Upcoming Events
The Winter Herbal Medicine Cabinet: Weekend Workshop
Saturday Nov 14th + Sunday Nov 15th, 2026
9 am-5 pm
At Sawmill Herb Farm- Montague, MA
This class covers the elements of stocking the home apothecary with effective herbal remedies for the winter cold and flu season. Participants will leave with the knowledge to treat ailments like coughs and respiratory complaints, fevers, viral infections and more. Together in class we’ll make a plethora of remedies and students will leave with their own kit of homemade herbal preparations. We’ll also have herb walks on the surrounding land and meet many of our bioregionally abundant plants that support immune health.
Class will be a combination of:
Plant walks focusing on ID, ecology, and sustainable wildcrafting methods for locally abundant immune herbs
Materia Medica (full medicinal profile) of numerous herbs
Medicine-making (white pine cough syrup, usnea lichen throat spray, winter immune broth blend, echinacea tincture, first-sign-of flu tea, spiced elderberry cordial, sweet birch & willow fever tincture, candied elecampane root and more!)
Solo/integration time with the plants
Course Logistics:
-Tuition is $325 for the weekend. May be paid in full or 1/2 due at registration and 1/2 due one week before class. No refunds unless 2 weeks notice is given
-Students are responsible for their own food and lodging
-Accessibility: There are three steps to get into the space we’ll be using for class and we will walk, on average, 1-2 miles around forest and fields on uneven terrain
-Class will be held rain or shine. Indoor portions of class in Sawmill’s beautiful, renovated, heated barn and classroom space
-Medicine-making supplies are not included (jars, alcohol, etc)- students will be sent a supply list prior to class
-Plant material and The Winter Herbal Medicine Cabinet booklet are included (PDF + hard copy)
-Class size is limited to 15 participants
Please be in touch with any questions and email milkandhoneyherbs@gmail.com if you’d rather pay with a check.
Healing the Gut: Herbs and Kitchen Medicine for Supporting Digestive Health
Wednesday Dec 9th
6:30-8pm
Online + Free
Hosted by River Valley Market
Registration details coming soon!
A healthy and strong digestive system is the foundation of good health, however digestive issues and gut-based inflammation are rampant in our society. Luckily, there are numerous herbal remedies and approaches that can build digestive resilience and heal and seal the gut, all while lowering systemic inflammation in the body. We'll learn about practical herbal preparations that can be made right in our own kitchens and effective, accessible herbs that can be woven into our everyday cooking to support the digestive system and build vibrant health. Recipes will be demoed and handouts will be provided.
Spice Rack Medicine: Winter Online Series
This course covers the rich subject of Kitchen Medicine, demystifying herbalism and bringing it back into the home. We'll explore the amazing medicinal uses of the culinary herbsand ways to capture their properties for medicine, both in herbal preparations and in our food. We will also delve deeply into the subject of "food as medicine." We'll learn how to eat for our personal constitutions, understand the energetics of different foods, use the tonic herbs and medicinal mushrooms daily in the kitchen, and how to get the most nutritionally from the foods we eat. There will also, of course, be plenty of medicine-making and cooking demos as well!
There are 6 Modules total, covering:
-The medicinal use of over 25 kitchen herbs
-Herbal ghee
-Medicinal mushrooms, adaptogens, and seaweeds in the kitchen
-Nutritive herbs and remineralizing
-Nourishing herbal broths and soups
-Herb and food energetics
-Gut health and optimizing digestion
-Folk medicine-making (bitters, cordials, vinegars, oxymels, honeys, and more)
-Medicinal ferments, and so much more
And we’ll have 6 live calls for questions, medicine-making gatherings and demos, and to deepen the learning!
Class begins January 4th, 2027
Enrollment will be open for our 2027 cohort from Nov 27th-Dec 11th
Join the mailing list to be notified when registration open!
From the Roots Up Apprenticeship 2027: Year 2
FROM THE ROOTS UP Year 2
March-Nov 2027
1 Sunday/month
A 9-month herbal apprenticeship for those who have completed our Year 1 program or have some prior herbal experience and would like to deepen their learning! Classes meet outside on local farms in the Amherst/Northampton, MA area
Sundays: 3/7, 4/11, 5/2, 6/13, 7/18, 8/15, 9/19, 10/3, 11/14
Currently open for registration for 2027
You can learn more about this program here!
