Description

This course builds upon the foundation taught in Ethnobotany 101, guiding students deeper into the world of plant medicine. Designed for those who want to move beyond identification and into the craft of creating functional herbal remedies, this is a hands-on experience that focuses on practical, field-based medicine making.

Held in the Colorado mountains, this is not a classroom workshop with precise temperature controls or lab equipment. Students will be learning the traditional way—working with nature’s variables, open fires, and natural conditions that bring a whole new understanding to the art of herbal medicine.

Students will explore the processes of creating tinctures, salves, oils, and other natural preparations using the plants that surround them. The focus will be on how to work with what you have in a real outdoor setting, adjusting methods for heat, timing, and consistency while learning to extract the full potential of medicinal plants.

This course dives deeper into the medicinal actions and energetics of plants, understanding how they influence the body and how different preparations can be tailored to individual needs. By the end of the class, students will have created their own herbal preparations and gained confidence in applying these methods anywhere—whether at home or in the backcountry.

Prerequisite: Completion of Ethnobotany 101 or Artisan of Plants.

What to Expect:

• Hands-on field instruction in medicine making

• Outdoor campfire-based herbal preparations

• Learning to adjust traditional techniques for natural environments

• Exploration of advanced tincture, salve, and oil making

• Deeper understanding of herbal energetics and plant actions

• Real-world herbalism that connects traditional wisdom with practical skills

This is herbalism in its raw, original form—working directly with the land, the plants, and the elements to create natural medicine the way it’s been done for generations.