PlantFolk 2025 Applications will begin being accepted January 3, 2025

PLANTFOLK HERBALISM PROGRAM Course Description:

Who are the Plant Folk? We are the ones who know and value relationship with our plant family.  We carry plant wisdom forward for future generations and speak for those not restricted by words.  This isn’t just an herbalism course; this is Ecoherbalism with in person opportunity to get to know other herbalists as well as the plants themselves.

Our PlantFolk Herbalism Program is an in-person, hands on, direct learning, community building program. It is focused on finding and maintaining relationship with nature, in particular, our plant neighbors through the tradition of Herbalism. We do not learn how to “use” herbs, but rather, how to work with them and co create ancient food, medicine and overall wellness.  This program focuses on EcoHerbalism: How to be a steward of the land and honor our ancient agreement with the plants as well as how to best carry this information for an abundant future. It’s a blend of Bioregional Herbalism, Animism, Conservation efforts and Folk Herbalism.

This program offers a wide range of information in an effort to shine a light on the many aspects of the vast world of herbalism.  We will work in the fields and forests becoming familiar with the plants that reside. We will learn their names, abilities and habits.  We will learn to bring plants into our homes as the family that they are with ease and familiarity. We will also learn in depth information such as basics of anatomy and physiology, phytochemistry, botany, traditional wisdom and case studies within the plant medicine world.  You’ll be flooded with information but also be given opportunity for hands on experience and group learning. We will explore nature as our home, the world of physical plant wellness, and the spiritual side of our plant family.  Herbalism, plant medicine and relationship is a massive field, and I will walk with you down as many avenues as possible to widen your view and expand your knowledge.  We will learn together every step of the way because the plants are both of our teachers and always will be.

What you’ll learn

• Core concepts within herbalism

• Self and family herbal care

• Herbal preparation making: Teas, decoctions, tinctures, oils, salves, vinegars, oxymels and more.

• Plant identification in the field and forests

• Learning how to work with the plants growing in our region

• EcoHerbalism/ Regenerative Herbalism

• Materia medica of over 50 herbs

• Introduction to botany

• Ethical Wildcrafting and environmental stewardship

• Relationship with our wild family

• Basics of phytochemistry

• Body systems and working with herbs within each system: Whole System care, Digestive, Respiratory, Immune, Nervous 

• Intro Diagnostics

• Formulation

• Doctrine of Signatures

• Plant speaking, spirit and personality

• Forest Bathing

• Nature connection tools  

• Creating a case study

• Enjoyment of becoming part of an herbal family and community

You will receive a certificate of completion upon completion of program. 

Side bonuses:

• Ability to create discounted tinctures from our tincture library.

• Access to private discussion group and continued access as alumni

• PlantFolk 10% discount to our online shop while in the program

Details:

Course Length- 60 total in-person hours

5 month program (1 weekend, Saturday and Sunday, per month)

Dates: for 2025 coming very soon

Time: 11:00am-5:30pm Saturday and Sunday

NEW Location: 1653 Vulcan Rd, Rising Fawn GA (20 minutes from Downtown Chattanooga TN)

Instructor: Leah Larabell (High Garden co-owner/creator)

Class size: 27 students

Tuition: Program is $1500 (includes a $150 nonrefundable deposit) and can be lowered to as low as $1200 based on need but is not guaranteed.

Payment plans available. If paying in full before first class, you get a $100 discount.

$150 Deposit due within 2 weeks after accepting your position in program. 

Work Scholarships: 1 full scholarship available. Preference will be given to BIPOC. Expectations- Students receiving scholarships will be asked to help 30 minutes before class setting up and 30 minutes to 1 hour after class tearing down and cleaning as well as helping a small amount during class and one special assignment (probably taking about 3 hours).

Refund policy: Please carefully consider your commitment to the program.  Due to the in-person nature of this program, we cannot accept many students so positions are very limited.  Only take a spot if you are certain this is something you truly can make time and space to do.   

Any student who chooses to withdraw…

~3 weeks or more before the first day of class will receive a full refund of their tuition minus the $150 deposit.

~Within 3 weeks of the program through the first day of class, you will receive 50% of tuition minus $150 deposit 

~After the first weekend of class, you will not be provided a refund. 

There are no refunds based on the state of COVID unless class is cancelled.  We will be working to accommodate all up to date CDC guidelines for a safe learning environment. 

Application:

Accepting applications January 3- February 8, 2025.

Please send us the following information to: highgardenschool@gmail.com

In email title please put your name and “Plantfolk application”

What we need to know…

Name:

Address:

Phone number: 

Email:

1. What is your previous experience working with plants, medicine or healing? Include any formal training you have completed along with who you studied under and what program it was. Please note that this program is very open to complete beginners and any previous experience is in no way necessary. I love teaching beginners!

2. What draws you to study plants?

3. What draws you to this program in particular? 

4. How to you hope/plan to carry this learning forward? (sharing with communities in need, carrying forward a tradition of your people which has been lost and/or oppressed, bringing herbalism into your home and family, conservation work, etc)

5. Will you need overnight accommodations? (Rustic camping) Yes or No

6. The nature of this program requires hiking through rough terrain, eating out-of-the-ordinary plants, getting dirty, being exposed to the elements and nature.  Are you physically capable of these things and open to these experiences?  Yes or No

   Following are regarding payment and scholarships:

7. Do you need to discuss a price reduction? Yes or no. If yes, what are you capable of paying and please explain the basis for the need.

8. Are you needing a payment plan option? (Payment plans are held liable to paying full tuition by the end of the course even if withdrawing after the course begins)

9. Are you applying for a scholarship?

10. If yes, do you require the scholarship for attendance or are you still able to attend if not chosen for a scholarship?

11. If applying for the scholarship, please share why you are the most appropriate candidate for this scholarship opportunity.  Also if you are comfortable cleaning and setting up before and after class, helping during class, and doing a special project we both agree on such as straining and bottling tinctures we have made as a class.

    Thank you for completing this application.

    Email it to highgardenschool@gmail.com with your name and Plantfolk Application in the subject line.

    We have received over 100 applications in all past years so please understand that this is a very difficult decision for us and we would take all of you if we could! Thank you for being interested in walking the plant path with us.