Earlybird Registration Open through March 1!
MEDICINE KEEPERS
A Community Herbalism Certificate Program
The Medicine Keepers, the tenders of this path, of the land, this knowledge, these traditions, and of our lineages.
In community, we will plant, grown, tend, harvest and create alongside our beloved plant allys!
By the end of our season together you will have two dozen
herbs and herbal preparations as part of your amazing home herbal apothecary!
This is significant portion of our time together will be a practical program,
we will be physically working and collectively tending our herbal gardens here at Wild Ginger through out the season.
This includes everything from planting seeds, laying compost and weedmat, planting,
harvesting, drying, weeding, and making many herbal preparations.
The program is entirely outdoors and in our open air classroom.
Molly Meehan Brown of Wild Ginger Herbal Center is the program facilitator along with our beloved community of herbal educators.
Additionally, program offers our community a chance to explore herbalism, and to understand natures ability to support our health, strength, and vitality.
Most importantly this program focuses on building relationships between ourselves and the plants as well as with each other.
We hope to share the many ways there are to be a "plant person" and help those who join us find their unique path. This program is wonderful for folks who want to focus on supporting their own and their families health and wellness as those who would like to go on the professionally work with plants. The series is an in depth introduction and includes herbal fundamentals, North American and Mid-Atlantic medicinal plants (and others), practical applications of herbs, herbal preparations, harvesting and wild crafting plants, herbal gardening, herbal energetics and more.
Program Location:
This program will primarily be located at Wild Ginger Community Herbal Center in Bryans Road, Maryland. We will have field studies located on herbal farms in Southern Maryland as well as Frederick as well, and a few virtual live classes with our core herbal educators.
Class Session Topics:
- Exploration of Folk Herbalism
- Herbal Gardening & Harvesting
- Building your home apothecary and Herbal Medicine Making
- Phytochemistry & Herb Drug Interactions
-Ancestral Herbalism
- Medicinal Plants and Plant Walks
- Herbal Gardening
- Flower Essences
- People's History of Herbalism
- Doctrine of Signatures
- Herbal Actions, Tastes, & Energetics
- Botany & Herbal Plant ID
- Herbal Preparation Making
- Herbal Plant Walks
- Fermentation
- And More!
Most importantly this program focuses on building relationships between ourselves and the plants as well as with each other.
We hope to share the many ways there are to be a "plant person" and help those who join us find their unique path. This program is wonderful for folks who want to focus on supporting their own and their families health and wellness as those who would like to go on the professionally work with plants. The series is an in depth introduction and includes herbal fundamentals, North American and Mid-Atlantic medicinal plants (and others), practical applications of herbs, herbal preparations, harvesting and wild crafting plants, herbal gardening, herbal energetics and more.
Program Location:
This program will primarily be located at Wild Ginger Community Herbal Center in Bryans Road, Maryland. We will have field studies located on herbal farms in Southern Maryland as well as Frederick as well, and a few virtual live classes with our core herbal educators.
Class Session Topics:
- Exploration of Folk Herbalism
- Herbal Gardening & Harvesting
- Building your home apothecary and Herbal Medicine Making
- Phytochemistry & Herb Drug Interactions
-Ancestral Herbalism
- Medicinal Plants and Plant Walks
- Herbal Gardening
- Flower Essences
- People's History of Herbalism
- Doctrine of Signatures
- Herbal Actions, Tastes, & Energetics
- Botany & Herbal Plant ID
- Herbal Preparation Making
- Herbal Plant Walks
- Fermentation
- And More!
