Milk & Honey Herbs(tm)

Hello All!

Winter is well on its way here in the valley...although many of us are certainly hoping for some snow soon!  Here are my winter class offerings...I'm especially excited about the free class I'm teaching tomorrow at the Cooley Dickinson Midwifery Center in Northampton- I'm glad to see more and more of this kind of integration in the medical healthcare system and am excited to be a part of it.  Hoping to see many of you soon and wishing you you all a warm, cozy winter!   Peace, ~Jade

Herbal Remedies for the Childbearing Year
Monday January 9th
7:00-8:30 pm
Cooley Dickinson Center for Midwifery Care
30 Locust St- Northampton, MA (big yellow Victorian house)
FREE! (no pre-registration required, just show-up!)

Pregnancy, birth and the postpartum months are times of great change and transformation, and can be joyfully supported with the help of many safe and simple herbal remedies.  In this workshop we'll discuss herbal treatments for supporting a healthy childbearing year.  From preparing the uterus for birth to low energy and trouble sleeping to increasing milk production to emotional support and more, herbs can be of much use in both maintaining optimal health and gently helping correct imbalances as they arise. 


Crafting Original Herbal Teas
Wednesday January 25th
5:30-7:30 pm
Goldthread Herbal Apothecary
    1 North Main St
     Florence, MA
     413-587-0620
$20 in advance, $25 at the door (no one turned away for lack of funds)

The ritual of drinking tea can be both simple and profound.  In this workshop we'll discuss some simple guidelines for making our own tea blends, cover some of the most well-loved herbal teas, and formulate some combinations in class based on participants needs.  We'll also make Chaga Chai, the famous immune-enhancing version of traditional chai.  Recipes will be given!   ~Pre-registration required~


Aromatherapy for Kids
Wed Feb 22nd
5:30-7:30 pm
Goldthread Herbal Apothecary
    1 North Main St
     Florence, MA
     413-587-0620
$20 in advance, $25 at the door (no one turned away for lack of funds)

Essential oils are among the most powerful healing agents found in herbal medicine today and, when used correctly, are both a safe and effective way to treat a variety of childhood complaints.  From colds and flus to sleep disturbances and stress,  children tend to respond extremely well to aromatherapy, and often grow to truly appreciate the delicate nature of  these highly medicinal aromas. This class will highlight safe, practical and parent-tested techniques for incorporating essential oils into our healthcare routines.  Blends will be demonstrated in class and participants will leave with a deep understanding of the many ways we can use these wonderfully versatile oils!  ~Pre-registration rerquired~


To pre-register for the Goldthread classes either email me or call the shop at 413-587-0620.  Hope to see some of you in class!  Be well, ~Jade

Planting the Summer Herb Garden
In this experiential workshop we'll discuss a collection of medicinal and culinary herbs essential to include in any summer herb garden.  Chosen for their ability to treat a wide variety of common ailments, a person with these herbs in their garden should be able to treat most typical imbalances, from sleep and stress to colds and flus!  We'll discuss the growth requirements, propagation techniques, medicinal properties and harvesting guidelines for each of these herbs in detail.  Then we'll spend hands-on time in the garden, learning planting techniques, meeting the herbs we've been discussing and helping the Next Barn Over Farm install their new medicinal herb garden!

Spring Herb Walk
Hey there fellow plant lovers, Spring is truly here and its finally time to get out and do some harvesting!  We'll take a walk along the Northampton bikepath and identify the numerous useful, edible and medicinal herbs growing along its edges.  Harvesting tips and guidelines, edibility, identification tips and medicinal preparations will all be discussed!

The Herbal Home Medicine Kit
Creating a collection of herbs to have on hand that are applicable to multiple situations that happen in day to day life (from colds and flus to allergies to minor scrapes and burns..), ideally ones readily grown and/or harvested around here, and how to use them.  It would be fun to assemble mini-kits in class and give them a larger list to draw from as they build their own comprehensive kits at home.

Herbal Healing Series :: this series is ongoing and is perfect for the beginner and intermediate herbalist. Taught by Jade Alicandro Mace, community herbalist.

  • Planting the Summer Herb Garden
  • Spring Herb Walk
  • Classic Spring Tonics
  • Spice Rack Medicine
  • Herbs to bring in the Light
  • Winter Herbal Medicine Cabinet

Medicine-Making Series: Crafting Original Herbal Teas
In this workshop we'll discuss some simple guidelines for making our own tea blends, cover some of the most well-loved herbal teas, and formulate some combinations in class based on participants needs.  We'll also make Chaga Chai, the famous immune-enhancing version of traditional chai.  Recipes will be given!

Herbal Medicine-Making Series: Herbal Vinegars & Infused Oils
The culinary herbs are aromatic, anti-microbial and just plain delicious, making them the perfect candidates for herbal vinegars and oils!   Excellent for gifts, preserving the bounty of the fall harvest, boosting the immune system, and adding spice to the winter kitchen, these herbal preparations are powerful medicine- and fun and easy to make. In this hands-on workshop, participants will all leave with an oil and vinegar (fire cider!) made together in class! 

Aromatherapy for Vitality
Essential oils are among the most powerful healing agents found in herbal medicine today, and we would be wise to use them accordingly.  Commonly used for both adults and children, we'll discuss safe and effective ways to integrate them into our daily healthcare and beauty routines.  Blends will be demonstrated in class and participants will leave with a deep understanding of the many ways we can use these wonderfully versatile oils!

 

Using Local Herbs for Optimal Health
There is a bounty of medicinal plants and mushrooms growing amongst us here in the Pioneer Valley.  In this hands-on workshop, we'll meet some of these wonderful herbs and fungi, discuss their medicinal properties, prepare medicine from them, and learn how we can easily incorporate these healers into our daily routines.  Emphasis will be given on creating our unique "home apothecaries" as we pick and choose which herbs we find to be the most compatible with our personal health needs.  Each participant will leave with a homemade herbal product made together in class!

Fall Herb Walk
Join us for an herb identification walk around Next Barn Over CSA, and we'll locate numerous common edible and powerfully medicinal plants. We'll focus on what's in season (most notably, the roots!) and discuss medicinal properties, easy preparations and dosages, edibility and identification strategies, and harvesting techniques.