From the Roots Up Apprenticeship 2027: Year I
FROM THE ROOTS UP Year 1
March-Nov 2027
Amherst/Northampton, MA area
Our signature 9-month apprenticeship in bioregional herbalism now in its 15th year! Exploring our locally abundant medicinals, folk herbalism, botany, herbal ecology, sustainable harvesting, folk medicine-making and more.
We have 2 options, you choose!
Sunday Session: 3/14, 4/25, 5/16, 6/6, 7/11 8/8, 9/12, 10/17, 11/7
Monday Session: 3/15, 4/19, 5/10, 6/7, 7/12, 8/9, 9/27, 10/25, 11/8
Currently enrolling for 2027
You can learn more about our program here!
Stress Relief Through Herbs
Tuesday Oct 6th, 6-7:30pm
Richard Salter Storrs Library
Longmeadow, MA
FREE
Join us for a fun and interactive workshop on herbal support for managing stress and anxiety. We’ll explore a handful of calming herbs and learn to incorporate them into aromatherapy sachets, herbal teas, and more. Participants will all leave with recipes and samples we make together in the workshop!
This program sponsored by the Friends of Storrs Library.
Groundnut Earth Skills Gathering
October 3rd + 4th
Montgomery, MA
2 Full Days of Classes and Community for All Ages!
Register and learn more here!
I will be presenting…
Winter Immune Honey
Join us for a hands-on workshop exploring folk herbalism, medicine-making, and the synergy of honey and herbs. We’ll cover the medicinal properties of honey, learn easy ways to capture the medicine and flavors of herbs into honey, and get hands-on experience making our own herbal preparations. The class will cover the ancient and potent honey-based preparations known as electuaries as well as herbal-infused honeys, made with both fresh and dried herbs. We’ll also discuss many herbs abundant in our bioregional that make amazing herbal-infused honeys and make our own Winter Immune Honey to take home. Handouts and recipes will be provided!
New Moon Mycology Summit
3 Days of workshops, classes and hands-on learning
September 11th-13th
Middle Grove, NY
Sliding scale $700-$200 w/camping and meals included. Family friendly!
Learn more and register here!
I’ll be presenting…
Inter-Kingdom Love: Tree & Mushroom Walk
The Plant and Fungi Kingdoms are inextricably intertwined in forest ecologies. On this walk through the surrounding forest, we'll learn the identification, medicinal use, and sustainable harvest of the numerous medicinal trees of the northeast and their mushroom pairs, such as Eastern Hemlock-Reishi, Oak-Maitake, Birch-Birch Polypore, the favorite trees of Turkey Tail, Lion's Mane, Oysters and more. The northeast is over 75% forested, and learning tree identification is a pathway into assessing potential mushroom habitat and a wonderful way to deepen one's relationship with the forest. Participants will learn to read the herbal landscape and meet the incredible medicinal trees and mushrooms of the northeast.
Summer Foraging & Wild Food Dishes
Wednesday June 24th
4:00-6:00pm
At Just Roots Community Farm- 34 Glenbrook Drive, Greenfield, MA
$50
Join us for a walk around Just Roots Farm identifying the bioregionally abundant medicinal and edible herbs of summer. We'll learn identification, medicinal uses, harvesting techniques, medicinal preparations and more. Participants will be given time to do some foraging of their own and we'll end our walk by sharing some medicinal wild food dishes Jade will prepare ahead of time to share. Recipes will be shared!
Wild Edibles & Medicinals Plant Walk
Saturday June 13th
10:30-12:00pm
At Northfield Mtn Recreation & Environmental Center- Northfield, MA.
FREE
Register for the walk here!
Join us for a plant walk exploring the bountiful wild edible and medicinal herbs of late spring and early summer! We'll discuss identification, medicinal and edible uses, recipes, and sustainable harvesting practices for many of our locally abundant plants.