2025 Registration Opening Now!
PROGRAM EDUCATORS
2025
PROGRAM DATES:
Welcome, Opening Exploration of Folk Herbalism, Herbal Tastes, Energetics
with Molly Meehan Brown
May 17 from 10-4pm at Wild Ginger
Tending the Garden,
Composting, Planting Ginger, Hibiscus, Tulsi & More
🌿Fresh Nettles Harvest
🌿Peach Leaf Harvest
🌿 Bee Balm Harvest
🌿Linden Fresh Tincture
🌿Comfrey Salve
with Molly Meehan Brown
May 18 from 10-2
Medicine Keepers - Herbal Medicine Making
Crafting Teas, Tinctures, Vinegars, Glycerites, Syrups, & More
Sunday June 15 from 10-4 at Wild Ginger
A Peoples History of Herbalism & Ancestral Herbalism
with Ayo Ngozi
June 28 from 10-4 pm at Wild Ginger Herbal Center
Sowing the Future
with Molly Meehan Brown
Creating Herbal Formulations & Dosages, Doctrine of Signatures
🌿 Peppermint Glycerite
🌿 Nettles Harvest
🌿 Motherwort Harvest - Fresh & Tincture
🌿 Passionflower - Fresh & Tincture
🌿 Calendula Harvest
🌿Tulsi Rose Honey
🌿Elderberry Syrup
July 12 from 10-4 at Wild Ginger
Herbs Botany and Wild Plant ID
with Holly Poole Kavana
July 13 from 10-4pm at Wild Ginger
Herbs for Digestive Support & Fermentation
with Suzanna Stone
August 9 from 12-5 pm LIVE ONLINE CLASS
Herbal Growing and Processing - Field Studies at Fox Haven Farm in Frederick, Maryland
with Lacey Walker & Friends
August 10 from 12-4 at Fox Haven Learning Center
Intro to Phytochemistry and Herb Drug Interactions
with Olivia Fite
Sept. 6, 2025 from 10-4
Introduction to Flower Essences with Madison McCoy & Herbal Medicine Making, Harvesting with Molly
Madison McCoy
September 7, from 10-4 at Wild Ginger Herbal Center
Herbs to Support Respiratory Health & Immune Support
with Yuma "Docta Yew" Bellomee
Sept. 20 from 10-4pm at Wild Ginger
Supporting the Nervous System with Herbs & Herbal Mutual Aid
Samaria King at Junipers Garden in Brandywine, Maryland
Sept. 21 from 10-4 at Wild Ginger
Plant Myths - The Power of Plant Stories
with Geo Edwards
October 19 from 10-4 pm (possibly in person or online)
Restoring Kinship for Collective Liberation
TBA
Nov. 8 10-4
Herbal Formulation & Dosages,
Seed Saving, Fall Harvest, Ethical Wildcrafting, Root Digging
with Molly Meehan Brown
Nov. 9
Student Herbal Showcase, Student Presentations & Closing Celebration
Root Digging, Seed Saving Ethical Wildcrafting & Plant Conservation
with Molly Meehan Brown
December 15 from 1-4
COURSE MATERIALS
We will provide some materials on site necessary for example during medicine making classes and formulations.
Course Notes:
All Course Documents and notes will be available to students digitally before class begins. You are welcome to print those to bring with you each class as we cover that material. We do not provide printed copies. Not all classes will have notes.
We will provide many of the supplies, however registrants are responsible to purchase and bring the following supplies listed below. These costs are not included in the program, instead are the responsibility of the registrant, and these supplies will be required for your participation. Many of these supplies can be purchased through local apothecaries or health food stores, online at Mountain Rose Herbs, Glycersupplier.com, and even amazon.
You'll Need to Purchase and Bring:
(We will tell you exactly what supplies to bring to each class each date)
The list of supplies below are not part of the program (not provided by Wild Ginger) and participants must purchase them seperately.
(Estimated $120 - $150 total cost)
12 Pack Pint Size Jars @ $20
1/2 gallon to 1 gallon of food grade vegetable Glycerine @ $22
2 or 3 half gallons of vodka or brandy or 80 proof liquor of your choice ($40) (replace with glycerine or vinegar if you are alcohol free)
1 large bottle apple cider vinegar
5 - 2 Oz Salve Tins @ $10
4 -1/2 oz bottles @ $5
20 - 2oz glass dropper bottles @ $22
24 oz of Honey
1 box of quart size ziplock bags
Knife
Scissors and/or Pruners
Harvest Bag or Basket
Cutting Board
Gardening Gloves
Weather Appropriate Clothing
Water and Personal Snacks for Your time at Wild Ginger
To Bring Each Class:
Lawn Chair or Blanket for Class
Paper & Pen for Note taking
Phone or camara to take pictures of plants if you would like
Water Bottle & Tea Mug
Weather Appropriate Clothing & Sunhat/protection
Bag/Basket for Harvesting, Small Shovel, and Scissors
Book for Botany Class -
You will need this book for our Botany and Wild Plant ID class with Holly Poole Kavana, please bring with you to class that day.
