Lindsay Adams

Breathe Easy: Herbal Therapeutics for Coughs, Cold & Fever 

1.5 hour class

 Tired of reaching for Dayquil? Let’s explore the myriad of herbs that can support acute respiratory symptoms! We’ll discuss natural therapeutics for fevers, coughs, COVID, colds & flu. Dosing & method adjustments for babies & kids will be included. 

Vital Menses: Food, Herbs & Lifestyle for Moontime

1.5 hour class

A dive into the root cause of various menstrual symptoms & ways to manage them through diet, herbs, supplements & lifestyle adjustments. We’ll discuss uterine pain, hormone imbalances, PMS & more!

Katrina Blair

Wild Greens for Self-Care

1.5 hour class

This class will be focused on the powerful healing properties of the wild edible greens growing abundantly close to where you live. We will harvest several species growing nearby and make a few simple recipes on how to integrate these wild greens into your daily life for personal well being and optimal health. 

Wild Food Dessert Recipes

3 hour class

This workshop is a hands on recipe demo class focused on using our local wild foods available during this time of the season for making delicious desserts. We will integrate wild plants such as acorns, cattail, amaranth, mallow and hawthorn berries for making nutritious treats to celebrate life and the abundance of our beautiful world. May these recipes benefit you and your community for increased health and well being.

Jenna Bradford

Raw Wool Processing

45-minute demo

In this class, we will explore the processing of wool. From skirting to washing, carding, dying, and felting or spinning. Learn the steps to turn raw wool into usable yarn or felt. Kid-friendly!

Eric Scott Bresselsmith

Introduction to Essential Oils and Hydrosols

45 Minute Demo

This class gives an outline to the indications and applications of essential oils, as well as the importance of essential oils produced from regional plants and trees for “community immunity”. Essential oils will be passed around for imbibing the aromatics. Also covered: “Neat” use (do’s and don’ts) , dilution and diffusion. • The difference between therapeutic, cosmetic and industrial grade essential oils and the importance of knowing the difference and why. • The difference between essential oil, hydrosol, oil infusions, teas and tinctures. • The fundamentals of distillation – equipment on display • The connection of botanical distillation to alchemy, chemistry, and the essential spirit/intelligence of the plant through distillation – the legend of the “Genie in the Bottle”.

Sam Coffman

Herbal First Aid - Principles & Techniques

1.5 hour class

Join Sam Coffman in Herbal First Aid 1 (Principles and Techniques) to learn some of the most important fundamentals around herbal first aid. Sam will address the “first aid” portion of the term “Herbal First Aid” but also introduce concepts that are unique to herbal medicine when working with physical trauma, environmental injuries and even some medical emergencies. Primary topics for this class include field and home hygiene, wound and infection management, biofilms, the role of inflammation in healing, stages of tissue proliferation, stabilization and protection of injuries and an introduction to a materia medica that allows for a broad spectrum of combinations, formulas and possibilities in a field or home first aid environment.

Herbal First Aid - Herbal Applications

1.5 hour class

Join Sam in Herbal First Aid 2 (Herbal Applications) to continue the journey into understanding how to administer and formulate herbs. The mantra for working successfully with herbs is “get the right herb to the right tissue” and this opens up a plethora of imaginative administration concepts from nasya oils and nasal sprays to nebulizer use, gargles, poultices, plasters, field preparation of herbs (i.e. both preparing herbs in the field and methods to take herbs into the field with limited space) and much more. Sam discusses and demonstrates both shortcomings and advantages to using herbal medicine, as well as some of his favorite ways to increase bioavailability of herbal constituents both topically and internally. 

How to make Lactucarium from Wild Lettuce

1.5 hour class

Wild lettuce (AKA "opium lettuce") is a ubiquitous "weed" that grows all around us and is also a very potent medicinal plant. It has been traditionally used for anxiety, insomnia, pain relief and more. We can concentrate the medicinal qualities of this amazing herb by turning the dried (or fresh) wild lettuce into lactucarium. Lactucarium is a highly concentrated form of wild lettuce that is shelf stable indefinitely, weighs and takes up a tiny fraction of the same space as the herb or even a concentrated tincture, and can be administered a number of ways both at home, in a clinic or in the field. It's condensed form makes it ideal for backpack herbal first kits as well! Join Sam Coffman as he shares step-by-step his favorite methods for the most potent extraction of lactucarium he uses.

