The herbs that you need for health and wellness are growing in gardens, on vacant lots, and in untamed places throughout your region.ย In this 4 part workshop I’m going to show you how to find them, how to turn them into herbal remedies, to build your personal herbal remedies apothecary.
These are skills that our foremothers had.ย However, many of us grew up without learning this essential knowledge.ย Our lives are poorer and less healthy for the loss of these skills.ย ย For years I’ve taught these skills through in-person workshops, online classes, and through my membership — The DIY Herbal Fellowship.ย I’ve also written many articles on my blog — Joybilee Farm — as well as in magazines like The Biblical Herbal,ย — to help you reclaim these skills.
While 80% of the earth’s population rely on traditional herbal remedies as their primary health care, there is a move by western governments to remove access to herbal supplements through increased fees and regulations.ย Canada introduced legislation in February of 2023 that increased fees and regulations that “natural health products” and “natural cosmetics” must adhere to, in order to be sold in Canada.ย UK, New Zealand, Australia, and the USA are also perusing higher fees and regulatory red tape making it harder for natural health companies to compete with Pharmaceutics, limiting access to supplements and herbal remedies.ย Already in Canada 60% of the natural health products have been removed from the marketplace, limiting access to natural remedies.
Herbal remedies are growing all around you.ย You can learn to identify them and make your own remedies and stock your own herbal apothecary for your family, year after year.ย Saving you money and giving you the freedom to choose herbal remedies, when you want to or OTC and prescription pharmaceuticals when YOU feel those are appropriate.ย In the Wildcrafting Wellness Workshop I’m going to show you how to identify these medicinal herbs and how to turn them into herbal remedies to build your own herbal remedies apothecary, that you can rely on.
Forage for the herbs you need and to turn them into potent, reliable, and effective herbal remedies, using the tips in this workshop.
In this first workshop, youโre going to discover a blueprint for using weeds and wild plants intentionally for health and wellbeing.ย This is going to immediately help you to find the herbs you need and to turn them into potent, reliable, and effective herbal remedies.ย Once you get this down, youโll start gaining confidence in identifying, harvesting, and crafting herbal remedies and replacing many of the products you might currently be stocking in your bathroom medicine cabinet.ย Youโll be started on the path to crafting your own herbal apothecary.
Workshop Objective
The goal of this workshop is simple: to help you easily and confidently learn to harvest herbs and make herbal remedies so that you can take charge of your own well being, and maybe even help your friends and family with your knowledge of herbs.
Today Iโll show you the first step by helping you to find the herbs you need, and showing you when to harvest them for the most potency, so you can take control of your own well being.
And that will give you a greater opportunity to experience natural health, vitality, and maybe even give you the tools you need to craft safe and reliable remedies for your family and friends, too.
Are you ready to make this happen?
Watch the Workshop:
Download the Foraging Wellness Notes (pdf):
Use the notes from this video to
Download the Game Board:
Have you downloaded the game board yet?ย You can do that now and play along.ย The game board will show you where we’re going on this journey to Wildcrafted Wellness, and the steps you can take to ensure you don’t miss any important concepts along the way.ย You can take this skill back and ensure your health freedom.ย Download the game board by tapping the “Download” button below.
Live Webinar: Timewise Remedies
Do you want to make your own remedies but you’re feeling the time crunch?ย In time-wise remedies Chris will show you how to find the time to craft the remedies that you need the most.ย You’ll also learn how to manage your time in “the margins” so you can accomplish more with less time.ย Chris will be teaching this live workshop “Time-Wise Remedies” with three sessions.ย Plan to be there to get your questions answered.
Go here to reserve your best time.
The recording will be sent out to those who register within 24 hours of the end of the webinar.
See the other classes in this series
Back to Wildcrafted Wellness Home
Video 2ย in the “Wildcrafting Wellness” workshopย
Video 3 in the “Wildcrafting Wellness” Workshopย
Video 4 in the “Wildcrafting Wellness” Workshop coming August 10th
I’m confident that a good God, who provides in so many ways, has also provided us nurturing native plants in our area. But I am pretty clueless. With a family of seven, I have lots of opportunity to treat people! So far I have used plantain, mullein, calendula, and heal-all. Garlic, oregano, and horseradish were already in the mix, but now I am growing them.