Mycobotanica: The Mushrooms & Plants of Northern Greece
Spring Herbal Immersion
May 22nd-30th, 2026
Zagori Region, Epirus, Greece
Just 2 spots left!
Earlybird discount ends on March 21st
In collaboration with mycologist Olga Tzogas of Smugtown Mushrooms, Greek herbalist Eleni Bourou and Greek mycologists and culture-keepers, I am SO thrilled to announce MYCOBOTANICA May 2026 Herbal Immersion!
Olga is Greek-American and has been bringing groups to her beloved mountains of Greece for the past 10 years to share her deep love of the ecology, culture, mushrooms and medicinal plants. As a fellow Greek-American, this trip is literally the dream.
This will be a small group, limited to 10 people, and our travels will take us far off the beaten tourist path and into high meadows full of terrestrial orchids, peonies, rock rose, valerian, geranium, hawthorne, elder (to name a few) and mushroom-rich forests of Beech, Black Pine, Spruce, Kernes Oak, Hazelnut, Ironwood and more. All in the gorgeous Pindus Mountains and Zagori region in the Epirus prefecture of northern Greece, a designated UNESCO World heritage Site.
The flora and biodiversity of this region in May is just stunning.
Topics & Group Activities Include
Identification of Plants, Trees, Mushrooms and more!
Ethical Harvesting + Gathering of Plants and Mushrooms
Common uses of Mushrooms + Plants of Greece
Demystifying Taxonomy + Binomial names
Smelling Your Way Through the Forest
Blind Tea Tastings + other sensory activities
Learn how to make Botanical Hydrosols, Oxymels + Honeys
Common Greek Herbs for Immune support
Cooking wild mushrooms + local dishes + MORE!
Class size is limited. Be in touch soon if you’re interested!
LEARN MORE HERE!
Herbs for Relaxation and Stress Relief
Saturday May 16th
10am-11:30am
Springfield Public Library- Central Branch
FREE
Join herbalist Jade Alicandro for a session on herbs for relaxation and stress relief - and leave with an herbal tea supply you will mix yourself! Adults and older teens 15+ are welcome.
Western Mass Herbal Symposium
Healing the Gut: Herbs & Supportive Practices for Digestive Health
At the Western Mass Herbal Symposium
Sat May 9th
Montague Retreat Center- Montague, MA
Register for the symposium here!
A healthy and strong digestive system is the foundation of good health, however digestive issues and gut-based inflammation are rampant in our society. Luckily, there are numerous herbal remedies and approaches that can build digestive resilience and heal and seal the gut, all while lowering systemic inflammation in the body. We’ll learn practical herbal preparations and effective, accessible herbs to support the digestive system and build vibrant health.
DIY Fermented Teas
Tuesday April 28th
7:00-8:30pm EST
Online + Free for all Viriditas Members
Zoom link will be sent to Viriditas Members
OPEN TO ALL VIRIDITAS MEMBERS and is free as a part of your membership!
Not a member yet? Learn more here
Class Description:
The process of fermenting tea has been practiced for millennia for both its flavor-boosting and health-giving benefits. Research show that fermenting teas enhances the bioavailability of antioxidants, such as polyphenols, supports the microbiome and gut health, increases metabolism, reduces inflammation and more. And it unlocks a rich, delicious flavor too. The most familiar example of fermented tea in our culture is Black Tea, which is the fermented leaf of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis, however numerous plants may be fermented to release their benefits beyond just simple tea!
In this class we will go over the process of making your own fermented teas, plants to consider, and the health benefits of these wonderful teas. If you’d like to make your own along with me in class, bring the leaves of Apple, Crab Apple, Raspberry, Blackberry, Current, Linden or Rose, which you have wilted for 12-24 hrs. Recipes and handouts will be shared.
Open + Free for all Viriditas Members. If you aren't a member yet you can learn more about our membership options here!
Foraging Edible Wild Plants
Saturday April 25th
2:00-3:30pm
Smith College- Northampton, MA (meet at the gardens outside Lyman Greenhouse)
FREE
Celebrate spring with a foraging walk around the Smith College campus. We’ll identify numerous wild edibles and discuss their identification, delicious recipes and preparations, and their uses. No pre-registration needed, just show-up!
