Hedge Herbalism: Medicine from Farm to Forest

Join us for an immersive herbalism series where the garden meets the wild at Good Maker Acres in Warwick, NY. Explore the edges between the cultivated and the wild, reclaim ancient folk ways and feel the magic of the "hedge"—that sacred boundary between the known and the unknown.
Traditionally the “hedge” was both a physical and symbolic boundary between the known and the unknown, the abundance of the field and the mystery of the forest. Hedges were made of thorny bushes and trees like hawthorn, blackthorn, brambles and willows. As these plants grew, the hedge became a diverse heaven for birds, animals and medicinal plants; reflecting the balance, nourishment and richness of both worlds.
This immersive herbalism series weaves together nature connection, earth based practices and folk herbalism to reclaim ancient ways, and re-establish our relationship with the land. We will explore traditional medicinal plants from the medicine garden, as well as their wild counterparts. In each class we will harvest and work with what is present, growing and wanting to be found. This series invites you to trust your intuition, body, and sensations while learning about herbal actions, constituents and preparations with the goal of creating a holistic practice that relates with all aspects of the landscape.
Each class we will study 3-5 seasonal plants, their medicinal properties, constituents and herbal actions. We will explore making remedies, preparing plants and how to incorporate herbal medicine into your every day life. This series is meant for anyone who is looking for a hands-on introduction to medicinal plants, join us for the entire series or for whoever workshops suits your needs.
What’s included :
  • Plant identification, recipes, medicinal preparations, and harvesting instructions
  • Historical and modern practical applications
  • Folklore and ritual practices
  • Make and take: Remedies you will be making in class to take home and enjoy

  • We begin our journey under the crab apple tree, at the nettle patch. The teachings of the hedge bring us back to ancient ways, calling us to live and heal by the rhythm of the land. In this first class we will explore stinging nettle, spring greens and the lore of the crab apple tree.

    Stinging nettle has always been a foundational green ally in both old, and modern times. Deeply nourishing, deeply intelligent, the great trickster, the milk of the earth, Sister Spinster; you can spend a lifetime with this plant and you’ll have nothing but yourself to lose. She will bring you on a journey, into ritual, into the richness of the soil and the sun.

    Come sit with Sister Spinster, allow her to spin your spirit in her cauldron, nourish your body, and awaken you into spring. 

  • Our second meeting is all about the Sun and plants that meet us at the height of summer, when we are the most energized, and also the most vulnerable.

    Traditionally common people didn’t have access to doctors, and even when they did, doctors could be dangerous. Herbs were that first line of defense. If we look at the historical uses of plants such as golden rod, yarrow, St. John’s wort, plantain, self heal, lemon balm, even marshmallow you’ll find that they each have supported people in sharp, challenging times, when life can cut through, and leave us wounded, hurt and vulnerable.

    These plants thrive at the height of summer, grow with power of the Sun, they give us hope in tough times when there is no sun to be found. What heals the spirit, also heals the body, and vice versa.

    Come learn about the traditional preparations of plants such as infused wines, decoctions, skin washes, poultices, tallow infusions, and the rituals that supported common people in their healing practices.

  • August, the Harvest Moon, Lammas mark the subtle shift from summer into fall. We might not notice it at first, but the gentle pull of the Underworld can be seen everywhere: shorter days, slower growth, plants returning their energy towards the roots.

    During this time plants that have a rich relationship with magic, dreaming, and the void, such as mugwort and elder, bestow their charms and gifts upon us. The underworld allows us to understand and untangle the complexity of plants, and of our own lives, by teaching us how to rejoice in the great mystery of the ordinary. Sometimes it opens a door through a fruit, or a blossom.

    In this class we will spend time harvesting and preparing remedies with fresh elder berries, explore the ancient lore of the Elder tree, the God Pan, Elder Mother, and its healing and poisonous properties. In the second part of the class we will spend time with Mugwort as it blooms, as we slow down and welcome the wisdom of dream time medicine, Artemis and the bear. 

  • As the season draws to a close, we celebrate the medicine of the hearth, the remedies that will nourish and comfort us through the winter.

    We will hang our harvest to dry, make fire cider, syrups, infused honeys, and bring the outside into our home. In in this class we will explore folk ways to support our immune system and nourish ourselves throughout the winter months, and work with plants and remedies such as pine, rose hips, garlic and more. 

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