Courtney Cosgriff

Introduction to Natural Beekeeping

1.5 hour class

Beekeeping is an ancient and beautiful tradition which has its roots all around the world. In understanding our relationship to bees, we better understand our own relationship to nature. With the advent of industrialization, beekeeping shifted from a small-scale spiritual tradition to an industry catered to mass production at the expense of our bees. This workshop will be an introduction into the world of natural and sacred beekeeping. Courtney will be giving a step-by-step guide to getting started with your own hive and how to manage it through the seasons. 

Honey Medicine & Alchemy

1.5 hour class

In many ways the bees were the first herbalists & alchemists, collecting substances from flowers and trees to create powerful medicines. Honey is perhaps one of the most revered substances on earth, the honey created by the honeybee is a substance which reflects the evolution of life on earth. Honey is the result of the sacred relationship between bees & flowers & as such as long been associated with healing, beauty, love, & intoxication. Honey as we know is also an incredible medicine & substance to work with within medicine making. In this workshop, we will explore the medicine of honey from how its created within the hive and why, to its unique healing properties, traditional uses, symbolism, and its role within herbal medicine making.

Erica Davis

Edible Plant Walk

1.5 hour class

In this walk, we will learn about any and all edible wild plants we find at Big B’s Delicious Orchards, and sample a few! For each, I’ll show a sign with the name of the plant so you can take notes with your camera.

Colorado’s Wild Pine Nuts *** (25 Participant limit)

1.5 hour class

Did you know that piñon pines produce delicious pine nuts similar to those we purchase in the grocery store? In this class we’ll learn about the wild pine nuts found in Colorado’s high deserts, and then process a batch of hand-harvested nuts to sample.

Summer Downs

Reclaiming Community Deathcare: Home Funerals, Natural Burial, & Walking Each Other Home 

1.5 hour class

In our journey to reclaim & reimagine ancestral skills, we often overlook a foundational piece of tending to the land and each other: caring for each other in holistic, ancestral, and community-based ways during the end-of-life process and after death. As communities who seek to live our lives in deep attunement with the earth, we also have the power to remember ways of caring for each other through death and honoring the earth with our bodies, instead of harming it. This class will explore the crossroads between tending to the land and tending to our loved ones, including the impact of traditional burial on the earth, new and ancient alternatives for burial that respect the land, and community deathcare practices such as home funerals & memorial trees/gardens. This class will combine a lecture, discussion, and a hands-on demonstration of the tender practice of caring for a loved one’s body after death, including shrouding, body blessing, and home funeral practices. There will also be a brief discussion of ancestral altars & support in the dying process and relationships with our plant & herbal allies for grief. Participants will leave with a grounded confidence & knowledge of practical methods for caring for their loved ones during death & dying, as well a new perspective on how our bodies are intertwined with the life & death cycles of the earth.

Nate Flamik

San Pedro 101 Demo

 45-minute demo

A brief introduction to San Pedro cactus history, varieties, cultivation, and propagation types.  

San Pedro 101 (Hands-on) *** (25 participant limit)

1.5 hour class

A brief introduction to San Pedro cactus history, varieties, cultivation, and propagation types, w/ hands-on seed sowing.

Participants will walk away with their own seed starts.