From the Roots Up Apprenticeship 2026: Year 2
FROM THE ROOTS UP Year 2
March-Nov 2026
A 9-month herbal apprenticeship for those who have completed our Year 1 program or have some prior herbal experience and would like to deepen their learning!
Class meets 1 Sunday/mo, 10am-4:30pm, March-November, on local farms in the Amherst/Northampton, MA area
Sundays: 3/15, 4/12, 5/3, 6/14, 7/19, 8/16, 9/20, 10/4, 11/8
FULL for 2026!
Email milkandhoneyherbs@gmail.com to be added to the waitlist
You can learn more about this program here!
Tree Medicine Spring Intensive
Spring Equinox Weekend 2026
March 21st + 22nd
9am-5pm
At Sawmill Herb Farm- Montague, MA
Join us for a 2-day tree medicine workshop over spring equinox weekend!
The northeast is about 75% forested and contains numerous medicinal tree species, both native and non-native, making this a category of medicinals well worth getting to know. In this 2-day, weekend intensive, we'll highlight the medicinal uses of northeast tree species in season in the spring- which is an ideal time to harvest medicinal barks- and learn about a variety of medicinal trees.
Trees we’ll work with may include Willow (Salix spp), Sweet Birch (Betula lenta), Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides), Cottonwood (Populus deltoides), Wild Cherry (Prunus serotina), Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), Peach (Prunus persica) , Magnolia (Magnolia spp), Apple and Crabapple (Malus sylvestris), Alder (Alnus spp),White Pine (Pinus strobus), Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), Juniper (Juniperus spp), and more.
Class will be a combination of:
Plant walks focusing on ID, ecology, and sustainable wildcrafting methods
Materia Medica (full medicinal profile) of numerous northeast medicinal trees
Medicine-making (tinctures, cordials/elixirs, conifer resin salve, cottonwood bud tallow balm, and more)
Solo/integration time with the plants
We’ll learn techniques for sustainably wildcrafting bark, how to to I.D. many of our local medicinal trees while they are still in bud before they have leafed-out, their medicinal benefits, and how to capture these properties in your own homemade medicines like tinctures, oils, syrups, teas, and more!
Course Logistics:
-Tuition is $325 for the weekend. May be paid in full or 1/2 due at registration and 1/2 due one week before class. No refunds unless 2 weeks notice is given
-Students are responsible for their own food and lodging
-Accessibility: There are three steps to get into the space we’ll be using for class and we will walk, on average, 1-2 miles around forest and fields on uneven terrain
-Class will be held rain or shine. Indoor portions of class in Sawmill’s beautiful, renovated, heated barn and classroom space
-Medicine-making supplies are not included (jars, alcohol, etc)- students will be sent a supply list prior to class
-Plant material and 40+ page Tree Medicine of the Northeast booklet are included (PDF + hard copy)
-Class size is limited to 15 participants
Please be in touch with any questions and email milkandhoneyherbs@gmail.com if you’d rather pay with a check.
FULL for 2026. Email to be added to the waitlist
From the Roots Up 2026 Apprenticeship: Year I
FROM THE ROOTS UP Year 1
March-Nov 2026
Amherst/Northampton, MA area
Our signature 8-month apprenticeship in bioregional herbalism, now in its 13th year!
We have 2 options, you choose!
Sunday Session: 3/29, 4/26, 5/17, 6/7, 7/12, 8/9, 9/13, 10/18, 11/1 (FULL for 2026)
Monday Session: 3/30, 4/27, 5/18, 6/8, 7/13, 8/10, 9/14, 10/19, 11/2
FULL for 2026
You can learn more about our program here
Herbs to Bring in the Light
Sunday Feb 1st
3:00-5:00pm
At Fable- Southington, CT
$40
Join herbalists Jade Alicandro of Milk & Honey Herbs and Tina Parziale of Fable for a special workshop and gathering on Imbolc, Candelora and St Bridgid's Day. This is the halfway point between the winter solstice and spring equinox, when cultures around the world celebrate the returning of the light and the quickening of the green world. We'll honor the return of the light together by making candles, learning about herbs that stoke our own inner fire, lighten the mood, and support nervous system health during late winter, and end with a collective ritual as the sun sets.