We recommend getting it through local library by requesting ahead of time. or you can purchase online.
Newcomb's Wildflower Guide
Student Herbal Showcase
One the final day of class we will come together and each student will share between 3-5 herbal medicines they have created during their journey of this class OR they can share a 10 minute presentation of their choosing inspired in some way by their experience during our time together. This is often one of the most fun days of our entire time together, folks get very creative and its a beautiful way to collectively create together!
PROGRAM DATES:
Welcome, Opening Exploration of Folk Herbalism, Herbal Tastes, Energetics
with Molly Meehan Brown
May 17 from 10-4pm at Wild Ginger
Tending the Garden,
Composting, Planting Ginger, Hibiscus, Tulsi & More
🌿Fresh Nettles Harvest
🌿Peach Leaf Harvest
🌿 Bee Balm Harvest
🌿Linden Fresh Tincture
🌿Comfrey Salve
with Molly Meehan Brown
May 18 from 10-2
Medicine Keepers - Herbal Medicine Making
Crafting Teas, Tinctures, Vinegars, Glycerites, Syrups, & More
Sunday June 15 from 10-4 at Wild Ginger
A Peoples History of Herbalism & Ancestral Herbalism
with Ayo Ngozi
June 28 from 10-4 pm at Wild Ginger Herbal Center
Sowing the Future
with Molly Meehan Brown
Creating Herbal Formulations & Dosages, Doctrine of Signatures
🌿 Peppermint Glycerite
🌿 Nettles Harvest
🌿 Motherwort Harvest - Fresh & Tincture
🌿 Passionflower - Fresh & Tincture
🌿 Calendula Harvest
🌿Tulsi Rose Honey
🌿Elderberry Syrup
July 12 from 10-4 at Wild Ginger
Herbs Botany and Wild Plant ID
with Holly Poole Kavana
July 13 from 10-4pm at Wild Ginger
Herbs for Digestive Support & Fermentation
with Suzanna Stone
August 9 from 12-5 pm LIVE ONLINE CLASS
Herbal Growing and Processing - Field Studies at Fox Haven Farm in Frederick, Maryland
with Lacey Walker & Friends
August 10 from 12-4 at Fox Haven Learning Center
Intro to Phytochemistry and Herb Drug Interactions
with Olivia Fite
Sept. 6, 2025 from 10-4
Introduction to Flower Essences with Madison McCoy & Herbal Medicine Making, Harvesting with Molly
Madison McCoy
September 7, from 10-4 at Wild Ginger Herbal Center
Herbs to Support Respiratory Health & Immune Support
with Yuma "Docta Yew" Bellomee
Sept. 20 from 10-4pm at Wild Ginger
Supporting the Nervous System with Herbs & Herbal Mutual Aid
Samaria King at Junipers Garden in Brandywine, Maryland
Sept. 21 from 10-4 at Wild Ginger
Plant Myths - The Power of Plant Stories
with Geo Edwards
October 19 from 10-4 pm (possibly in person or online)
Restoring Kinship for Collective Liberation
TBA
Nov. 8 10-4
Herbal Formulation & Dosages,
Seed Saving, Fall Harvest, Ethical Wildcrafting, Root Digging
with Molly Meehan Brown
Nov. 9
Student Herbal Showcase, Student Presentations & Closing Celebration
Root Digging, Seed Saving Ethical Wildcrafting & Plant Conservation
with Molly Meehan Brown
December 15 from 1-4
COURSE MATERIALS
We will provide some materials on site necessary for example during medicine making classes and formulations.
Course Notes:
All Course Documents and notes will be available to students digitally before class begins. You are welcome to print those to bring with you each class as we cover that material. We do not provide printed copies. Not all classes will have notes.
