The World Health Organization reports that four out or five people in the world use plants as their primary form of medicine. Many people utilize mainstream medicine for diagnosis and basic information, while turning to alternatives for what they believe to be health-enhancing measures. Studies also indicate that a majority of people use alternative approaches in conjunction with conventional medicine .For many years individuals and groups have been offering beginning and advanced complementary/ herbal health workshops here at Seven Arrows Farm in Attleboro , MA .  We are pleased to continue this tradition in offering these upcoming classes. 

Herbal Education and Training Program (HEAT)

WINTER HEAT   November - March 
SUMMER HEAT April-October 
These are hands-on programs.  Classes take place two-three times per month.
 No classes are held in August or February
These classes will give you an in depth look at the actions of a number of common herbs 
& when & how to use them.

Summer HEAT activities include:  

Making salves, tea blends, creams and tinctures for Farmacy Herbs (farmacyherbs.com)  *Planting/ harvesting in organic medicinal herb gardens * Soil building and organic gardening *Planting the woodland medicine trail behind 7 Arrows  *Harvesting wild and cultivated medicinal plants/ wild edibles from local farms and woodland trails. *Seed starting and propagation techniques  *   Wine Making * Wild Fermentation *You will start your own vegetable and herb seeds in our greenhouse and take home samples of all the herbal products we make!  

Winter HEAT activities include:    
*Making salves, tea blends, creams and tinctures for Farmacy Herbs   *Formulating compound  tinctures  *  Seed starting and  greenhouse propagation methods *Sitting in on a natural health consultation *  This class will give you an in depth look at the actions of  a number of common herbs & when & how to use them.   We  also cover: Detoxification methods, Wild Fermentation,  Herbal First Aid and Emergency Response Techniques,  Early Spring Plant ID.      

Skills you will gain during Summer HEAT
Organic gardening methods, Plant Identification, Ethical Wildcrafting and
Harvesting methods, Seed Starting, Working  knowledge of medicinal uses
of native and non- native plants, the how-to of herbal product and medicine making , Wild Fermentation/ Wine Making, Detoxification Techniques, Herbal First Aid and Emergency Response Techniques. 

Skills you will gain during Winter  HEAT

Every day uses of over 30 plants, Tincturing and Herbal Formulation, Herbal Medicine Making and Product Development, Herbal Terminology,   Herbal First Aid, Natural Health/ Herbalism Consulting Skills, Nutritional Healing, Detoxification Methods and Wild Fermentation Techniques.                       

SUMMER  HEAT
Thursdays, 9:30am - 2:00 pm
April 10, 17, May 15, 22, 29, June 12,26, 
July, 10, 17, 24, September 11, 18, 25 October 16, 23, 24 (graduation potluck).  

Due to popular demand we will be offering a Wednesday HEAT class!

Wednesdays, 9:30am- 2:00pm
April 9, 16, May 14, 21, 28, June 11, 25
July 9, 16, 23, September 10, 17, 24, October 15, 22, 24 (graduation potluck)
$700.00-$900.00 Sliding Scale

Click here for the Summer HEAT class outline

WINTER HEAT  $450.00-$600.00 sliding scale 
Winter HEAT 2008/2009 dates TBA 

Come on by or click here for a registration form!

We are committed to affordability and program accessibility in herbal education.   If a student wishes to apply for financial assistance or work trade  he or she must fill out a statement of need and return it before the start of the program.

About the teacher: Mary  Blue - Activist, Herbalist, and Community Organizer is currently the Practicing Herbalist, Education Coordinator and Director of The Peace Gardens Botanical Sanctuary at 7 Arrows.  She facilitates a 7-month herbal education and training program for budding herbalists and offers classes and workshops to gardening, senior and special interest groups and organizations.  As a member of NEHA (Northeast Herbal Association) she was a guest speaker at their 2007 annual retreat and contributes a column on herbal activism in their newsletter.    Residing in her home town of Providence RI, she has been working towards reclaiming city green space by farming ¼ acre and developing urban sustainability practices in her home, called Farmacy (farmacyherbs.com). Over the last 7 years she has taught numerous free garden/ nutrition / herbal workshops to children and high school students in Providence.  She is  a founding member of  the following community groups:  The Annual Northeast Grassroots Community Herbal Convergence,  Farmacy Community Clinic and Urban Sustainability Project, and Providence Recycle-A- Bike.  She has been a student of  Matthew Wood, Bill Mitchell, Deb Soule,  Isla Burgess, Stephen Buhner,  Margi Flint, Richo Cech, Michael and Leslie Tierra, Rosemary Gladstar and many more wonderful herbalists.  From 1999-2002she acquired three years of herbal experience and knowledge at Indigo Herbals, an herb shop in Providence RI.     In 2004, she started her career as a Community Herbalist at Seven Arrows and currently sells a line of specialized medicinal tinctures and teas. For more information about Mary's medicinal products or classes call us at (508)399-7860.