY FERMENTATION WORKSHOP W/ AVIVA RABINS July 29 2018 $40
Got tons of produce from the garden and don't know what to do with it? Keep hearing about fermented foods and how good they are for you, but don't know where to start? Want to eat healthier but all that stuff is just so dang expensive?Join us for the day and attend our summer workshop! We will learn about fermentation and how to make live-culture foods from around the world, including:
Sauerkraut
Kimchi
Kombucha
Yogurt
Dosas
Sourdough
Farmer's cheese
Herbal ferments
Come get some culture! Class will be from 9:30 until 3:30 and will include a local lunch featuring the foods we will be making! $40 per person includes recipes, class time, and lunch REGISTER HERE
Aviva Rabins has been experimenting with and teaching classes about live-culture food and drinks since she learned how easy it was 10 years ago. Her motto is: Let the bacteria do the work! When she's not watching jars bubbling in her kitchen, she is working as a clinical herbalist and attending nursing school in western Massachusetts.
Seasonal Plant Walks: Wednesdays in July and August $20
Have you ever wanted to know more about medicinal plants, fungi, and herbs? Did you know that many common culinary herbs also have well known healing properties? Join Weathertop Farm’s Kate Miller as she takes you on a 2.5 hour walking tour of the herb garden and discusses numerous plants and the roles they play in traditional herbalism. We will keep the class size small, capped at around 10 people, so we can have plenty of time for discussion and answering questions. Pick a date from the drop down list, and after your payment i will send you a ticket/receipt. Just bring that with you to the class, along with something to write with and a binder or book so you can take notes as we walk. I will give you a handout with an overview of many of the plants we will be discussing so you can take notes. We start at 10:00am sharp and go until 12:30pm.
We will be talking about common plant allies such as: yarrow, knotweed,hawthorn, willow, mullein, St Johns Wort, motherwort, lambs quarters, nettles, plantain, burdock, dandelion, sumac, raspberry leaves, rosa rugosa, blackberry root, spruce tips, garlic mustard, and many more.
3.18.18 Incorporating Herbs into Everyday Life 10:30am-2:30pm
Accessible Herbalism- Aviva Rabins
This class will cover common and inexpensive herbs found in your grocery store, garden, or yard and ways to make them into simple household medicines.
Aviva Rabins has been trained as a Western clinical herbalist at the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine in Ithaca, NY and at the Blazing Star Herbal School in Ashfield, MA. She believes in empowering people through choices in health care, integrating traditional knowledge with modern medical science, and the power of plants to heal. She is currently working as a clinical herbalist at the People's Medicine Project in Greenfield, MA.
Stress, Sleep, and our Herbal Allies: Drea De Vraie
Let's explore stress and sleep in relation to our health. We all know that optimum health and happiness are intricately connected to our management of stress and our acquisition of adequate sleep and rest. What's happening in our bodies and in our lives? What can we do when we've lost our balance? How can herbs and lifestyle bring us back into alignment? We'll look at common disturbances and discuss herbal remedies that are in abundance.
Through a love affair with nature and plants and a passion for health-care and empowering people to take healing into their own hands, Drea came to study herbal medicine at the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine in 2014 and just finished an apprenticeship with 7Song in 2017. Drea grew up in the rolling hills of Oklahoma, traveled all over the desert and mountain West, and fell in love with the springs and forests of Tennessee before settling in the Ithaca area for a spell. Drea's passionate about growing, wildcrafting, and making herbal medicine, working free mobile clinics, and usually enthusiastically jumps on an opportunity to be at the center of attention.
4.8.18 Kitchen Witching 10:30am-2:30pm
Fire in Your Belly: Making Fire Cider and other Infused Vinegars, and Herbal Pesto's: AC Stauble
Food is medicine. Food is delicious. In this class we will focus on accessible foods that can be made into nourishing and tasty items to keep in the kitchen. We will make a spicy infused vinegar called fire cider and discuss other herbal vinegar and oil infusions. Fire Cider is an excellent immune tonic that can be used as salad dressing, marinade, for flavoring cocktails, or taken by the spoonful to ward off colds. We also will make a delicious pesto using greens other than basil that we can spread on bread and pasta or mix into a salad dressing with fire cider. This is a hands-on class and which will engage all of our senses. Everyone will leave with a little fire cider and some handouts.
AC has been cultivating her relationship with plants, growing and studying herbs for over 6 years. Incorporating herbs into foods and teas to be consumed on a regular basis, which she lovingly refers to as 'Kitchen Witching,' is her favorite way to share herbs with her community. AC has traveled the country in her mini school bus apothecary gathering plants, working at some farms, serving up big pots of free tea, and sharing medicine the past few years under the name, The Traveling Herb Farmer.
