Below is a listing of workshops available at Forrest Green Farm. We can accommodate large groups in our outdoor shaded pavilion. All workshops include herbal teas and herbal appetizers. Herbal luncheons are also available at an additional cost. We require a minimum of 8 participants to hold a private workshop. Please contact Krista for setting up a time to reserve your group.
The Herbal First-Aid Kit and The Well Stocked Medicine Cabinet
In this workshop, we will cover the things that you need to keep on hand for using natural herbal remedies for your family. We will cover a wide variety of topics from herbal treatments for common aliments & injuries to bigger emergencies. There will be extensive handouts with clear instructions on what you need to have and do for everything from stings and burns to broken bones and cuts. Some time will also be spent on how to make a first-aid kit for when you are traveling so that you can be prepared anytime or place with your herbal remedies. In this class, we will also cover the herbs and herbal remedies that a family should have in their medicine cabinet.
*Having some basic knowledge of herbal teas, tinctures, salves, & oils is helpful but not required for this workshop.
Teas, Decoctions and Tinctures
Learn simple ways of adding herbs for health into our lives daily as well as herbs for relief of symptoms of when we are sick. In this workshop, we will demonstrate the methods used to make teas, decoctions, and tinctures and discuss how and when it is best to use each of these methods. This workshop will be hands-on and we will harvest herbs from our own gardens. Each participant will take home a tincture that they make in class.
Herbal Vinegars and Oils
Vinegars – vinegar extracts the vitamins and minerals from plants as well as the essential oils and flavors. The acidic nature of vinegar releases the iron and calcium and makes it easy for our bodies to take them into our cells. Herb vinegars are also tasty treats to have on hand for everyday cooking and they can make delightful gifts.
Herb Oils – Infusing herbs in oil for dressings and cooking is an easy way to add flavor and season our foods. Herb oils also make wonderful gifts.
Handouts with recipes of herbal combinations will be provided. Each participant will take home a bottle of vinegar that they make during this workshop.
Defend your Garden Naturally
Use homemade herbal remedies and sprays to defend your garden from pests and disease. We will make our own “green” repellants for use in warding off insects on your plants. Also to be discussed are companion planting techniques that can enhance your plants growth and ward off the bad bugs that pester your vegetables, herbs, and flowers.
Herbal Oil Infusions and Salve Making
In this fun hands-on, workshop we will take a garden walk and learn about the herbs that have medicinal properties that would be good choices for making herbal oil infusions and salves. You will gain practical knowledge on how and when to use these oils and salves. Each participant will get to take home a salve or lip balm and an oil infusion.
Special note: if the class has interest we will learn how & why to make salves using rendered animal fat.
Basil
Learn about the many varieties of basil available today. There will be a garden walk so that we can sample the many different types of basil that we grow at Forrest Green Farm. We will demonstrate the best methods to grow and harvest basil so that you can get maximum production from your plants. You will learn ways to preserve basil so you can enjoy its wonderful flavor all year long. In this hands-on class, we will make many tasty recipes with many varieties of basil. Each participant will take home a basil vinegar and a basil pesto.
Salsas, Dips and Seasonings
In this very hands-on workshop, we will make a variety of fresh salsas, herbal dips, and herbal seasonings using fresh picked ingredients from our gardens. We will cover how to grow the ingredients you will need to make the salsas, dips, and seasonings. You will learn how to dry your own herbs and make dried herb mixes for your family to enjoy or to give away for gifts. We will make enough for each participant to take samples home.
Preserving the Harvest
Do you want to enjoy the fresh flavor of your herbs and garden year-round? In this workshop, we will cover how and when to harvest, the best techniques to use for preserving, and recipes for using your harvest in winter cooking.
Preparing the Garden for Winter
What do I cut back? Will this plant be able to survive the winter? Learn how to get your garden ready for winter. We will discuss what and when to prune and how to create a garden that won’t over-winter pests. Some plants need to be brought in for the winter and you will learn how to care for these plants in your home for the winter. A little work in the fall can make restarting the garden next spring much easier and help insure that your plants survive the long cold winter.