Lisa Ganora

Sensory Herb Walk (Organoleptics)

1.5 hour class

Learn from the plants themselves with the traditional "Scratch, Snort, Savor & Spit" method of organoleptics. Often we tend to limit our encounters with new herbs to the visual sense (with eyes or phone/camera), or even resort to the abstraction of using an app to identify a plant. While these can be useful, they are also limited ways of really getting to know the green beings – and the kind of information they give us is the easiest to forget. This herb walk will introduce the traditional, mammalian way of learning herbs, otherwise known as organoleptics: practical methods for fully engaging all of the senses to develop a deep understanding of how an herb smells, tastes, feels, and even sounds. Through suspending naming and definition, and fully engaging in the dance of recognition / relationship, we will learn how to learn directly from the plants themselves and from our intrinsic responses to them. Organoleptics teaches us the energetics, aromatics, textures and flavors that settle deeply into our individual and collective memory of who the herbs are and what they can offer us. We’ll learn the safety guidelines that allow us to encounter any herb without harm, and practice the Scratch, Snort, Savor & Spit method of plant recognition.

Percolation for the People *** (25 Participant Limit)

3 hour workshop

Capturing the essence of fresh herbs in a jar with alcohol is a great way to make a tincture, but what about tincturing dried herbs? Can we coax more herb into less alcohol for a rich, potent tincture like the botanical pharmacists used to make in the 1800s? Yes we can - and it can be ready in two days! An old process called "percolation" is an amazing way to make a concentrated, vibrant tincture from your dried herbs. Using simple home kitchen equipment, we'll learn to percolate the easy way with dried Elaea leaf (Russian Olive - an important herb in Persian medicine, but considered "invasive" in the U.S.).

Forrest Gillies

Hide Tanning 

45-minute demos

This series of demos will follow the process of tanning a hide from start to finish, encompassing each step along the way. Demonstration will include both brain tan and bark tan, as well as, hair on and off hides. Students will leave with an understanding of the nuanced steps of hide tanning.

Corn Nixtamalization/Tortilla Making

45-minute demos

Come learn how to make tortillas! In this class we will explore the world of corn and nixtimal- the ancient way of processing processing corn with lime. We will start with the growing of corn including information on varieties, growing conditions, harvest, ect. Over the course of the weekend, we will shell, cook, grind and press our corn into delicious tortillas cooked on the fire on the last day.

Fire by Friction *** (20 Participant Limit)

1.5 hour class

Friction fire is the foundational ancestral skill that makes so many other skills possible. In this class, students will come to understand the basics of both hand and bow drill fire including: the materials, techniques, and tricks for successful firemaking. 

Lindsey Hartnett Martin 

Slow Beauty Facials - Nurture by Nature ***(25 Participant Limit)

1.5 hour class

We are nature, so why and how has our skincare and in-care drifted so far from natural? We are reclaiming our sovereignty through our taking care of ourselves in ways that generate wellness all ways.Learn how to support the functional health of your skin through establishing small practices that can be integrated into your daily life. We will be giving ourselves herbal-infused facials from locally handcrafted, organic, homegrown and wildcrafted goods. Lavishly experience the full collection of Sex, Plants, Rock and Roll herbal skincare products as well as learn how to create some of your own home remedies that can become a part of your regular skincare ritual.

Herbal Self-Care for Everyone ***(25 Participant Limit)

1.5 hour class

Self-care is for everyone! Women, men, children and anywhere in between. This workshop is an invitation to take a break and establish a relationship with the nature that is in and around you. We will use handcrafted herbal products to nurture our skin and hair and prepare some of our own individual product that we can take home with us.

 Brian Hedden

Sacred Men's Circle

A Sacred Men’s Circle is a place for men to be seen for our full selves, and for all of our personal beauty and limitations. It is a trustworthy container for men to connect on a deep level and share with authentic vulnerability. From this place of deep care and trust, we can support each other to become better men.

This experiential class is structured like a men's circle and will be an exploration of the four main masculine archetypes: Lover, Warrior, Magician and King. We will explore feelings, accountability, vulnerability, and blessings in a safe and supportive container.

This is a closed container for men only. Please arrive promptly as men who show up later than 15 minutes will not be able to participate. 

