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Herbal Classes & Herb Walks
The Herbal Classroom at Avena Botanicals' Gardens in Rockport, Maine
The Herbal Classroom is a non-profit, 501c(3), educational center situated on the same property as Avena Botanicals. The Herbal Classroom offers classes in herbal medicine, Ayurveda, and Biodynamic and organic herb gardening. Indoor and outdoor classes occur in our beautiful garden and newly built octagon-shaped classroom with a mission to encourage students to use their hearts, hands and minds to engage in learning the healing ways of plants. Read more
2019 Herb Garden Walks at Avena Botanicals
Step into the gardens of Avena Botanicals and enjoy a delightful tour led by herbalist Deb Soule, who will speak about a variety of medicinal and pollinator plants.
On these Wednesdays through the summer (3 pm - 4 pm):
- June 12
- June 26
- July 10
- July 24
- August 7
- August 14
While no RSVP is necessary, we do charge $7 in admission (per adult) to help support our educational garden programming. Children ages 3-11 are $5, and under 3 are free. You're welcome to bring cash or pre-pay using PayPal below. If pre-paying, please bring your PayPal receipt to use as your admission ticket.
Our retail herbal remedy shop is open every Monday through Friday from 12 – 5 PM and will be open during each garden walk. Before or after your tour of our gardens, we welcome you to visit our shop and try our testers for herbal tinctures, cremes, salves, oils, elixirs, and glycerites. We also sell several wonderful tea blends.
2019 Herb Walks for Children
Children are invited to come explore the mystery and magic of the garden with a guided tour by our herb gardener Stephanie Cesario. This fun and family-friendly event will teach children about medicinal herbs that they can grow at home and plants that delight our pollinator friends.
On these Tuesdays through the summer (3 pm - 4 pm):
- June 18
- July 30
- August 13
While no RSVP is necessary, we do charge $7 in admission (per adult) to help support our educational garden programming. Children ages 3-11 are $5, and under 3 are free. You're welcome to bring cash or pre-pay using PayPal below. If pre-paying, please bring your PayPal receipt to use as your admission ticket.
Full Moon Fairy Garden Walk
July 16, 2019
Times & ticket information TBA
Join us at Avena Botanicals for a magical moonlit evening in the garden. We welcome the Full Moon as it rises above our gardens glowing with luminaries. Fairies and gnomes will weave their magic with flower crowns and potion making, followed by a garden walk and astrological talk by Deb and friends, while the smallest of magicians will learn about bees with our very own bee specialist, Bobby! Sample sweet treats from the garden before we gather together to sprinkle fairy dust and raise a toast in honor of the full moon. We invite all attendees to bring chairs, blankets, and flashlights/headlamps for the event. Children and parents/guardians are invited to come dressed as their favorite flower fairy or pollinator (butterflies, bees, birds - use your imagination)!
A limited number of tickets will be sold online - check back here in early Summer 2019 to purchase yours.
Annual Mother's Day Plant Sale & Garden Walk
May 12, 2019, 12 pm to 3 pm ~ Hosted by herbalist Deb Soule
Bring your mother, daughter, grandmother (and whole family!) along for this beautiful Sunday afternoon event. We will be offering organic perennials by Rebel Hill Farm as well as organic vegetable and flower seedlings by Villageside Farm.
Deb Soule will also be offering a complimentary garden tour ($7 donation suggested) from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm to speak about medicinal herbs and pollinators.
2019 Herbal Classroom Workshops at Avena Botanicals
Herbs for Supporting Digestion and Immune Health
May 11th, 10 am - 4 pm, $75 ~ Taught by herbalist Kaela van Breevoort Reed
Learn how the health of your gut and microbiome can maintain the function of a healthy immune system.
To register, use the form above or email info@herbalclassroom.org. Include your name, phone number, and email address. Refund policy.
Herbs, Fermented Foods, and Flower Essences for a Clear, Wakeful Mind and Healthy Biome
July 26 - 28, $395 ~ Taught by herbalists Deb Soule and Suzanna Stone
Open to women who have been studying and using medicinal herbs for at least a year. Enjoy learning how to grow, gather, and prepare herbs which support a calm, healthy mind and digestive system. Plant meditations, garden walks, and preparing flower essences will be part of this course. We will also offer detailed hands-on instruction in making fermented foods.
To register, use the form above or email info@herbalclassroom.org. Include your name, phone number, and email address. Refund policy.