Art in the Garden
Barbara Wachter, a local artist, will teaching a water media (or acrylic) workshop. She will instruct you on designing and painting a still life picture from the garden. www.barbarawachter.com
The Home Spa and Herbal Gift Making
Natural herbal personal care products are easy to make and a wonderful way to pamper yourself and loved ones. In this workshop, we will cover a wide array of personal care products that will nourish the skin and hair as well as the mind and spirit. This will be an afternoon of mind, body, and spirit healing. Many people have reactions to the store bought commercial products and they are expensive to boot. By making your own personal care products, you will know that your products are chemical free, they will cost you much less, and most people are amazed at how they work much better. Many of the things that we cover in class would make great gifts.
This is a very hands-on workshop and each participant will get to take home some samples of the goodies that we make.
Nettle – Urtica dioica
Powerful, prickly nettle one of the most useful and beneficial plants in the garden. Come learn how to grow, harvest, preserve, and prepare a nettle patch in your garden. We will also focus on the many culinary & medicinal uses for this plant as well as the ways it can be used as a tea for the garden. This is one plant that no garden should be without!
Lemon Grass, Scented Geraniums, & Stevia
These are three herb plants that often get overlooked, but should be recognized by all for their great value in the culinary kitchen. We will cover how to grow, harvest, preserve, and use these plants in your cooking. We will also talk about the medicinal uses of lemon grass.
There will be tasty treats to sample.
St. John’s Wort – Hypericum
St. John’s Wort uses are legendary. It has been used throughout history as a great healer. Today this plant is commonly known as bottled sunshine for helping people with depression. In this class we will learn that there are additional uses for Hypericum. First we will look at the historical uses of this plant and then we will learn how to grow, when to harvest, and how to prepare St. John’s Wort for medicinal oils and tinctures. We will discuss its pain relieving abilities, antispasmodic & anti-inflammatory properties, anti-viral properties, use for those with nerve damage, and how to use it for sunburns and as a sun ”screen”. We will also discuss how to dose and precautions for using St. John’s Wort safely. We are holding this workshop near St. John’s Day when the flowers typically appear on the plant. We should then be able to make some oil with the plant during the class.
Rosemary, Thyme, Sage, and Lavender
These four plants all have a great presence in the culinary kitchen, but did you know that they have great medicinal values as well? We will start out by covering the growing, harvesting, and preserving of these plants. Then we will talk about their best ways to be used in the culinary kitchen. Finally, we examine how each of these herbs can be used in your medicine making. Come join us to see how these common herbs can serve a dual purpose in your life. There will be samples to try using the herbs.
A Spring Wild Weed Walk
Spring is a time of new excitement in the garden. Here in central VA we have a bounty of herbs that many people consider weeds; dandelion, chickweed, violets, nettle, plantain, ground ivy, garlic mustard, and cleavers to name a few. We will take a wild weed walk and discover the bounty of herbs available to us naturally growing right here. We will discuss the nutritional and medicinal benefits of these herbs. Samples products and foods will be available for you to try and taste. This class has opened a whole new world for many gardeners who will never look at these plants as weeds again.
Herbs Gardening for Everyone
In this class we will cover the basics of herb gardening covering both culinary & medicinal herbs. Topics to be covered are starting herbs from seeds and cuttings, growing conditions for herbs,how to incorporate herbs into your landscape, how and when to harvest & prune, storing herbs for later use.
Herbs for Cold and Flu
Prepare for the winter cold and flu season now. We will discuss which herbs are appropriate for symptom relief and simple preventative measures you can take to keep you and your family healthy. In this workshop, we will make recipes for you to taste and/or experience the process. Many of these herbs can be grown in your own herb garden and we will demonstrate how to harvest them. Each participant will make an elderberry syrup to take home with them.
Cleaning Naturally at Home
Are you looking for a cost effective and safe way to keep your home naturally clean? Did you know that only 20% of the four million household chemicals created since 1915 have been tested for adverse affects on humans. According to a 5-year EPA study, the air in the average American home has chemical contamination seventy times greater than the outdoor air. Our houses seem really clean, but we are seeing more and more effect of poisoning in our children and adverse affects in our health. In this workshop, we will learn how easy it is to make your own safe and non-toxic, very effective alternatives to chemical cleaning products. We will combine the anti-bacterial and anti-septic properties of herbs and essential oils with other natural ingredients (baking soda, borax, vinegar, lemon juice) to clean every room in the house.