Let Your Soda Be Your Medicine: Herbal Ginger Beers: Claire Brodhead
.Did you know that sodas can be healthy and even medicinal? When you add the magic of lacto-fermentation to the power of herbs, wonderful things can happen! In this hands-on class, you will learn how to make a basic non-alcoholic ginger beer using simple lacto-fermentation techniques. Then, Claire will show you how to super charge your sodas using medicinal plants. There will be a little bit of history, science, herb lore, and lots of tasty drinks to try!
Claire has been studying how to work with plants for self-reliance and the greater health of her communities for more than eight years. She has a B.Sc in Sustainable Food and Farming from UMass Amherst and is a recent graduate of the Northeastern School for Botanical Medicine. Claire is an herbalist who enjoys the alchemy of home fermentation. She has a passion for sharing her enthusiasm and skills with others.
4.22.18 Fungus Among Us 10:30am-2:30pm
Magical World of Medicinal Mushrooms: Shannon Garity & Natalie Rathbun
This class will cover 7 different mushrooms with a focus on Reishi, Chaga, Turkey Tail, Maitake and Lion's Mane. Students will learn how to best extract the medicine of each mushroom. In this class we will also discuss the individual actions and affinities each mushroom has on the body. We will cover some of the benefits these mushrooms have on our bodies and the environment based on scientific studies and personal experience.
Shannon is a vegetable and herb farmer, aspiring herbalist and mushroom demystifier. She has worked with a variety of mushrooms in the past 3 years, making medicine for herself and her loved ones. She is passionate about making mushroom medicine more accessible, sustainable, potent, and palatable. Natalia is a farmer and herbalist who has worked on organic census agriculture in both the US and Costa Rica. An apprenticeship in 2016 brought her first interactions and experiments with medicinal mushrooms; which were furthered during Natalia's travels in Paraguay.
Growing Mushrooms at Home: Kate Miller
This class will start with a brief discussion on the ethics of wildcrafting, followed by a hands-on interactive demonstration of how to drill and plug logs with Shiitake spawn. We will then demonstrate how easy it is to grow mushrooms on sterilized blocks and talk about some of the basic pitfalls.
Kate Miller is the owner and founder of Weathertop Farm LLC. Kate has an MA in Sustainable Development and has studied environmental activism with Vandana Shiva in New Delhi, India. She has been farming and wildcrafting herbs and fruit for the past eight years, and has a thriving business making herbal fruit concoctions that she sells at markets and in various stores. Kate was looking for a deeper understanding of her herbal practice and attended the clinical herbalist program at Northeast School for Botanical Medicine studying under 7Song in 2017. Her goal is to make Weathertop Farm a place where a variety of practitioners can teach and share their knowledge with the people.
5.6.18 Family Fun Day on the Farm 11am-3pm
**kid friendly, but not kid required**
Free Child's Admission with Each Paid Adult!!
Wild Plant and Tree Identification for Beginners: Nikki Nease
Join this class for a playful opportunity to learn about plant and tree id through games and group activities. Beginners looking to understand the key botanical concepts that will allow them to develop basic search images for wild plants, trees, and forest types/landscapes, can expect energetic, hands-on engagement that is especially suitable for young persons with an accompanying adult (ratios should not exceed a 1:1, buddy-system). It is recommended, but not necessary, for folks to bring their own copy of the Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide.
Nikki Nease is a Homesteader, Maple-Sugar Farmer, and Lay-Herbalist in Halsey Valley, NY, near the Susquehanna River. She loves identifying and learning about wild plants and trees, and sharing her excitement for the world. Nikki became a new, stay-at-home mom in January, and she’ll begin supplementing income in the Spring of 2018 by teaching small, intimate classes, including the topics of Plant ID, Home/Community Herbalism, and Primitive Skills.
Planting Herbs for Beginners: Courtney Underwood and Tori Tranchina
A beginner class to introduce some easy to grow, commonly used, medicinal herbs for the garden. In this class we will discuss a few herbs that are easy to grow- what they are good for, how to use them, and how to grow your own! This will be a hands on experiential class where we will get our hands in the dirt and sow some seeds for your own personal garden. You will have the opportunity to gain the skills to plant and care for seeds and the knowledge to use the plants when they are ready for medicine. Each person will leave with a starter pack of seeds to care for and enjoy all summer long. All supplies included.
Courtney is both an herbalist and farmer. She has a small farm in Genoa, NY where hops and herbs grow. "I really love planting seeds, watching them grow, taking care of the plants, and then using them to care for friends, family, and community". Tori has been farming in the Northeast for the last two years, is an herbalist and has a small batch herbal product business called WoodFolk Botanica. Tori and Courtney will be partnering this season to grow herbs together.