Herbs & Fungi of the Mediterranean: Enchanted Forests and Meadows of Greece
Wed January 14th
6pm EST
LIVE + access to a recording!
FREE
Register here!
Join herbalists Jade Alicandro and Eleni Bourou + mycologist Olga Tzogas for a peek into the biodiversity and natural world of northern Greece. Together we take a visual journey from the city to the forests + high mountain meadows painted with super blooms of dozens of flower species and fairy rings of mushrooms. Learn about a handful of typical medicinal and aromatic plants we run into, their use and history locally in the region and beyond. Lets envision Spring in the thick of Winter and learn what plants and mushrooms grow in northern Greece.
-Connect with herbalists and experts sharing their work and relationships with plants and mushrooms from the Mediterranean bioregion
-Learn about the biogeography of the southern Balkan Peninsula
-Meet common + rarer plants and mushrooms in their showiest stages of growth
-Witness various ways local people use common and endemic herbs, plants and mushrooms
-Yearn for Spring during long, dark Winter days :)
This offering is a little course/teaser of the immense biodiversity in the region, for folks who may be considering joining us this May for our Mycobotanica Herbal Immersion in Greece! Or just have an interest in the ecology of the region :)
If you’re interested, don’t wait! Our group will be small- 10 people max. Join us!
Spice Rack Medicine: Winter Online Series
Enrollment is closed
Join the waitlist HERE to be notified when we open the doors next
SPICE RACK MEDICINE: Winter Online Series 2026
Where Kitchen Medicine and Herbalism Meet
This course covers the rich subject of Kitchen Medicine, demystifying herbalism and bringing it back into the home. We'll explore the amazing medicinal uses of the culinary herbsand ways to capture their properties for medicine, both in herbal preparations and in our food. We will also delve deeply into the subject of "food as medicine." We'll learn how to eat for our personal constitutions, understand the energetics of different foods, use the tonic herbs and medicinal mushrooms daily in the kitchen, and how to get the most nutritionally from the foods we eat. There will also, of course, be plenty of medicine-making and cooking demos as well!
There are 6 Modules total, covering:
-The medicinal use of over 25 kitchen herbs
-Herbal ghee
-Medicinal mushrooms, adaptogens, and seaweeds in the kitchen
-Nutritive herbs and remineralizing
-Nourishing herbal broths and soups
-Herb and food energetics
-Gut health and optimizing digestion
-Folk medicine-making (bitters, cordials, vinegars, oxymels, honeys, and more)
-Medicinal ferments, and so much more
And we’ll have 6 live calls between Jan 5th and Feb 24th for questions and to deepen the learning!
Class begins January 5th, 2026 & Registration is open until January 1st!
Learn to Make Fire Cider
Saturday Nov 22nd
10:00am-11:30pm
At Springfield Public Library Main Branch- 220 State St, Springfield, MA
FREE
Pre-Registration required.
Fire Cider is a tried and true herbal home remedy known for boosting the immune system, fighting colds and flus, easing coughs and congestion, and so much more! Often referred to as "kitchen medicine," this preparation can be easily made with ingredients found in the grocery store. In this hands-on workshop we'll learn about the medicinal benefits of Fire Cider and its ingredients. Participants will all make their own jar to bring home. Please bring a cutting board and knife if you can - the rest of the ingredients will be provided!
Nourishing Broths & Medicinal Soups
Wednesday October 15th
6:30-8:00pm
Hosted by River Valley Co-op
ONLINE + FREE!
Fall and winter are great times to start cooking-up nourishing and medicinal foods, and broths and soups lend themselves incredibly well to herbal additions! We'll learn about the best herbs to include in our cooking, how to combine them for different flavor profiles, and learn about the medicinal benefits of these herbs as we go. Handouts and recipes will be provided!