We will provide many of the supplies, however registrants are responsible to purchase and bring the following supplies listed below. These costs are not included in the program, instead are the responsibility of the registrant, and these supplies will be required for your participation. Many of these supplies can be purchased through local apothecaries or health food stores, online at Mountain Rose Herbs, Glycersupplier.com, and even amazon.
You'll Need to Purchase and Bring:
(We will tell you exactly what supplies to bring to each class each date)
The list of supplies below are not part of the program (not provided by Wild Ginger) and participants must purchase them seperately.
(Estimated $120 - $150 total cost)
12 Pack Pint Size Jars @ $20
1/2 gallon to 1 gallon of food grade vegetable Glycerine @ $22
2 or 3 half gallons of vodka or brandy or 80 proof liquor of your choice ($40) (replace with glycerine or vinegar if you are alcohol free)
1 large bottle apple cider vinegar
5 - 2 Oz Salve Tins @ $10
4 -1/2 oz bottles @ $5
20 - 2oz glass dropper bottles @ $22
24 oz of Honey
1 box of quart size ziplock bags
Knife
Scissors and/or Pruners
Harvest Bag or Basket
Cutting Board
Gardening Gloves
Weather Appropriate Clothing
Water and Personal Snacks for Your time at Wild Ginger
To Bring Each Class:
Lawn Chair or Blanket for Class
Paper & Pen for Note taking
Phone or camara to take pictures of plants if you would like
Water Bottle & Tea Mug
Weather Appropriate Clothing & Sunhat/protection
Bag/Basket for Harvesting, Small Shovel, and Scissors
Book for Botany Class -
You will need this book for our Botany and Wild Plant ID class with Holly Poole Kavana, please bring with you to class that day.
We recommend getting it through local library by requesting ahead of time. or you can purchase online.
Newcomb's Wildflower Guide
Student Herbal Showcase
One the final day of class we will come together and each student will share between 3-5 herbal medicines they have created during their journey of this class OR they can share a 10 minute presentation of their choosing inspired in some way by their experience during our time together. This is often one of the most fun days of our entire time together, folks get very creative and its a beautiful way to collectively create together!
Community Values and Agreements:
Please note ~ we value deeply our shared learning space and community, and ask that before signing up for this or any of our courses you take time to thoroughly review and consent. to our Values and Agreements here at Wild Ginger that are meant to help hold and guide our time together. These will help guide our shared learning space together. In order to attend this program you must consent to these agreements.
Click Here to Read our Values and Agreements
Please note ~ we value deeply our shared learning space and community, and ask that before signing up for this or any of our courses you take time to thoroughly review and consent. to our Values and Agreements here at Wild Ginger that are meant to help hold and guide our time together. These will help guide our shared learning space together. In order to attend this program you must consent to these agreements.
Click Here to Read our Values and Agreements
2025 Enrollment Opens Soon
Program Cost
(Earlybird Registration Ends March 1, 2025)
OPTION 1 -
$999 - General Registration
$899 - Registration for Black, Indigenous and People of Color and Trans Community Members
How to Register:
Place Deposit of $299
Payment remainder (of $700 general registration or $600 BIPOC & Trans Community Members on May 1, 2025 (payment link will be sent on that date)
Please note dates are subject to change.
IMPORTANT PAYMENT INFO:
- Please do not bring payments or cash to the classes, all payments must be complete before beginning the program.
- Receipts - all payments will receive receipts. For online payments the are automatically generated.
- Please remember all payments are final, non-transferable and non-refundable.
This program sells out each year, we recommend registering ASAP to secure your space.
(Earlybird Registration Ends March 1, 2025)
OPTION 1 -
$999 - General Registration
$899 - Registration for Black, Indigenous and People of Color and Trans Community Members
How to Register:
Place Deposit of $299
Payment remainder (of $700 general registration or $600 BIPOC & Trans Community Members on May 1, 2025 (payment link will be sent on that date)
Please note dates are subject to change.
IMPORTANT PAYMENT INFO:
- Please do not bring payments or cash to the classes, all payments must be complete before beginning the program.