I already harvest herbs and have some basic knowledge. Would love to gain more confidence in the area of identifying more herbs. I usually dry my herbs and store them . I often use them in a tea or when I cook/bake. I am not as confident about tinctures as I would like to be and look forward to learning more about tinctures and other ways that I might be able to use them. Some of my favorites are Oregano, Elderberry, Plantain, Yarrow, Ginger, Clover, Oregano, Sorrel and Mustard.
Chris, I would like to watch your web seminar, but the time doesn’t work. At 4 pm, I am driving home from work. Is there any chance of changing the slots? Or maybe there will be a replay?Izabela
Hi, Izabela, the replay will go out to everyone who registers for the webinar.
Thank you for this series. I do use herbs from our land for some remedies now, but I know there is much more to learn. I am less confident preparing and using roots , so hoping for information on that. On to video two!
Thanks for the info- I sent to a group of girls to get them started I hope they listen in……
I use herbs for medicine but I dont know how to forage (city dweller so none here an no car) but I still want to know how to find them.
Wonderful start Chris, looking forward to see what you can forage for in your area , if any might be found in forest areas around me. I have found Horsetail and Yarrow and of course pines and firs. Still learning my plants. Have learned to use my 5 -10 minutes here and there, finally ๐
Awesome, Joyce. That time in the margins can be so productive. It sounds like your in a similar habitat to me.
I appreciate what you are doing. I started making my own tinctures about two years ago. I know some European herbs. I am British but married to a Japanese, living in Japan. I’m really interested in learning about Japanese herbal medicine but it’s a real challenge, because of the language. I will try to follow your videos and have subscribed to your YouTube channel. Thank you for what you are doing to spread this very important knowledge.
What a fun adventure. Japan is on my “bucket list” of places to visit. Have you found a strong herbal tradition there?
I loved this topic! I have used an app on my phone to help me identify plants near my home and I am encouraging wild specimens on my property. Thank you for helping build my confidence during my herbal journey.
Looking forward to learning. Want to learn all I can with foraging.
I do appreciate you sharing your knowledge. I look forward to becoming confident. I am so blessed to be living in a place where wild herbs are abundant and I am trying to learn about them. It would be wonderful if one day my husband would be able to walk away from the prescription meds and get his life back.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. I’m looking forward to learning more about making different remedies and foraging for these herbs.
Thank you for simplifying the process for us.
I am getting more and more skilled with what I grow..not so good at foraging..but hey, I know Mullein..few trusted sources to buy from. A real fin of tinctures and salves and when my husband asks for one, or an essential oil blend..it;s all good..thanks for this series!
I am trying again, this is all so interesting and useful.
Thank you
Thanks Chris! I’m by nature a flitter from one thing to another and I fly best by the seat of my pants. I am able to accomplish things, but I don’t always manage my time well and feel overwhelmed when I think about creating Herbal remedies. I think this is going to be very helpful for me!!
I enjoyed your first video, and am looking forward to watching the rest. I’ve made a few oils, mainly calendula, some teas and other goodies that I’ve seen on pinterest, etc. (after researching them thoroughly-just because it’s on pinterest, doesn’t make it true). I’m really interested in how long the shelf life is on the oils, etc. as I have a whole mess of oregano that needs to be harvested, and I want to make oregano oil, and maybe some infused in alcohol. Also we have a wild plant who’s berries sure look like Elderberry – or it could be poisonous!
Thanks for your insight and wisdom!
JC
The shelf life of oils depends on the oil you use as a carrier oil to infuse your herbs. Some oils have a very short shelf life (nut oils). Olive oil should last a year. I’ve had salves made with olive oil and beeswax stay fresh for 4 years, kept in a cool room, away from light and heat. But I think that’s unusual. If it smells rancid it should be tossed (I use this oil for fire starters mixed with old beeswax.
There are berries that look similar to elderberry that are toxic. Get a good field guide and do research to ensure that you have elder. The flowers of the toxic look alikes are attached to the plant in umbrels. Elderberry is not an umbrel flower (on close inspection).
Very inspirational, thank you for mentioning the freedom we have to not be tied to a store. If a supply chain is down, we have local. That makes a backup on our herbal apothecary on our shelves. We have no danger of running out!
Catching up to this great information!! Thank you!!
Great video, thank you. Looking forward to the next ones.
I seem to have done this back-to-front, as I did your Time-wise Webinar last week! It was very useful, and I’m looking forward to watching the next video in this series. Thank you
The Time-Wise Webinar can be a stand alone. You did it just fine, Phoebe. I’m glad you found it useful.
Thank you, Chris! I can’t wait to learn more about herbalism with you.