Fall Foraging & Wild Food Dishes
Fall Foraging & Wild Food Dishes
Wednesday October 8th
4:00-6:00pm
At Just Roots Community Farm- 34 Glenbrook Drive, Greenfield, MA
$50
Limited to 20 participants (2 reduced cost spots are available)
Join us for a walk around Just Roots Farm identifying our bioregionally abundant medicinal herbs that come into season in the fall. We'll learn identification, medicinal uses, harvesting techniques, medicinal preparations and more. Participants will be given time to do some foraging of their own and we'll end our walk by sharing some medicinal wild food dishes Jade will prepare ahead of time to share. Recipes will be shared!
Wild Edible & Medicinals Plant Walk
Saturday June 28th
10:30am-12:00pm
At Northfield Mountain- 99 Millers Falls Rd, Northfield, MA
FREE
Please pre-register here!
Join us for a plant walk exploring the bountiful wild edible and medicinal herbs of late spring and early summer! We'll discuss identification, medicinal and edible uses, recipes, and sustainable harvesting practices for many of our locally abundant plants. This program is free!
Stress Relief Through Herbs for Teens
Herbal Stress Relief for Teens
Tuesday June 24th
3:00-4:30pm
At the Springfield City Library (Central Branch)
FREE
Open to ages 12-20
LEARN MORE & PRE-REGISTER HERE!
Join us for a fun and interactive workshop on herbal support for managing stress and anxiety for teens! We’ll explore a handful of calming herbs and learn to incorporate them into aromatherapy sachets, herbal teas, and more. Participants will all leave with recipes and samples we make together in the workshop!
This program was supported by grant funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, as administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
Herbstalk
Herbal Nootropics for Memory, Mental Clarity & Brain Health
Herbstalk
Sat June 7th & Sunday June 8th
At The Center for the Arts at the Armory- 191 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA
Learn more and get your tickets here
I’m so thrilled to be teaching at this year’s Herbstalk! Class description below
Herbal nootropics are a category of herbs known to support memory, focus and overall brain health. By promoting mental clarity, good mood and an over-all feeling of calm, they can help counter the brain fog that often accompanies feelings of overwhelm, anxiety and depression, hormonal changes and nervous system overload. They may be taken on a daily basis or as-needed and can be a valuable addition to any herbal protocol. In this class we'll discuss accessible and familiar herbs that fall into the class of "nootropic" and learn ways to incorporate them into our herbal practices via food as medicine, tinctures, teas and more.
Learn more about Herbstalk here!
Western Mass Herbal Symposium
Common Weeds That Heal Plantwalk
Western Mass Herbal Symposium
Saturday May 17th
9am-6:30pm
At the Montague Retreat Center- 177 Ripley Road, Montague, MA
Learn more and get your ticket here
I’m so thrilled to be leading a plant walk at this year’s Western Mass Herbal Symposium! Class description below
We are surrounded by medicine if we just know where to look. Many common plants, often maligned and overlooked as unwanted weeds, are potent medicinals. When we get to know the abundant herbs around uswe're practicing sustainable herbalism at it's finest, as often these are some of the most widely distributed plants in the world! In this walk we'll meet numerous abundant medicinal and edible plants that tend to fall into the category of "weeds" and learn identification, harvesting methods, medicinal actions and ways to capture their medicine in both herbal preparations and food as medicine.
For the Love of Nettles
For the Love of Nettles
Tuesday, April 22nd
6-8pm EST
ONLINE + FREE
Open to all Viriditas members (not a member yet? Learn more here)
Nettles are beloved in herbalism for good reason. Truly a “people plant,'“ Nettles grows on every continent but Antarctica and everywhere us humans have encountered this plant, we’ve woven it into our food systems, medicine cabinets and cultures. Humans and Nettles have an intertwined history and we have evidence of their use dating back to the Bronze Age 3,000 years ago, as a fiber plant, and it’s quite common to find it growing among ancient ruins, signaling that our connection with Nettles likley goes back even further than the archeological record shows. In this workshop we'll explore the vast applications of Nettles as a medicinal herb and functional food and learn to make preparations with both dried and fresh plant material. We’ll make medicine together and participants will receive our For the Love of Nettles ebook which is full of cultivation tips, recipes, in-depth info on harvesting and medicinal use and is a 75+ page ode to our beloved Nettles.