Creating Your Home Apothecary & Healing Gardens
A 7-Month course meeting one Saturday per month from 10 am - 4 pm
April 27, May 25, June 22, July 20, August 10, September 7, October 19
$695
Taught by herbalist Deb Soule
Our time together will be filled with hands-on learning. We will make different herbal remedies (tinctures, glycerites, infused medicinal oils, salves, foot baths, poultices, steams, and flower essences), go on guided garden walks, collect and dry herbs, have plant meditations, and more.
To register, use the form above or email info@herbalclassroom.org. Include your name, phone number, and email address. Refund policy.
2019 Workshops & Events (Off-Site)
Herbstalk
June 1 - 2, 2019
The Armory, Somerville, MA
Herbstalk is a grassroots, Boston-area herbal conference that takes place every June. They are a welcoming bunch, and everyone from professional herbalists & practitioners to herbal novices (and people passing on the street) enjoys their events. Join them for any of the following:
• a wide range of classes on herbal and holistic health topics
• urban plant walks focusing on local plant identification
• a vibrant marketplace featuring handmade herbal products & remedies, live plants, and herbal schools
• local food vendors providing delicious meals
http://www.herbstalk.org
International Herb Symposium
June 7 - 9, 2019
Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts
A Symposium to touch your heart and soul as well as mind and spirit, this gathering is for all people enraptured by the healing essence of herbs.
Herbalist Deb Soule will be teaching:
Hedgerow Medicine - Through a colorful slide show, we will view images of and discuss a variety of medicinal and edible trees and shrubs and medicinal herbs and flowers, all of which can be incorporated into hedgerows growing along the edges of gardens, fields or stonewalls. Hedgerows have many purposes including food and shelter for birds; nectar and pollen for pollinators, medicine and food for people, magical spaces for children and elemental beings, and beauty and shade. (Focused on New England plants and trees)
Creating an Apothecary Garden for People and Pollinators - Wherever one lives, an apothecary garden can be created or expanded to include herbs which nourish, heal and inspire joy, inner peace and wellness. Building living soil and compost, and incorporating specific design elements will be included along with suggestions for herbs which are medicinally purposeful and pollinator friendly. This class especially welcomes folks who are looking to create healing gardens and sanctuary spaces in places such as schools, prisons, shelters, food banks, community centers, nursing care facilities, and hospitals. (Intermediate)
https://www.internationalherbsymposium.com/
New England Women's Herbal Conference
August 23 - 25, 2019
Each year, the New England Women’s Herbal Conference has brought together women, herbalists, healers, and plant lovers to share their wisdom of the herbs and natural healing. Though the emphasis at the Women’s Herbal Conference is on women’s health, healing, and well being, the WHC is far more than an educational event. It is a joyful celebration of women spirit and women’s wisdom, as well as a special time of honoring the Earth and her plant rich being. All women are welcome! Come with an open heart, a willingness to share, learn, and celebrate together.
"All women are welcome! YOU are joyfully and heartfully invited to this intergenerational, intercultural circle in celebration of the plants. The NEWHC is dedicated to creating a conference that welcomes and affirms all people who identify as women. We ask that you come with an open heart, recognizing that while we are all one, we are not all the same. Like flowers in a colorful bouquet, we represent the many blossoms in a garden, each beautiful and unique."
https://www.newomensherbal.com/
Avena Botanicals will be at on-site with products for sale at special Conference prices.
Common Ground Country Fair
September 20 - 22, 2019, Unity, Maine
Avena Botanicals will be at on-site with products for sale at special Fair prices. Come see us at Booth 25 in the Agricultural Products area!
Registration
To obtain pricing information or register for an Herbal Classroom class held at Avena Botanicals, please call 207-370-4775 or email info@herbalclassroom.org. Include your name, phone number, and email address.
Unless otherwise specified, all classes and herb walks will be held at:
Avena Botanicals' Gardens
219 Mill Street
Rockport, Maine 04856
Refund Policy:
For courses taken with The Herbal Classroom, we request notice in writing for cancellation as far in advance as possible to allow us to offer your space to another student. Read more about our refund policy.
Partner Schools & Programs
- Living Wisdom - The Foundations of Ayurveda ~ Taught by Anne McIntyre and Gina Mastroluca
- Keeping Your Brain Brilliant ~ Taught by Charis Lindrooth, D.C. and Special Guests (Use coupon code AVENA for $20 OFF the price of the course)
© 2019 Avena Botanicals
