Curriculum

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This herbal program spans six months and three seasons featuring in-person training complemented by virtual learning and home study. Held one weekend day per month from April-September 2025, this course provides three core areas of focus: wild and cultivated plant study, medicine making skills and strengthening body systems through optimum nourishment.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

• Plant Identification:

  • Develop proficiency in identifying and classifying plants in their native habitats using advanced observation techniques, habitat awareness, and plant taxonomy.

  • Gain the ability to recognize and catalog a diverse range of wild and cultivated plants, enhancing your field study and practical application skills.

• Implementing Sustainable Harvesting Practices:

  • Acquire knowledge of wildcrafting techniques and sustainable harvesting methods for roots, bark, leaves, and seeds.

  • Learn how to maintain and rejuvenate harvest sites through re-population practices such as crown re-planting, seed distribution, and root and rhizome cuttings.

• Medicinal Plant Cultivation:

  • Develop skills in organic cultivation methods for medicinal plants, including understanding harvest protocols and cultural practices to support healthy plant growth and effective medicine making.

• Herbal Medicine Making:

  • Master both folk and standardized methods for creating herbal medicines, including how to prepare remedies from fresh and dried plants.

  • Gain hands-on experience in application of herbs during mock case study protocols

• Understanding personal connection and Herbal Energetics of wild and cultivated medicinal plants

Course Format and Dates

This program is in-person with at-home independent study. Classes will be held at Trillium Ridge near Concrete, WA from Hiway 20 (and Darrington, WA from Seattle via Hwy 530) from April-September. This is a rural location with limited accommodations and services.

Some class dates will include arranged carpooling to pre-determined locations from Trillium Ridge; arrangements will be made prior to apprenticeship dates.

Dates— Apprenticeship is held the first Saturday of each month from 10:00 am - 4:30 pm. Note: class is not held the Fourth of July weekend & instead is held the second weekend of July.

• Saturday, April 5, 2025 10:00 am - 4:30 pm at Trillium Ridge Campus

  • Introductions, Introduction to Herbal Medicine

  • Apothecary studies overview and choosing your medicine

  • Apothecary Training: Water-based preparations (infusions, decoctions, syrups)

  • Six Steps of Healing, philosophy of healing, healing vs. curing

• Saturday, May 3, 2025 10:00 am - 4:30 pm near Trillium Ridge in Concrete, WA

  • Organic cultivation of medicinal plants

  • Apothecary Training: Tinctures, Oxymels, Folk Medicine/Standardized

  • Harvest protocols, habitat awareness

  • Wild edibles: Food As Medicine

• Saturday, June 7, 2025 10:00 am - 4:30 pm near Trillium Ridge

  • Herbal Lineage

  • Ancestors, Herbal Allies

  • Herbs for Trauma, Emotional aspects of healing

  • Earth Medicines: Stones, trees, water, salt

• Saturday, July 13, 2025 10:00 am - 4:30 pm near Trillium Ridge

  • Energetic healing

  • Making Flower Essences

• Saturday, August 3, 2025 10:00 am - 4:30 pm near Trillium Ridge

  • Apothecary Training- Oils, balms

  • Art of Listening- Deep listening, holding space

  • Mock case studies, application of plant medicine

• Saturday, September 7, 2025 10:00 am - 4:30 pm near Trillium Ridge

  • Roots of Healing

  • Defining your practice

  • Graduation and Talent Show

Tuition and Supplies

Tuition for this Apprenticeship is $1030.00. Tuition includes all in person training, online learning material, home study projects, one evening per month virtual training and all plants used in our time together.

After you have enrolled, Erin will contact you for an introduction. If in the rare event that we decide we are not a good fit- your tuition is refunded. (minus $30 banking credit card fee)

Once accepted in to the apprenticeship- No refunds or transfers are allowed.

Supplies

All plant material is included in your tuition. Medicines you make in our time together are yours to keep.

The more medicines you make in class & outside of class during at-home study, the more you will need. I suggest buying a standard size one of each of the following medicine making menstruums to start—

• Apple Cider Vinegar

• Alcohol: Brandy, Everclear and/or Vodka (those with an allergy or choosing a non-alcoholic medicine practice may omit alcohol from their supplies)

• Honey (or an alternative sweetener like Agave nectar if vegan)

• Vegetable glycerin

• Olive oil

• Beeswax

You will also need:

• Canning jars of various sizes for medicine making

• Pruners (Felco or Corona are good options)

• Shovel (small and portable are best suited to wildcrafting and carrying on field trips)

• Hori-hori

• Knife, cutting board

• Labels for jars, pen, notebook

• Measuring cup

• Spoon or stirring sticks

• A copy of the book Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West by Michael Moore.

Helpful but not required:

• Camp chair

• Umbrella

• Bags or harvesting boxes

Beyond these tools, here is a brief list of readings & supplies that can benefit your studies—

Suggested books:

• Herbal Medicine Making by James Green

• Western Botanical Medicine by Christa Sinadinos

Suggested supplies:

• Herb or food scale

• Amber glass bottles for storage of finished medicines

• Essential oils for enhancing topical products