- Receipts - all payments will receive receipts. For online payments the are automatically generated.
- Please remember all payments are final, non-transferable and non-refundable.
This program sells out each year, we recommend registering ASAP to secure your space.

Geo Edwards of Nu Healing Arts
Geo Edwards is an herbalist and licensed acupuncturist and has spent most of his post graduate study focusing on herb cultivation and herbal applications for traumatic injuries.
Geoff has worked as a clinical supervisor in the Chinese Herbs dispensary at MUIH and enjoys teaching students herb identification, preparation, and the art of combining and formulating herbal medicines. While completing his studies in acupuncture Geoff began the process of cultivating what he now calls the “Healing Arts Garden” which includes a wide selection of perennial herbs and continues to expand each year. It is a combination of native North American, African and Asian medicinal plants and culinary herbs. The herb garden library’s focus is primarily education, preservation and conservation of plant based medicines
Beyond his healing arts practice, Geoff maintains a growing studio art practice and teaches arts & literature to homeschoolers in the area. Locally and nationally he facilitates workshops across on the common uses of local herbs, herb cultivation, expressive art therapies for mental health, and community health and wellness.
Geo Edwards is an herbalist and licensed acupuncturist and has spent most of his post graduate study focusing on herb cultivation and herbal applications for traumatic injuries.
Geoff has worked as a clinical supervisor in the Chinese Herbs dispensary at MUIH and enjoys teaching students herb identification, preparation, and the art of combining and formulating herbal medicines. While completing his studies in acupuncture Geoff began the process of cultivating what he now calls the “Healing Arts Garden” which includes a wide selection of perennial herbs and continues to expand each year. It is a combination of native North American, African and Asian medicinal plants and culinary herbs. The herb garden library’s focus is primarily education, preservation and conservation of plant based medicines
Beyond his healing arts practice, Geoff maintains a growing studio art practice and teaches arts & literature to homeschoolers in the area. Locally and nationally he facilitates workshops across on the common uses of local herbs, herb cultivation, expressive art therapies for mental health, and community health and wellness.
Holly Poole-Kavana
Holly Poole-Kavana practices as a clinical herbalist, grower, and medicine-maker in Washington DC, where her priority is connecting people to local plants. She holds a BS in botany from Cornell University and studied with several experienced herbalists before starting a clinical practice in 2011. Her business, Little Red Bird Botanicals, has offered an herbal CSA since 2010. Holly also works as a midwife's assistant in the DC metro area. |

Ayo Ngozi of The Creative Root
Ayo is an herbalist, artist, and cultural worker committed to documenting traditional herbal practices of the African diaspora and making evidence-based herbal education accessible to all. She is a longtime instructor at Wild Ginger Herbal Center, has contributed to courses at the Herbal Academy and Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine, and teaches at conferences and herbal programs in the US and abroad. Ayo is based in New Bedford, Massachusetts, where she owns a small herbal business, The Creative Root.
Ayo is an herbalist, artist, and cultural worker committed to documenting traditional herbal practices of the African diaspora and making evidence-based herbal education accessible to all. She is a longtime instructor at Wild Ginger Herbal Center, has contributed to courses at the Herbal Academy and Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine, and teaches at conferences and herbal programs in the US and abroad. Ayo is based in New Bedford, Massachusetts, where she owns a small herbal business, The Creative Root.

Molly Meehan Brown of Wild Ginger Community Herbal Center
Molly Meehan Brown (she/her/hers) is an herbalist, gardener, and organizer passionate about community based herbal and food systems and specifically working cooperatively to keep the knowledge of our food, herbal medicine, seeds, and our healing traditions alive and vital within our communities! Molly and her family manage Wild Ginger Community Herbal Center programs while they live half the year in the DC Area and the other half the year in Talamanca, Costa Rica. She coordinates and teaches as part of the community based herbal apprenticeship program, facilitates youth programming, and coordinates the annual Chesapeake Herb Gathering, Ylang Ylang Gathering & more! Molly enjoys spending time with her family and kids in the garden or at the beach, facilitating workshops as well as connecting people and plants, and building in community.