Daniel Larcker & Lauren Kenton

Basic Hog Breakdown, Meat Preservation & Tallow Rendering

Part 1 and 2 - 1.5 hours each

 For the class, we will show how to break down a skinned hog into roasts, ribs, and various cuts, and show how to prepare a wet brine using salt and sugar, to then hot smoke for making ham and Canadian bacon. We will also show how to prepare a dry cure (also with salt and sugar) for then hot smoking bacon as well as further processing to make dry aged meats. What parts we do not further process we will show how we wrap it for the freezer. Lauren will explain the rendering process of the fat, turning it into lard and the further process into salves and soaps. We will also talk about the health benefits of the lard for internal and external use.

Amanda Rose Klenner

Journey to the Spirit of Rose

45-minute class

Join Amanda Rose for a guided journey to the spirit of the rose. Rose is well known for its associations with love and friendship, but her lessons run so much deeper. Amanda Rose will lead us in a deep meditative journey using her voice, and the steady beat of the drum. You will meet the spirit of the rose, and learn her wisdom, and any messages or lessons the Spirit of the Rose has for you. Bring a mat or blanket, because you will be laying down in deep relaxation during your journey.

Making Plant Medicines in the Field - Tinctures, Liniments, and Glycerites ***(25 Participant Limit)

1.5 hour class

Join Amanda Rose, professional herbalist, and learn how to make tinctures and glycerites from freshly harvested plants. We will discuss different parts of plants, alcohol and glycerin to water ratios, and how to make potent plant medicine in the field, with not a sink in sight. Each participant will leave with a fresh tincture, liniment, and glycerin to bring home.

Making Infused Oils and Herbal Infusions In The Field *(25 Participant Limit)

1.5 hour class

Whether you are out in a survival situation, or just on a long camping trip, it is good to know how to make plant medicines from fresh plants when you are out in the field. Join Amanda Rose, a professional herbalist, and learn how to make fresh infused oils and herbal salves/balms in the field. We will be preparing two oil infusions, one without heat, and one with heat, then, we will create an infused oil with a heat-infused herbal oil Amanda Rose has prepared ahead of time. In this class, we will discuss infused oil safety and efficacy, two different preparation methods, and the benefits of each preparation. We will then make a salve with ethically harvested beeswax to take it home with us.

Bonnie McIntosh

The Medicine & Magic of Queen Anne's Lace, aka "Herbal Plan B"

1.5 hour class

Beloved by many, Queen Anne’s Lace is often dubbed by herb enthusiasts as an “herbal Plan B.” In this info-share, we’ll discuss common misconceptions, what we know & what we are still learning, and what it does & does not do. We'll also explore how to be in relationship with it, dosing & preparation, its plant-spirit medicine, and much more! Participants will leave with knowledge around how to add it to their toolkit & resources to explore more. All bodies & all identities are welcome. 

Post Abortion & Miscarriage Support

3-hour class

If you've ever wanted to know how to holistically support yourself and your beloveds through pregnancy release, this workshop is for you. Equipping ourselves with knowledge in an age of disinformation is a profound act of resistance. Abortion has existed for as long as there have been humans, yet it still remains one of the most stigmatized and hushed experiences. Miscarriage, while not as overtly stigmatized, is often met with silence and shame, and many people end up navigating it alone. Though they are incredibly common, there is still a great need for support around both--logistically, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. In this class, we will discuss the physiology of miscarriage & abortion, navigating the medical system, different options, & accessing care. We will also dive into holistic nutritional, herbal, and spirit-centered ways to support the healing process. This is not specifically a support group for pregnancy loss, but rather an in depth look at how to support the pregnancy release process. All bodies and all identities are encouraged to attend!

Susan Manchester

 Ancestors, Invocation, and Earth Shrine

Opening Ceremony 

We will create an act of Welcoming. We gather together as a Community,  building an Earth Shrine as opening ground for the Festival, in celebratory inclusion of the other world. We will create a surging and powerful invocation to The Ancestors and the Elemental world. Building a beautiful and colorful shrine in a grounding and nourishing ritual of relationship with the Earth. It is in the power of giving-of gifting together to come home, we empower ourselves and our reciprocal relationship with the Earth. Ase'

Healers Garden Practitioner - Cowry Shell Divinations

Ian Mackinnon

Kids Class Coordinator

Ian will be heading up our kids classes throughout the festival, in addition to teaching an adult-oriented class (see below!)

