Are you an individual who is looking to learn simple and cost efficient ways to take better care of yourself and your family?? This eight month course will give you all the basics you need to create simple preparations for first aide, immune support, and comforting remedies during cold/flu season using safe and gentle botanicals that are native to our Pocono woodlands or could be easily grown in the ground of your home garden or in containers.

This is a hands on course and students will be expected to complete small projects as class progresses in order to be able to learn and integrate new skills.  Videos will be provided to assist students in completing projects.  Companion handouts will also be provided with basic recipes and ideas to get you started.  Below you will find a syllabus of what the course will cover as well as a bullet list of what services and supports the class will include.

 

This class will meet at my home one Saturday a month from 10am - 1pm with support in between these classes via phone, Skype and Facebook. Classes will be held indoors and outdoors depending on weather and topic of discussion.  Students will also have access to the video version of this course in case of sickness or unforeseen issues in which they may be unable to attend a live class.  Most classes will include a lecture portion and a hands on experience.  The course fee is $400.00 and payment plans are available by emailing me directly.  Payment plans will need to be paid off by March 15th so the earlier you set this up the more time we have to come up with an arrangement that works best for you.  This program will be capped at 12 people to ensure personal attention for each student.

 

I will also be taking two students who want to participate in a work-study.  These students will need to pay the $50 deposit but the remainder of the fee will be exchanged for assistance in maintaining my gardens and my bees.  Applications for work study students are available by emailing me directly.  Please view the work study page for more details about expectations of this position.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2019 Dates 

 

 

March  23rd

April 13th

May 11th

June 15th

July 13th

August 17th

September 14th

October 12th

 

 

Part One - How to Set up Your Home Apothecary

From one shelf in your kitchen to a whole room of the house, an apothecary is whatever you need it to be.  Learn the basics of setting up your own home apothecary, where to find your herbs, and some common mistakes to avoid.

·         Where to store your herbs

·         What are the best containers and conditions in which to store your herbs

·         Fresh or dried? What is better

·         Necessary supplies for an efficient home apothecary

·         What is a materia medica?  How many herbs make up a good apothecary.

·         What is wildcrafting? 

·         Best books for reference.

·         Resources for ethical sources of plants both live and dried

 

Part Two - Infusions and Decoctions

One of the most simple and heartwarming ways to make plant medicine is with a simple cup of tea.  Learn the art of tea formulation for both pleasure and medicinal purposes.  We will have time to create our own mixture to take home.

·         What is the difference between an infusion and a decoction?

·         What makes a medicinal tea different from a beverage tea?

·         How to create a balanced tea formulation

·         Time for hands on creation

 

Part Three – Syrups, Infused Honeys and Oxymels

“A spoon full sugar helps the medicine go down”, said Mary Poppins.  Although this is true, the quality of the sugar is just as important as the herbs.  We will talk about the magic of the honeybee and how this tiny creature helps us make some of the best medicine for kids and adults alike.

·         Vegetable glycerin, sugar, or honey?

·         What is an oxymel?

·         When would you use a syrup or oxymel over a tincture?

·         How to use infused honeys for health and wellness?

·         What are the gifts of the honeybee and how do these gifts support herbal medicine?

 

Part Four - Infused Oils

Infused oils can be used for culinary as well as topical purposes.  The oil we make in this class will be used in the following class as well, when we practice the alchemy of changing a liquid into a solid.  The oil can be used as is for a cooking oil as well as a massage or even perfume oil.

·         Making Oils with Dried Plants

·         Making Oils with Fresh Plants

·         Solar or Heat Method

·         Cold Method

 

Part Five- Salves and Balms

Using your infused oil from last class you will learn how to turn a portion of it into a useful salve or balm.  We will discuss the beneficial uses of salves and how and why they might be used.

·         Why salve instead of lotion?

·         Most popular uses of salves

·         Different types of waxes

·         How to safely heat oil and wax

·         Popular salve recipes

 

Part Six – Tinctures and Glycerites

Effective and portable, tinctures and glycerites are great preparations when you need a more potent form of herbal medicine. We will be learning the traditional way of making tincture suitable to the home herbalist but will speak briefly about percolator method.

·         What is a menstrum?

·         Which is the best menstrum and why?  When would you choose a vegetable glycerin?

·         What does it mean by water or alcohol soluble?

·         Making tincture from dried plants: ratios and how to

·         Making tincture from fresh plant: ratios and how to

·         How to press a tincture

·         How to store a tincture.

 

Part Seven – First Aide

Every home should have a stocked first aide box for those unexpected times of injury or illness.  What types of things should the home herbalist have in their home first aide box.  What should be in your car or travel first aide box?  At this point you will know have the skills and knowledge to prepare your own first aide box for your unique lifestyle

·         A lifestyle survey to ascertain what herbs you may need

·         A brief discussion of wilderness medicine, in case your first aide box is not with you

·         Ways to store your medicine

·         What do you do when you travel via air?

·         Time to create and share your list with others in order to learn from one another.

·         Jenn’s list of first aide essentials

 

Part Eight – The Art of Ritual – Using Botanical Scent to Perfume the Home and Body

Scent has been used from the beginning of time to evoke emotion, seduce, sanctify and cleanse. Learn how herbs and other botanicals can be used to create unique and living scent to be used in your home and on your body. 

·         The benefits of working with botanicals

·         Where to source your ingredients

·         Loose incense, cones and resins (like Kyphi)

·         How to burn incense

 

What this includes:

One in person class per month for 8 months.

Pdf handouts,
How to Videos
PowerPoints with audio overlay,
Access to the Members Only section of the website
Dedicated Facebook page for members; This page will also be a place for the group to come together to share their experiences in between classes.  I will moderate this board weekly to answer any questions students may have as they begin to work with their plant medicine.
Direct contactwithinstructor via phone and/or Skype if more detailed guidance is needed.
A booklist of useful books to have on hand for this course
A 5% discount on any herbal preparations made by Jennifer Allen throughout the 8 months we are working together.
A 10% discount on an herbal consultation with Jenn Allen

 

Supplies: Students will be asked to provide their own canning jars, some herbs, and other inexpensive supplies.   All students should have a nice notebook that will act as a supplement to class materials.  A more detailed supplies list will be provided at the first class.