Molly Meehan Brown (she/her/hers) is an herbalist, gardener, and organizer passionate about community based herbal and food systems and specifically working cooperatively to keep the knowledge of our food, herbal medicine, seeds, and our healing traditions alive and vital within our communities! Molly and her family manage Wild Ginger Community Herbal Center programs while they live half the year in the DC Area and the other half the year in Talamanca, Costa Rica. She coordinates and teaches as part of the community based herbal apprenticeship program, facilitates youth programming, and coordinates the annual Chesapeake Herb Gathering, Ylang Ylang Gathering & more! Molly enjoys spending time with her family and kids in the garden or at the beach, facilitating workshops as well as connecting people and plants, and building in community.

Olivia Fite of OHerbals
Olivia June Fite (she/her) is a therapeutic herbalist, whole-foods nutritionist, mother, and community educator. After graduating from MUIH (formerly Tai Sophia Institute) in 2012 she built Oherbals, an apothecary/sanctuary/teaching space/clinical practice in Baltimore, MD. There she worked with individuals and led community workshops for 5 years, focused on increasing people's sense of empowerment & connection to nature. Since 2018 she has been living in Lisbon, Portugal, offering virtual herbal mentorships, studying medicinal plants of the region, and teaching alongside Portuguese herbalist & author Fernanda Botehlo. Olivia loves working with the Wild Ginger Herbal Community and is always grateful when asked to return to this wonderful herb school focused on the power of plants, justice, and love. You can find out more about what she is up to at oherbals.com and on IG @olivia_oherbals.
Olivia June Fite (she/her) is a therapeutic herbalist, whole-foods nutritionist, mother, and community educator. After graduating from MUIH (formerly Tai Sophia Institute) in 2012 she built Oherbals, an apothecary/sanctuary/teaching space/clinical practice in Baltimore, MD. There she worked with individuals and led community workshops for 5 years, focused on increasing people's sense of empowerment & connection to nature. Since 2018 she has been living in Lisbon, Portugal, offering virtual herbal mentorships, studying medicinal plants of the region, and teaching alongside Portuguese herbalist & author Fernanda Botehlo. Olivia loves working with the Wild Ginger Herbal Community and is always grateful when asked to return to this wonderful herb school focused on the power of plants, justice, and love. You can find out more about what she is up to at oherbals.com and on IG @olivia_oherbals.

Yuma Bellomee of Yew360
Yuma "Docta Yew" Bellomee is a Certified Holistic Health Consultant, herbalist, wellness advocate/educator, and musical artist, who has been featured in numerous radio programs, natural hair, health & beauty expos, magazine articles, and community and school programs as a speaker and workshop facilitator on wholistic wellness. He is also the founder of Yew-360 Wholistic Health & Wellness (yew360.com), co-founder of Ni Dembaya African Drum & Dance Ensemble, and a member of the Collective Health Initiative (CHI) and African Wholistic Health Association (AWHA).
Yuma "Docta Yew" Bellomee is a Certified Holistic Health Consultant, herbalist, wellness advocate/educator, and musical artist, who has been featured in numerous radio programs, natural hair, health & beauty expos, magazine articles, and community and school programs as a speaker and workshop facilitator on wholistic wellness. He is also the founder of Yew-360 Wholistic Health & Wellness (yew360.com), co-founder of Ni Dembaya African Drum & Dance Ensemble, and a member of the Collective Health Initiative (CHI) and African Wholistic Health Association (AWHA).

Suzanna Stone
Suzanna resides in Scottsville, VA. She founded and directs Owlcraft Healing Ways, an outdoor herb school, where she offers clinical herbal consultations and leads in depth community and clinical apprenticeships, herb camps for kids, and workshops in herbal medicine, traditional food-ways, and plant spirit medicine. She was raised in a home where plant medicine and whole foods were the foundations of health and has spent the last 19 years broadening that foundation and deepening her knowledge of the herbal arts. She teaches at herb schools and conferences throughout the country and is co-founder and co-director of The Gaia Gathering For Women in Charlottesville, VA. She stewards fourteen acres of plant filled land to provide sanctuary, healing, and accessible education for all who hear the call of the plants.
