Practitioner/ Herbal Medicine Student
Growing and Remedy Making Course
Two day course for practitioners and herbal medicine students at Bareroot Botanicals Medicinal Plant Nursery and Herb Farm, Co. Sligo, Ireland.
Day 1: Growing, Harvesting and Drying Medicinal Plants
Seed sowing: Different techniques for different seeds
Propagation: What your seedlings need to germinate and how to provide the correct environment
Division, cuttings & layering: Multiply your plants, what plants can be used with these methods
Transplanting: When, how, soil types and common mistakes that cause slow growth
Maintenance: Caring for your medicinal herbs, feeding & pest control
Harvesting & seed saving: How and when to know your plants are at their peak
Drying: From simple methods to large drying equipment
Herb Walk: Around the garden to discuss growing and medicinal properties of specific plants and answer questions on any of the plants.
Medicinal properties of the herbs, their uses and remedies will be discussed as we work with the plants. Plants we work on are taken home at the end of the day including sown seed, split, transplanted and cuttings of plants.
Day 2: Making Herbal Remedies for Clinical Practice
A practical course where each participant makes each of the remedies themselves after detailed demonstrations. All the remedies are made from freshly harvested plants from the garden. Throughout the day medicinal properties and phytochemical content of a wide range of plants will be discussed.
· Making herbal creams – for skin conditions that are commonly seen in practice. Demonstration and each participant making creams. Different herbal oils will be discussed.
· Making herbal glycerites – for treating children or alcohol sensitive patients. Demonstration and each participant making a glycerite from fresh plants.
· Making ointments, liniments and compresses – external applications for arthritic and rheumatic conditions. Demonstrations of all and each participant making an ointment.
· Making vinegars – to use as an alternative to alcoholic tinctures in clinic.
· Making Tinctures – how to professionally make tinctures from your own plants in our processing room. Demonstrations and each participant making a vinegar or tincture.
· Making herbal syrups and oxymels – for respiratory ailments. Demonstrations.
Each participant will take home a cream, glycerite, ointment and vinegar or tincture they have prepared themselves using freshly harvested plants from our garden.
Over the two days practitioners and herbal medicine students will:
· Learn plant identification and get familiar with living plants.
· Get the opportunity to see over 140 species of medicinal herbs.
· See spacing and size of mature plants for consideration of setting up a herb garden.
· Learn what herbs would be easy to grow for your garden environment.
· Discussion of practical aspects of growing in polytunnels.
· Discussion on different types of potting compost available and the benefits.
· Gain an understanding of the quantity of plant material needed to grow to make your own remedies for clinical practice.
· Gain an understanding of the quality medicinal plants need to be grown and processed following EU GMP standards.
· See equipment available for small and large scale operations.
· Go away able to make creams, glycerites, ointments etc for future patients for a range of specific conditions.
· Have the ability to adapt formulae of remedy recipes to suit specific plants and specific medical conditions.
· Learn about the properties of the ingredients for all the remedies made – for example choosing the right oils, waxes and butters for medicinal cream and ointment making.
· Learn where to source ingredients and sundries for making medicines.
· Have an opportunity to ask questions about any of the herbs grown on the farm from experienced growers.
· An opportunity for revision of phyochemicals of the plants and therapeutics.
· Introduction to monographs of lesser used medicinal plants that can grown in Ireland.
· Avail of a 20% discount off plants bought form the nursery on the day.
Cost is €275 per person for this two day course. This includes all materials, a large vegetarian lunch from our garden veg, herbal teas and snacks for both days.
Dates: July 16 & 17th and also August 6th & 7th
There is a variety of local accommodation available all within a few minutes’ drive of the farm. These include a local hostel, self catering houses for rent, B&B’s and a hotel.
Contact Marina or Ross on 086 0800898/ 087 6272633 or at marina@iona.herbal.ie