I’m excited to get to know you better, Beth!
I love how to the point you are in this video, looking forward to taking the time to watch the rest of them.
Hi, Rachel. Thank you for your kind words.
Thank you for this video, I am longing to get started on this journey of making my own herbal remedies. I really do want to learn about the different herbs that I have all over my yard and how to use them.
This is so important to do right now, while the herbs are available and fresh. You’ll be able to get to know them personally and see them at all stages of growth.
A good refresher and motivational video.
Thank you for the interesting insights, Chris! I’ve been using herbs that grow around where I live for some years now, among others also for some of the salves from your recipes, but as I listen to your video, I realize that I still have doubts if they would be potent enough in other cases than just minor scratches and ailments. I definitely need more understanding of the matter to gain confidence.
And another point: when you were talking about knowing the herbs we work with, I just thought how unheard-of it is to work with yarrow and not know what it looks like, but the next moment I remembered the mostly unused bags of exotic TCM herbs in my cupboard that I bought online with the feeling that I might miss something important if I didn’t try these out, too. So yes, there are numerous points on this path that I am still not confident about, and I’m curious about what your workshop will bring.
That’s tremendous insight, Zdenka. Thankyou for sharing your perspective.
Very encouraging!!
I have yarrow that I planted from seeds that were pastel colors when blooming. As they age they turn white. Can this yarrow be used or do I need the “wild” yarrow?
Yes, use what you have. Wild plants might have a bit more of the active constituents by virtue of their neglect, but the garden variety can also be used.
`Avery good introduction to wildcrafting. I can’t wait for the next video. I do craft some herbal remedies but would like to expand my knowledge of the local wild herbs.
This first video has been encouraging and I will have to curb my patience to learn more – looking forward to your next video.
Thank you for your generous sharing
Thank you, looking forward to future classes!
?I am getting ready to try and make my first herbal med. For tincture i have read to use Smirnoff Vodka. Since Smirnoff is now off the shelves, what Vodka should I use? What prof should i get? If i get a higher prof can I make it a lower prof and how?
Looking forward to your 2 video
Thank you
Any 40% alcohol will work to make tinctures. Many people use vodka because it doesn’t add any flavor of its own. I prefer to use brandy when making tinctures.
Thank you for this workshop. You always bring so much welcome information to the table without overwhelming me, the beginner.
I love your videos! You always make it very clear what we are going to learn and why. I haven’t been to a regular doctor in over 2 years and I definitely contribute it to all the remedies I’ve learned on my herbalism path. This is because my family has been failed over and over again by the medical system, and I knew I needed to do something different for their sake. I believe I have found my calling when working with plants and their medicinal properties. Sometimes though, I have a hard time recognizing plants in the wild, so I am very cautious when it comes to foraging. I am always up for learning more!!
It sounds like you are in the perfect frame of mind, Anneliesa. Thanks for sharing your journey with me.
Also, you mentioned using wild aster for cough. We have New England wild asters here – some are light purple and some are darker. Do you know if it matters which one you use?
As long as you have confirmed that it is a wild aster, it should work fine. They all have very similar constituents.
Thank you so much for this informative video (#1). I am excited to learn more about the herbs growing wild around me. So far I have foraged elderberry, yarrow, pineapple weed (such a great surprise!), red clover and raspberry leaves, which make a delicious tea.. We live in Maine.
I am sooo excited to learn how to identify and use the plants!! I want to gain the knowledge to plant and then use them on my own property. I’m hoping since we are headed to fall I can plant them now and use them next year to build a great apothecary of herbs!! Great video and confidence builder for those of us WAY less skilled and knowledgeable. I’m not a big fan of using OTC meds unless truly needed. I just threw out my back last week and because I hardly ever use Ibuprofen when I really needed to I only had to use it for one day. I am truly excited to learn more thru your lessons and hope to build a little garden of herbs!!
Thank you for this video. I have been trying to start my herbal apothecary and have made some remedies. However I find trying to learn everything I need to know too time consuming. I am looking forward to the rest of the workshop to help me demystify the various herbs and learn how to identify them in my landscape or add them to it.
Awesome video carnt wait for the next one
i am very interested in using herbs and I keep a wild backyard because they look like they would be something good BUT, sadly i don’t know what they could be!
If I send you pics of the herbs growing around me, can you identify them for me? please!
I would really appreciate your help!! That would also help me in weeding or transplanting or leaving!
Looking forward to your response.
Looking forward to this