Portland Herb Craft School is a mobile herb growing school that moves locations each year. Our mission is to spread knowledge about medicinal plants while cultivating them in the city and beyond. Each year will take on a new theme and project depending on our host's location.

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In 2024 we will be learning and growing at The Portland Grief House located in St. John’s. We will be exploring grief as we design and cultivate a medicinal herb tea garden for The Portland Grief House. The herbs we cultivate will be used to support those sitting with grief for years to come. 

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Join us for 1 or all 5 parts of this herb garden cultivation series! 

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Click Here to Buy Your Tickets!

 

In This Class We Will Learn:

• How to cultivate medicinal herbs with care
• Basic regenerative agricultural practices
• How to design an herbal garden
• To preserve herbs with herbal remedies
• Introductory Materia medica
• How to make farm and garden purchases locally
• How to build a budget greenhouse
• How to set up irrigation
• How to build a dehydrator
• To explore Grief with this year's hosts: The Portland Grief House
• and so much more....!

 

Instructors:

Lizzy Simpson; Herb Farmer and Herbalist. Lizzy is the lead instructor at Portland Herb Craft School.

Laura Green; LMT, Artistic Director and Co-Founder of the Portland Grief House

• Laura is a returning guest lecturer and our host at the Portland Grief House for 2024

Click here to learn more about our instructors. 

Dates and Topics:

Class 1 - Site Preparation and Garden Design - March 23rd

• Setting intentions for the space
• Garden Maps and Planning
• Pruning Trees
• Removing Plants
• Observing the movement of water
• Observing the movement on the sun
• Starting Seeds

Class 2 - Irrigation and Planting - May 11th

• Building raised Beds
• Setting up irrigation system
• Reviewing Soil Tests
• Adding Soil Amendments
• Planting Herb Starts

Class 3 - Getting to know the Plants - July 13th

• Plant Identification
• Where do we hold our grief and how can plants help
• Materia medica of 10 garden plants
• Plant Spirit Meditation

Class 4 - Harvesting and Preservation - August 24th

• Building a dehydrator
• Harvesting herbs
• Drying Herbs
• Making fresh herb preparations

Class 5 - Closing the Garden and Preparing for Spring - October 19th

• Putting the garden to rest
• Pruning for fall
• Removing annuals
• Cover Crops
• DIY Greenhouse for overwinter annuals/ prepping for next year’s seedlings
• Garbling dry herbs
• Making tea blends with dried herbs

 

You will take home:

• Each Week: Printed materials with gardening instructions.
• Week 1: Potted Seeds to plant in your garden
• Week 2: A seedling of your choice
• Week 4: 1oz of Tincture
• Weed 5: 2oz of a Dried Tea Blend made by you!

Cost Per Class:

Standard ticket: $55 -  If you have the capacity to pay at this price, your ticket will cover the cost of materials and pay the instructor in full.

Community Ticket: $35 - If you are stretched financially, a ticket purchased at this price will cover the cost of materials and partially pay the instructor.

Pay it Forward Ticket: $75  - If you are financially comfortable, a ticket at this price will cover the cost of materials, pay the instructor in full, and cover the remaining cost for someone's community ticket.

Class 2 Tickets - May 11th

Class 3 Tickets - July 13th

Class 4 Tickets - August 24th

Class 5 Tickets - October 19th

Cost for Remaining 4 Classes of 5 Part Series:

If you are interested in participating in the remaining 4 classes there is a bundle price. Here is the information for the bundle: 

Standard Ticket: $185

Community Ticket: $135 

Pay it Forward Ticket: $250 

Sliding Scale: $135 - $250 - If a different price within this range feels most appropriate to you, pay what you can.

If you decide to go for the bundle, you can pay directly via venmo (@ithirbotanics) or paypal (hello@ithir.co).

If you'd like to receive a paypal invoice, email us at hello@ithir.co with the following information: Name, email, kind of ticket you'd like to purchase. 

This class is open to all no matter your skill level or experience in herbalism or gardening.

Feel free to send us an email at hello@ithir.co if you have questions.