Coping with and recovering from illness, injury, and debility has always been part of being human. And for these complaints, plants have served as the major source of medicine.
This class will examine the use of wild plants, fungi, and lichens for healing sickness and injury and supporting the body. Students will learn a suite of species that grow in New England that can be used for many common ailments, such as colds, infections, gastrointestinal upset, headaches, dermatitis, insomnia, etc. The species discussed on this day will mainly be those that have modern study corroborating indigenous use. Methods of collecting will be discussed, as well as directions for making various types of medicine (e.g., infusions, decoctions, poultices, tinctures, double extractions). A double extraction of a wild-collected mushroom (such as chaga, hemlock reishi, or turkeytail) will be prepared during this class and students will leave with this medicine that can be used for bolstering immune system function, as a powerful antioxidant, killing viral pathogens, and fighting cancer. Throughout the day, stories and examples will be shared demonstrating how plant-based medicines have preserved life and influenced aboriginal and contemporary people.
Healing with plants provides people and families with another avenue of self-sufficiency and furthers connection to the landscape. The class will be taught by Arthur Haines (who personally uses plants, fungi, and lichens for all medicinal needs). Class will be offered at the Delta Institute of Natural History in Canton, ME (click here if you need directions) and run from 6:00 pm Friday to approximately 12:00 pm Sunday. All food will be organic farm-to-table and wild harvested. Some locations may be visited off site so please be prepared to carpool short distances from the property. Bring footwear for uneven ground, and proper clothing for whatever the weather may be on that day. Camping is available on site.
Price is $395.00 and class is limited to 12 students.
Class begins at 6:00 pm on Friday and ends at 12:00 pm on Sunday.
Please specify which class you are registering for in the "instructions to merchant" section of the PayPayl checkout.
Registration policies for classes offered exclusively through the Delta Institute of Natural History are found here.