Bow Drill Fire Made Easy 

2-hour class

In this hands-on class learn how to work with fire by friction using the bow drill method, as well as how to best gather materials from the landscape to create your own kit.

Kiddos under 14 are welcome if accompanied by a parent!

Kat Mackinnon

Herbs for Pain

1.5 hour class

Explore herbal options for pain management, with a focus on the native medicinals growing in the Southwest in general and Colorado in particular. We'll be tasting the herbs and trying some topical remedies, as well as going over basic information on harvesting and making medicine. We’ll also discuss when not to use herbs, as well as options for integrating herbs with other therapeutics, such as bodywork and nutrition. 

Plant Walk

3-hour class

In this class, we will get into botany and plant ID, plant family patterns, wild edibles, medicines, and plant poisons. We'll also discuss wildcrafting, medicine making, and ways to cultivate a deeper relationship with the plant people. 

Making Your Apothecary (Co-taught with Briana Wiles)

2-hour class

This class is all about empowering you to begin creating and honing your home apothecary. We'll be covering some of our favorite herbs, formulas, and simple medicine-making techniques. We'll discuss how to plan for the needs of your community,  decide on what herbs and supplies to stock in your medicine chest, the ideal time for making different types of medicinal preparations, and more.  

Wild Spices (co-taught with Briana Wiles)

45 - minute demo

Join Kat and Briana for some blending, tasting, and formulating deliciousness. We'll be talking about bioregional herbs to spice up your kitchen, and flavor your medicine cabinet. From dry rubs to mocktail rims, bread mixes to beverage blends, we'll be talking about how to incorporate wild flavors into your everyday. 

Sacred Psychedelics

1.5 hour class

Sacred use of Psychedelics. Research is showing how ayahuasca, psilocybin, iboga, and peyote can help release trauma, addiction, emotional blockages as well as enhance love, creativity and purpose in life.

Herb Walk

3 hours

Learn to identify local plants for their edible and Medicinal Properties

Kelly Moody

Dogbane Fiber Processing, Cordage and Ethnobotany *** (20 Participant limit)

1.5 hour class

Learn to identify Dogbane, when to gather stalks for cordage and weaving, how to process the stalks, and how to make cordage, rope and twine from your processed stalks. We will also discuss wild-tending Dogbane, the cultural importance of Dogbane across Turtle Island, the ecological significance of Dogbane and more. We will discuss other plant fibers that can be used to make cordage. You'll walk away with cordage or rope to work on during the gathering and the skills to apply to other plant fibers.

Joshua Paquette

T is for Testosterone: Men’s Health — Part 1

1.5 hour class

We hear a lot about the hormone testosterone these days on social media, in the news,  on advertisements, but what does it really do in the body? Is low T the big problem we are led to believe? What do sleep, exercise, and diet have to do with it? Can herbs raise testosterone? In this class, we will explore these questions and more. Expect some discussion on anatomy and physiology, aging, herbs, testing for T, how to decide when low T is a problem, and what to do about it before choosing hormone replacement therapy.

WTF is a Prostate, Anyway?: Men’s Health — Part 2

1.5 hour class

Most men realize they have a prostate only when it begins to affect how they pee. But what in the world is a prostate and what does it do? In this class we will learn about the anatomy and physiology of the prostate gland, its essential role in sperm motility and conception, and why it tends to grow and become problematic with age. We will discuss BPH symptoms, how to differentiate between spasmodic and obstructive BPH, and how to manage these conditions with herbal formulas, diet, sleep, and movement. 

Adrienne Leeds

Herbs and Lactation

1.5 hour class

 Learn about herbs to increase or decrease milk supply, remedies for plugged ducts and mastitis, as well as which herbs are contraindicated for the breastfeeding dyad. We will go in-depth about several common galactagogue herbs.