Open to all members of our Viriditas Community Membership which is hosted on Patreon. Not a member yet? Learn more and join us here!
The zoom link will be shared with all Viridtas members, so if you’re already a member be sure to check out our Patreon page for the link to join us! And class will be recorded and a replay will be sent out and it will be added to the class library as well.
From the Roots Up 2025 Apprenticeship: Year I
Our signature 8-month apprenticeship in bioregional herbalism, now in its 13th year!
Class meets 1 Sunday/month OR 1 Monday/mo (we have 2 options available), April-November, on local farms in the Amherst/Northampton, MA area
2025 Sunday Dates: 4/27, 5/18, 6/1, 7/13, 8/10, 9/14, 10/5, 11/2 (FULL for 2025)
2025 Monday Dates: 4/21, 5/19, 6/9, 7/21, 8/18, 9/22, 10/20, 11/3 (currently enrolling)
FULL for 2025
Email milkandhoneyherbs@gmail.com to be added to the waitlist
The Healing Power of Plants Summit
The Healing Power of Plants Summit
April 15th-18th
Online + Free!
Interview: Connecting with the Land through "Invasive" Plants
This interview series features 15 wise herbalists and plant people sharing about deepening your connection with the green world
My interview, on connecting with the land through "invasive" plants, is a controversial topic, I know! And, spoiler alert, to me it's not an either/or issue and my intention behind sharing about it is to bring some nuance to the convo and share an animist perspective too.
Although I have certainly done my fair share of Bittersweet removal along with other non-native plants, it still hurts my heart to read folk's comments online about how much they "hate" certain plants and their eagerness to pull-out the Round-Up (aka glyphosate) and poison the earth in the name of ecological restoration. Which tends to inherently come along with the human-centric assertion that us humans are the experts on plant migration in the midst of climate chaos and a global a mass extinction. Overall, I feel that the narrative around "invasives" is a language of separation that deepens our severance from the natural world and, as an person who's life's work is connecting people with plants and helping facilitate folk's re-establish their connection with the land, I can't help but to speak-up and be voice for the plants, no matter where they're from
I recently came across the name "displaced plant relative" for these plants, offered by the indigenous scientist Jessica Hernandez, and I gotta say that THIS is where it's at for me in terms of re-framing our relationships with these plants!
From the Roots Up Apprenticeship: Year 2
A 9 month herbal apprenticeship for those who have completed our Year 1 program or have some prior herbal experience and would like to deepen their learning!
Class meets 1 Sunday/mo, March-November, on local farms in the Amherst/Northampton, MA area
2025 Dates: 3/23, 4/6, 5/4, 6/22, 7/6, 8/4, 9/7, 10/19, 11/19
FULL for 2025
Email milkandhoneyherbs@gmail.com to be added to the waitlist
Tree Medicine Spring Intensive
Tree Medicine Spring Intensive
Spring Equinox Weekend 2025
March 22nd + 23rd
9am-5pm
At Sawmill Herb Farm- Montague, MA
Join us for a 2-day tree medicine workshop over spring equinox weekend!
The northeast is about 75% forested and contains numerous medicinal tree species, both native and non-native, making this a category of medicinals well worth getting to know. In this 2-day, weekend intensive, we'll highlight the medicinal uses of northeast tree species in season in the spring- which is an ideal time to harvest medicinal barks- and learn about a variety of medicinal trees.
Trees we’ll work with may include Willow (Salix spp), Sweet Birch (Betula lenta), Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides), Cottonwood (Populus deltoides), Wild Cherry (Prunus serotina), Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), Peach (Prunus persica) , Magnolia (Magnolia spp), Apple and Crabapple (Malus sylvestris), Alder (Alnus spp),White Pine (Pinus strobus), Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), Juniper (Juniperus spp), and more.
Class will be a combination of:
Plant walks focusing on ID, ecology, and sustainable wildcrafting methods
Materia Medica (full medicinal profile) of numerous northeast medicinal trees
Medicine-making (tinctures, cordials/elixirs, conifer resin salve, cottonwood bud tallow balm, and more)
Solo/integration time with the plants
We’ll learn techniques for sustainably wildcrafting bark, how to to I.D. many of our local medicinal trees while they are still in bud before they have leafed-out, their medicinal benefits, and how to capture these properties in your own homemade medicines like tinctures, oils, syrups, teas, and more!
