KITCHEN APOTHECARY WORKSHOP
What the eyes perceive in herbs or stone or trees is not yet a remedy: the eyes see only the dross.—Paracelsus
Last month I finally taught the ‘first herbal workshop’ that had assumed a semi-permanent position on my list of annual resolutions. I was nervous and over-prepared, but the teaching went smoothly and I was pleased {and relieved!} by the end. Four mothers attended the workshop held in my own kitchen, and we concocted nine herbal remedies in three hours.
Afterwards, two of the ladies spontaneously expressed my exact desire for this workshop: that they would leave inspired, and confident in their ability to prepare and use these herbal remedies. To minister to the health of others is a great privilege and responsibility. I am very excited to be a part of this endeavor!
The following is a timeline of sorts that I have created for myself, to record how I did my first workshop, and the changes I might make for the future. I hope that you also will find the notes interesting, whether you hope to attend or teach such a workshop. Scroll further to view photographs of the set-up.
{TIMELINE}
A Month Before
I made an inventory of my books and herbal supplies; I ordered the additional supplies I would need, and placed requests at the library for other books I had found helpful. {I also took out the beautiful Wildcraft! board-game by LearningHerbs.com.}
I also emailed to request free catalogues from my favorite suppliers, Mountain Rose Herbs and the Bulk Herb Store. They each kindly sent twenty copies, with no charge to myself.
When I had received the catalogues, I used rustic twine to make bundles of these and an informational brochure I had written as an assignment in my herbal course.
Two Weeks Before
I sent email invitations two weeks in advance, and followed up several days later with personal phone calls. In addition to date, time and place, the invitation included detailed information about the purpose of the workshop and the remedies we would be making. I let them know they would be taking home herbs and literature, and that there would be a raffle for my extra copy of The Herb Walk DVD. There was a cost for the workshop, and an additional cost for fall-back childcare. {Thank you, Coralie and Sebastien for providing the latter.} Nursing babies were welcome to remain with their mothers. I asked that those planning to attend RSVP a week in advance so I could prepare supplies.
I started infusing calendula and lavender in sweet almond oil, for the salve we would make during the workshop. It sat in the warm sun for two weeks, and I shook the jar everyday.
I made a chamomile glycerite using a new technique I had not tried before, to evaluate its use for the workshop. I would also have the finished product for taste-testing at the workshop.
This is also when I began working on my notes and plans for the workshop—from scratch. It was a tight schedule, but I survived, and you can be sure it was all rather fresh in my mind!
One Week Before
After receiving final confirmations, I weighed, packaged and labelled a variety of single herbs for attendees to take home.
I continued working on my notes and plans for the workshop.
One Day Before
I sent reminder emails to those planning to attend.
I printed the packets I had been preparing for attendees to take organized notes on the herbs and remedies.
I completely set up the materials for the next day. I moved furniture. I cleaned. I arranged the books and materials I had collected, spreading them on the counter for the ladies to examine before and after the workshop. I arranged all my herbs and supplies for easy access and appeal.
Before I went to bed, I started the nettles tonic infusion. {In retrospect, the resulting brew was far too strong for most to stomach.}
Half an Hour Before
I began soaking the echinacea root in cold water, for the echinacea root decoction. {In retrospect, I could have done this at the start of the workshop, as it would have taken me about that long to get to the decoction.}
The Workshop
I began the workshop by introducing myself and my long interest and study of herbs. I talked about reasons to make your own medicine. {The ladies were particularly impressed with the price comparison of buying verses making elderberry syrup.} I briefly discussed herbal safety and dosage concerns. {All this introduction took fifteen minutes.}
Then I began the actual ‘concocting.’ I would start making the remedy, and—as I measured, stirred and simmered—I would talk about the individual herbs I was using, when and how the remedy would be used, my personal experience with the remedy, other ways to use the herb. I would sometimes ask if someone wanted to come up and help out—with measuring or loading up the encapsulator, for example. {And I made them do the calculations when I introduced the simpler's method or tincturing ratios. It helps the information stick.}
Afterwords, they could always taste the remedy; they liked knowing what the remedies they might make were going to taste like. They always had questions; this was the scariest prospect as I prepared for the workshop but I ended up sounding fairly intelligent. {Thank you, Mrs. Parker.}
Because my ‘audience’ was young mothers, I focused on using herbs that are generally safe for pregnant women and children. I tried to highlight different herbs for each of the nine remedies we made together. I began with an easy remedy that used kitchen ingredients—garlic lemonade, and then went to the more ‘herby’ remedies: a high calcium children's tea, nettle tonic, echinacea root decoction, elderberry syrup, chamomile glycerite, calendula-lavender oil made into salve, and ginger capsules—in that order. I didn't get to steam inhalations, oatmeal baths, or foot salts, but did mention them briefly.
Next Time...
Next time, I will send reminder texts to those planning to attend, rather than reminder emails.
Although I was not overcrowded at the first workshop, I now have a waiting list {!} and will need to cap my next workshop at six attendees.
I now have a better idea of how much time I need to prepare all those remedies. The next invitation will indicate that this is a three and half hours class, not a two hour class!
I will certainly refine my notes further, and work on the PowerPoint presentation that was not ready for my first workshop.
{GALLERY}
Those of you familiar with our home layout will notice that I switched the kitchen counter and dining room table—to accommodate comfortable seating and working during the workshop.
A kitchen counter on wheels has been a definitely-unexpected but enormously-helpful convenience. {As long as you warn the men not to lean. Many guests have been terribly disconcerted that way.}
Favorite personal and library books related to natural health and herbs were spread over the large countertop.
My favorite herbal textbook—Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy by Simon Mills and Kerry Bone—was placed in a prominent and decorated position.
I made several arrangements with decorative foliage from our yard.
This bouquet of colorful pens is much more interesting than uniform blue ball-points, don’t you think?
Supplies for making herbal remedies were ranged on the counter behind me: a tincture press, glass bottles with droppers, wooden scoops, sweet almond oil, witch hazel extract, brandy {with two shots, ahem, missing}, tins, empty capsules and an encapsulator. Also, tinctures, glycerites and capsules already prepared, as well as a lemon balm hydrosol.
On another counter were lined the raw honey, 80-proof vodka {um, with lots of margaritas missing}, vegetable glycerin, and the mason jars and other kitchen equipment.
On our worktable were spoons for tasting, wooden skewers for stirring, all my herbs for admiring and smelling: chamomile, lavender, calendula, rose hips, elderberries, echinacea, oatstraw, lemongrass...
Common kitchen ingredients were featured in our first remedies: cinnamon, lemon, garlic and ginger. In the jars are a nettle tonic {unpopular} and an oil infusion of calendula and lavender {much more popular}, prepared ahead of time.
• photographs from the first Kitchen Apothecary workshop •
November 15, 2013