Your Period Doesn't Have to Suck!

1.5 hour class

Do your periods have you feeling like a vital creatrix or are you feeling dirty and shameful, bloated and painful? Let's reclaim the beauty and power of this blood mystery. We'll discuss ways to address common imbalances with herbal allies, nutrition, and more. 

Matriarchs, Crones, Heffalumps and Woozles

1.5 hour class

Feeling more like a mythical creature than yourself lately? Up at night for no particular reason? Unpredictable cycles? Sweaty, dry, creaky, poufy, floody, ragey, foggy? Let's talk about the sacred rite of becoming She who holds her wise blood inside, while weaving herbal crowns.

Allie Olsen

The Sacred Spiral: Pine Needle Coils *** (25 participant Limit)

1.5 hour class

 In this class, you’ll learn how to use coil basketry techniques to make a pine needle coil. To begin we’ll talk about the origins of pine needle and coil basketry, showing our deep appreciation and reverence for those who came before us and created this art form. Then, we’ll cover the basics of pine needle foraging: what types are best, when to find them, and how to easily forage them in bulk while showing love to our pine forests. After that, I’ll show you how to dry, soak, and prepare our pine needles for coiling. Then the fun begins! We’ll start with a hands-on demonstration of the coiling technique. We’ll create a pine needle coil that can be used as wearable art, a coaster, or even a set of earrings. Many different baskets will be displayed to show how to create lids, handles, etc. to show students how they can continue to take the craft to the next level. All materials are 100% natural, no synthetics will be used for this workshop.

The Sacred Spiral: Pine Needle Basketry *** (25 participant Limit)

3 hour class

In this class, you’ll learn how to use coil basketry techniques to make a small pine needle basket. To begin we’ll talk about the origins of pine needle and coil basketry, showing our deep appreciation and reverence for those who came before us and created this art form. Then, we’ll cover the basics of pine needle foraging: what types are best, when to find them, and how to easily forage them in bulk while showing love to our pine forests. After that, I’ll show you how to dry, soak, and prepare our pine needles for coiling. Then the fun begins! We’ll start with a hands-on demonstration of the coiling technique. As we progress, I’ll demonstrate how to build out the spiral, create the walls of the basket, and finish it off. I’ll talk about methods for sealing the baskets so that they stay beautiful for many years to come. Many different baskets will be displayed to show how to create lids, handles, etc. to show students how they can continue to take the craft to the next level. All materials are 100% natural, no synthetics will be used for this workshop.

Shayna Powell

Lye-Based Tallow Soap Making*** (25 participant Limit)

1.5 hour class

This comprehensive workshop is designed to teach participants the art and science of crafting their own luxurious and environmentally friendly soap using traditional methods and natural ingredients. This hands-on class provides a unique opportunity for individuals to delve into the fascinating world of soap making and gain practical skills to create their own high-quality, lye-based tallow soap at home. Led by an experienced soap maker and sustainability advocate, the class covers the entire soap-making process from start to finish. Participants will learn about the properties and benefits of tallow, a sustainable and readily available ingredient, and discover the chemical reaction that occurs when lye is combined with fats to produce soap. Safety protocols and guidelines for working with lye will also be emphasized throughout the class. During the workshop, attendees will gain a solid understanding of soap formulation, including the selection of oils and fats, fragrances, and additives to create unique variations of tallow soap. Practical demonstrations and hands-on activities will enable participants to master techniques such as measuring ingredients, calculating lye ratios, and achieving the desired consistency and texture of the soap. By the end of class, attendees will have the knowledge and skills necessary to create their own artisanal soap, offering them a sustainable, cost-effective, and customizable alternative to commercial products. Participants will be able to take a couple bars home to cure and use in 3 months

Julian Scanlon

Fermenting Mushrooms 

45-minute Demo

Discover the art of Fermented Mushrooms! Learn the fundamentals of lacto-fermentation tailored to mushrooms, exploring techniques and applications. We will also touch on other ways you can make mushrooms tastier, preserve them longer and incorporate probiotics. Julian will showcase some creative culinary uses for the end product. Elevate your understanding of fermentation and showcase the world of flavorful, probiotic-rich delicacies.