Suzanna resides in Scottsville, VA. She founded and directs Owlcraft Healing Ways, an outdoor herb school, where she offers clinical herbal consultations and leads in depth community and clinical apprenticeships, herb camps for kids, and workshops in herbal medicine, traditional food-ways, and plant spirit medicine. She was raised in a home where plant medicine and whole foods were the foundations of health and has spent the last 19 years broadening that foundation and deepening her knowledge of the herbal arts. She teaches at herb schools and conferences throughout the country and is co-founder and co-director of The Gaia Gathering For Women in Charlottesville, VA. She stewards fourteen acres of plant filled land to provide sanctuary, healing, and accessible education for all who hear the call of the plants.

Karen Culpepper
Karen L. Culpepper is a clinical herbalist and licensed massage therapist in the DMV. She is the founder of The KLCC Collective, a healing arc that is a container for us to reimagine what healing, wellness, vitality and reclamation can look like for every body. She works in Maryland and holds space for herbal consultations, bodywork, runs a closed end apothecary and is the creatress of small batch organic herbal products and potions that keep folks, communities and movement spaces well and thriving. Karen can be found on Facebook Karen L. Culpepper, IG @klcccollective (you can find all the handles there) and she can be reached at [email protected]
Karen L. Culpepper is a clinical herbalist and licensed massage therapist in the DMV. She is the founder of The KLCC Collective, a healing arc that is a container for us to reimagine what healing, wellness, vitality and reclamation can look like for every body. She works in Maryland and holds space for herbal consultations, bodywork, runs a closed end apothecary and is the creatress of small batch organic herbal products and potions that keep folks, communities and movement spaces well and thriving. Karen can be found on Facebook Karen L. Culpepper, IG @klcccollective (you can find all the handles there) and she can be reached at [email protected]
A NOTE ON CERTIFICATION:
We are often asked if after taking our programs if participants will be a certified herbalist. As far as certification, here are no legal certification or license for herbalists in the US. Herbalists are free to practice, some are "folk" herbalists and practice from information passed down generation to generation, while others go and get masters degrees in herbalism, and still others attend community based schools such as ours and then go on to practice. There is no legal difference and no certification or lack there of has any legal meaning whatsoever. We feel telling someone they are a certified herbalist is unethical and not our place. Herbalists cannot legally practice medicine. Herbalists themselves come in many forms, some cultivate herbs, some see clients as wellness consultations (herbalists are not allowed to practice medicine, only doctors are), some make beautiful herbal medicinal preparations, some teach, some do research, there is not a finite definition. Because this program is being offered online and folks may not be watching live, we will not be offering a certificate of completion of the course this round because we do not have a way to determine who has attended what unlike our in person courses. Our program classes are geared towards beginners and are a great place to start for those who want to lay the foundation to be a professional herbalist, whatever that may be. We are not a clinical herbalism program, rather we focus on folk herbalism, keeping our traditional knowledge alive and vital at the community level. Those completing our program are no more legally allowed to practice as an herbalist than you are, or than a grandmother in her kitchen treating her grandkids, or than a person who has a Masters Degree. Our program is a great way to gain a better understanding of herbs and medicinal plants, to refine your knowledge moving from a more mechanistic approach of "this herb is for this issue" instead toward looking at patterns, interrelationships, and systems of the body and their relationship with herbs, a more wholistic view. Its not geared towards clinical herbalists, however provides an in depth foundation for those who are on that path.
