Category Archives: Courses

Images of autumn

30 day challenge, Courses, River of Herbs, Urban Herb Walks, , ,

I’ve been busy with all sorts since my last post. There’s a little competition at the end of this one for those able to get to Amsterdam who fancy trying for a free Herbology Walk in Amsterdam oost. Work (school) has been lively. We’re fully open and yet the rest of the world seems to be closing up. Interesting times for all!

Am loving helping new Urban Herbology students on my courses – some are working so quickly on the Crafting Course, it’s great to see their enthusiasm!

I’ve been enjoying many walks in Amsterdam’s green spaces and was honoured to speak to a group at the Vrienden van Vrankendael’s celebration in Huize Frankendael’s coach house recently, about my involvement and hopes for the park. The guests were invited by the Vrienden van Frankendael and I spoke about the River of Herbs gardens. The Friends of Frankendael also featured us in the first article of their special 30 year celebratory magazine. The article is called Het eetbare park – The edible park. I’m very grateful to have been interviewed by them and especially humble to be so welcomed in the park.

Bench in one of the River of Herbs Orchards

Increasing capacity for multifunctional, sustainable urban edible spaces and community gardens is so important. City parks and planners can help enormously with this. I love discussing options for these spaces, with people who can help it to happen on a bigger scale.

Yew – Taxus

Marisa, one of my apprentices, graduated from the full course, in the woods, during one of the Witching Season gatherings. She has worked really hard on the course and I’m sure that good green things will continue to come from it! Marisa runs a fabulous vegan skincare company called Primal Essence and I love her products. Finally, they are available in Amsterdam!

Primal Essence

I’m now enjoying offering walking & talking consultations in Amsterdam and look forward to supporting more clients with personalised herbalism, reflexology and yoga. Details are on the Consultations page.

I thought that you may like to see a few photos from the past month or so.

So what have you been finding? Personally, I’m most pleased with the delights of the Virginia creeper grapes and Chinese Hawthorn, this season. Also the invisible strength building qualities of Michaelmus daisy.

Most people are writing to me about mushrooms this autumn. I must expand my confident-to-forage-and feed-my-family-fungi repertoire! Those shown above are for their beauty alone. I did eat the Jelly ear this evening. The others remain on the woodland floor, logs and benches where they belong – invisibly connecting life and death. Perfect organisms for teaching us about Samhain.

If you can tell me via email where this is, you’ll win a private 45 minute Herbology Walk in Amsterdam oost this autumn or winter! First person wins. Mutually convenient date and time to be arranged with the winner.
Advertisement

Herb Crafting Course

Courses, , ,

To help more people to learn herbal crafting skills, to increase their self-sufficiency and health, I have now made the Urban Herbology Crafting Course available as a stand alone course.

The Crafting Course has been part of my Apprenticeship course for many years (that contains courses about Urban Foraging, Seasonal Spirituality, Urban Herb Gardening and Wise Woman Healing, Natural Remedies, Ferments and Food). It remains part of that package, for people who have plenty of time to commit and want to thoroughly immerse themselves in Urban Herbology. But I know that many people don’t have that time or the finances to enable participation in the Apprenticeship, but they do need to learn the herb crafting skills.

The Urban Herbology Crafting Course is very practical and teaches you how to safely make dozens of different types of preparations from herbs. It is set up as 33 online lessons, with straightforward assignments based on the herbal preparations that you are learning to make.

There is lots of support, a private Facebook group and student forum. It’s a lot of fun, is self paced (so complete as fast or slow as you like) and it is very good value! There is even a discount for college or uni students and for members of the Herb Society. Pricing starts at €12 per month.

For details of the course and how to sign up, please follow this link.