Koji 101

1.5 hour class

Uncover the essence of this ancient mold responsible for miso, sake, soy sauce and more and how you can leverage it for flavor in your own kitchen! Julian will go over its historical significance, and its role as not only an ingredient but a tool in the kitchen. Learn simple techniques to cultivate Koji in the comfort of your home, unlocking a world of umami-rich flavors and culinary experimentation!

Kids Foraging (See Kids Schedule!)

2-hour class

 In this class, kids will discover the wonders of foraging. Through hands-on exploration and guided instruction, they'll learn essential skills for safely interacting with nature and identifying edible plants and mushrooms native to the region. With a focus on safety and sustainability, kids will develop a deeper connection to the environment while honing their foraging skills.

Rachel Snow 

Botanical Printing on Fabric *** (25 participant Limit)

1.5 hour class

In this hands-on workshop, you will create your very own botanically dyed piece of fabric using various local flowers and leaves. Botanical printing is a unique form of natural dyeing which produces a clear imprint of the plant onto the fabric. The plant dye is permanent and will withstand years of washing and wear and tear. Come explore a unique and artistic avenue to work with some of your favorite flowers and medicinal allies.

Natalie Spears

Song Writing with the Landscape

3 hour class

A crickets chirping groove, the melodic notes of a hermit thrush, laughter of a baby- musical inspiration is always present. This workshop is about reconnecting to our own creative spirit and opening ourselves to be song catchers. After we discuss the core parts of a song and songwriting, we will wander the land, practicing deep listening and gathering song seeds to develop into fully fleshed songs. The extended time gives us space to sink into the creative process and develop our ideas. One-on-one and group support will be offered as people bring back their initial inspiration to craft into song.  

Bring instruments if you have them, a notebook, and your voice!

Emily Stock

Nurturing Pregnancy and Birth

3 hour class

This class is for anyone who is or might become pregnant, and those supporting pregnancy and birth. Pregnancy will be explored with a holistic view, from movement and caring for the connective tissues, to supporting the microbiome, to regulating blood sugar. We will also be demonstrating supportive movement and posture for pregnancy and birth, including getting baby into a good position. There is no other transition in life quite as radical as what happens in birth. The body remembers the transition, and the birthing person is imprinted with how they were supported. How does labor progress, and how can we support it? How can we prepare ahead of time to facilitate birth? There will be a hands-on (or off, if you prefer) workshop in which we will explore myriad labor tools, positions, and comfort measures. We will also cover practicalities, like when to get to the birthing place, how to identify different stages of labor, and natural induction methods.

Nurturing Postpartum

1.5 hour class

When a person becomes a parent, the changes that happen in the brain are greater than any other life stage (including adolescence!). American culture has a deficit in nurturing this transition, and many of the conventional attitudes and practices for ‘supporting’ new parents can be counterproductive. This class is for those who are or might become parents, those who are in community with parents, and those who might be in direct support of those who are becoming parents. Note: This includes all the ways that people can become parents, not just through birthing. We will address herbs, food, and practices to nourish the nervous system in the postpartum period, nutrition and herbs for breastfeeding parents, and supportive practices to nurture connection between parents and their children. We will also be exploring tools and herbs for healing after birth, including binding, steaming and abdominal massage.

Living by the Moon

1.5 hour class

We have all felt the high energy of a full moon. Stepping into sync with the moon can support ritual in daily life, allowing one to find the flow of gravity and energy she yields. In this class we will follow the moon cycle, including the astrological signs she passes through on the zodiac belt every couple of days, finding creative ways to use the energy of the moon. We will explore everything from finding the nuance of ‘good’ gardening days, to kitchen and medicine making preparations, to deep cleaning and organizing, to cutting hair and caring for our connected selves.