Course Logistics:
-Tuition is $325 for the weekend. May be paid in full or 1/2 due at registration and 1/2 due one week before class. No refunds unless 2 weeks notice is given
-Students are responsible for their own food and lodging
-Accessibility: There are three steps to get into the space we’ll be using for class and we will walk, on average, 1-2 miles around forest and fields on uneven terrain
-Class will be held rain or shine. Indoor portions of class in Sawmill’s beautiful, renovated, heated barn and classroom space
-Medicine-making supplies are not included (jars, alcohol, etc)- students will be sent a supply list prior to class
-Plant material and 40+ page Tree Medicine of the Northeast booklet are included (PDF + hard copy)
-Class size is limited to 15 participants
Please be in touch with any questions and email milkandhoneyherbs@gmail.com if you’d rather pay with a check.
CLASS IS FULL! Please email to be added to the waiting list
Bowls of Wisdom Community Dinner
Bowls Of Wisdom Community Dinner
Friday Jan 17th, 5-8pm
At Lighthouse Holyoke- 92 Race St, Holyoke, MA
Sliding Scale $0-20
RSVP HERE or just show-up!
Join me for the winter installation of the Holyoke Food & Equity Collective’s seasonal, sliding-scale community dinners!
I’ll be giving a talk on winter wellness and spice rack medicines that are probably already in your kitchen. And we’ll enjoy a community meal together of some delectable soups made by chef Neftalí Durán.
Sliding scale $0-$20 per person. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Medicinal Mushrooms in the Kitchen
Wednesday Oct 23rd
6:30-8pm EST
Online + Free
Hosted by River Valley Co-op
Please pre-register here!
In this workshop we’ll discuss 3 potent and delicious medicinal mushrooms that double as “food as medicine”- Lion’s Mane, Maitake/Hen of the Woods, and Shiitake. We’ll discuss their medicinal properties such as nootropic, anti-inflammatory, liver and immune supportive, antioxidant, and more, and learn some easy and cost-effective ways to capture their medicine in the kitchen. Recipes will be demoed and shared!
Featured Past Events
Find a full list of past events here.
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American Herbalists Guild (AHG) Symposium, HERBSTALK, RADHERB Convergence, Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) Summer Conference, Western Mass Herbal Symposium, Northeast Permaculture Convergence, Yoga + Herbs Convergence, UMASS Residential Life Wellness Conference, NOFA-MA Winter Conference, Groundnuts Ancestral Skills Gathering, Rhode Island Herb Fest
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Smith College, Hampshire College, UMASS-Amherst (Medicinal Plant Program, Stockbridge School of Agriculture, Permaculture Initiative, Arthur F Kinney Center for Renaissance Studies), Permaculture FEAST, Western Mass Herbal Meet-up Group, SPIRAL, Herbal Community of Central Mass
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CISA (Communities Involved in Sustaining Agriculture), Railroad Street Youth Project, Brickhouse Community Resource Center, Just Roots/Greenfield Community Farm, Bullard Memorial Farm, Grow Food Amherst, People's Medicine Project
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Food For Thought Books, River Valley Co-op, All Things Local Cooperative Market
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Shutesbury Public Library, Public Library System of Martha’s Vineyard, Springfield Public Library, Longmeadow Public Library
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Next Barn Over, Sawmill Herb Farm, Brookfield Farm, Crimson & Clover Farm, Just Roots, The Farm at Avalon, Full Kettle Farm, Red Fire Farm, Dig In Farm, Montague Retreat Center, Sweet Autumn Farm, Montview Farm
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Blue Dragon Apothecary, Goldthread Herbal Apothecary, Bower Studio, Flower Power Herbs & Roots
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Unifier Festival, Red Fire Farm Tomato Festival, Winterfare
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The Childbirth Center at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, Northfield Mtn Recreation & Environmental Center, Amherst Historical Society, Amherst LSSE