Here is a great resource:
http://www.americanherbalistsguild.com/legal-and-regulatory-faqs
We are often asked if after taking our programs if participants will be a certified herbalist. As far as certification, here are no legal certification or license for herbalists in the US. Herbalists are free to practice, some are "folk" herbalists and practice from information passed down generation to generation, while others go and get masters degrees in herbalism, and still others attend community based schools such as ours and then go on to practice. There is no legal difference and no certification or lack there of has any legal meaning whatsoever. We feel telling someone they are a certified herbalist is unethical and not our place. Herbalists cannot legally practice medicine. Herbalists themselves come in many forms, some cultivate herbs, some see clients as wellness consultations (herbalists are not allowed to practice medicine, only doctors are), some make beautiful herbal medicinal preparations, some teach, some do research, there is not a finite definition. Because this program is being offered online and folks may not be watching live, we will not be offering a certificate of completion of the course this round because we do not have a way to determine who has attended what unlike our in person courses. Our program classes are geared towards beginners and are a great place to start for those who want to lay the foundation to be a professional herbalist, whatever that may be. We are not a clinical herbalism program, rather we focus on folk herbalism, keeping our traditional knowledge alive and vital at the community level. Those completing our program are no more legally allowed to practice as an herbalist than you are, or than a grandmother in her kitchen treating her grandkids, or than a person who has a Masters Degree. Our program is a great way to gain a better understanding of herbs and medicinal plants, to refine your knowledge moving from a more mechanistic approach of "this herb is for this issue" instead toward looking at patterns, interrelationships, and systems of the body and their relationship with herbs, a more wholistic view. Its not geared towards clinical herbalists, however provides an in depth foundation for those who are on that path.
Here is a great resource:
http://www.americanherbalistsguild.com/legal-and-regulatory-faqs
Preparing . . . Sowing Seeds & Life
with Molly Meehan Brown
Tending the Garden, Garden Bed Prep, Seed Starting, Milky Oats Planting
🌿Fresh Nettles Harvest
🌿Comfrey Salve & Chickweed
from 10-4
Intro to Phytochemistry and Herb Drug Interactions
with Olivia Fite
from 12-5 pm LIVE ONLINE CLASS
Plant Myths - The Power of Plant Stories
with Geo Edwards
from 12-5 pm LIVE ONLINE CLASS
Planting . . . Sowing the Future
with Molly Meehan Brown
Tending the Garden, Composting, Planting (ginger, foods, herbs, hibiscus, spicy radish)
🌿 Peach Leaf Harvest
🌿 Yarrow Flower Essence
🌿 Peppermint Glycerite
🌿 Nettles Harvest
from 10-4 at Wild Ginger
Herbs to Support Respiratory Health & Immune Support
with Yuma "Docta Yew" Bellomee
from 10-4pm at Wild Ginger
Tending . . .Harvest & Nurture - Tending the Garden
with Molly Meehan Brown
🌿 Milky Oat Harvest & Tincture
🌿 Bee Balm Harvest
🌿 Motherwort Harvest - Fresh & Tincture
🌿 Shiso Harvest
🌿Linden Harvest & Tincture
🌿St. Johns Flower Essence
🌿 Calendula Harvest
Sunday the from 12-4
Building Relationships w/ Our Plant Allies: Doctrine of Signatures, Flower Essences, Plant Journeys
Abundance . . . Putting Up the Harvest
with Molly Meehan Brown
Tending the Garden
🌿 Gingko Biloba Harvest Fresh & Tincture
🌿 Tulsi Harvest Fresh & Tincture
🌿 Nettles Seeds
🌿 Passionflower Fresh & Tincture
🌿 Calendula Salve
🌿Fresh Hibiscus Ginger Cordial
🌿Tulsi Rose Honey
🌿Elderberry Syrup
🌿Cedar Juniper Bundles
from 10-4 at Wild Ginger
*Bring a clear glass jar or bowl for this class as well as 2 one ounce dropper bottles*
Herbs for Digestive Support & Fermentation
with Suzanna Stone
from 10-4pm at Wild Ginger
Supporting the Nervous System with Herbs & Herbal Mutual Aid
Samaria King at Junipers Garden in Brandywine, Maryland
from 12-4 at Wild Ginger
Herbal Growing and Processing - Field Studies at Fox Haven Farm in Frederick, Maryland
with Lacey Walker & Friends
from 12-4 at Fox Haven Learning Center
Restoring Kinship for Collective Liberation
with Aylén Maquehue
Student Herbal Showcase, Student Presentations & Closing Celebration
Root Digging, Seed Saving Ethical Wildcrafting & Plant Conservation
with Molly Meehan Brown