Jake Takiff

The Family Cow

2 hour class

Learn the ancient, friendly art of keeping a family milk cow to meet all the needs of your home and community. Learn the daily routines, discuss different breeds, and all the base details. Meet Maybelle the Cedar Springs Farm milk cow of 12 years who will bless all of us with her presence. How to deal with breeding, calving, freshening, milking, calf sharing and training. Also how to raise bull calves to be delicious milk-fed veal. Learn all this from Jake who has never been without cows.

High Desert Silviculture & Farm Tour (OFFSITE) ***

3-hour class and tour

Join regenerative farmer Jake Takiff in a farm tour and class lecture!

Jake will be discussing how we can feed our family and friends at scale in the high desert while restoring the land in a way that's harmonious with plants, livestock, and wildlife in unique climates. See a working regenerative farm, and learn:

• How to work with regionally appropriate trees and perennial crops
• Understand planting patterns for the high desert
• Cultivating medicinal plants
• How to integrate animals as part of regenerating the landscape  
• Riparian zone restoration, water management, and greeding the desert.  
• This is a special opportunity to see what a difference caretaking a landscape can make!

PLEASE NOTE: It's about a 25-minute drive to Jake's Farm, so please plan on leaving for the class around 1:30 pm on Saturday.  

Jeff Wagner

Intro to Willow Basketry Part 1 and 2 *** (15 Participant Limit)

Two 3-hour classes

These two classes cover the foundations of European-style willow weaving. You’ll learn to weave a small, round basket using the simplest weaving techniques. You’ll learn to create a sturdy base, add sides to the basket, and finish your basket with a strong border. At the end of the class, you’ll have all the skills to weave your own baskets and begin to explore more advanced willow weaving techniques. Before industrial plastics, we held everything in baskets. Willow basketry is a foundational practice of belonging in Colorado. Creating good willow for weaving is a multi-year process, requiring tending willow patches through the seasons and building a relationship with the plants we harvest from. Willow is a plant that responds well to human disturbance: the plants grow stronger and spread more when cut every year for baskets. When willow patches are neglected, they become overgrown, branchy thickets. Willow baskets can represent a positive, mutually-beneficial relationship between people and land.

Spinning Yarn and Thread with a Drop Spindle

45-minute demo

 Drop spindles are one of the oldest tools known to humanity. Every culture around the world developed some sort of spindle that was specialized to the locally available plant or animal fiber. Spindles are a quick and easy way to begin spinning your own yarn and thread. This demo will cover the basics of spinning with wool and alpaca. Students will get an introduction to the theory of spinning, and the mechanics of a drop spindle. Then, it's practice time—you'll spin your own thread with coaching. You'll walk away with enough knowledge to pick up your own drop spindle and begin spinning yarn on your own.

Briana Wiles

Herbs of the Rocky Mountains

45-minute demo

Making Your Apothecary (Co-taught with Briana Wiles)

2-hour class

This class is all about empowering you to begin creating and honing your home apothecary. We'll be covering some of our favorite herbs, formulas, and simple medicine-making techniques. We'll discuss how to plan for the needs of your community,  decide on what herbs and supplies to stock in your medicine chest, the ideal time for making different types of medicinal preparations, and more.  

Wild Spices (co-taught with Briana Wiles)

45 - minute demo

Join Kat and Briana for some blending, tasting, and formulating deliciousness. We'll be talking about bioregional herbs to spice up your kitchen, and flavor your medicine cabinet. From dry rubs to mocktail rims, bread mixes to beverage blends, we'll be talking about how to incorporate wild flavors into your everyday. 

Antoinette Yarrow

Heal Your Sexual Trauma*** (20 participant limit)

1.5 hour class

 In this class, learn about sexual trauma and how it affects your physical, sexual and emotional body. Learn about which herbs can heal sexual trauma and what other modalities can help you heal your trauma so you can take back your life. Feel your pleasure and happiness for you!

This class is for women only.

Herbal Aphrodisiacs*** (20 Participant Limit)

1.5 hour class

Let's learn about herbs to help ignite pleasure, joy and sensuality in your own body. You will come home with our own herbal aphrodisiac.