Healing Remedies From the Medicinal Forest Garden

Learn online to become your own herbal apothecary

You can harvest and make your own herbal preparations! On this course you will find out about a range of botanical medicines that you can use for common complaints and a healthier lifestyle. A particular focus is the use of medicinal trees and shrubs as sustainable sources in the forest garden or woodland. With videos, activities, quizzes, information sheets and further reading, this course takes you through the key processes involved in successfully harvesting and making preparations for health from plants. Whether you are a forager, gardener, grower, smallholder or farmer, this course will guide you in learning about making herbal harvests and remedies.
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Medicinal Forest Garden Harvest Course Benefits

You will learn key principles for harvesting and making sustainable herbal remedies

  • Find out about threats to herbal harvests worldwide and the potential for growing and using medicinal plants, especially trees and shrubs

  • See the importance of accurate plant identification and getting the right plant!

  • Get information on a range of medicinal trees, shrubs and other herbs that have medicinal qualities

  • Learn about making herbal infusions and creating tea combinations, as well as making tinctures and extracts using alcohol and water

  • Use fresh and dried herbs for body and skin remedies, and discover ways of making herb powders and possibilities with capsules and pills

  • See how distillation is carried out, producing hydrosols and essential oils

  • Find out about demand for herbal products and upscaling the harvest, making a plan to develop a herb business

  • Develop seasonal harvesting, keeping records and samples

  • Use herb products safely and know how to find further professional advice

Meet Your Tutor

Learn with Anne Stobart

Your tutor is Anne Stobart, an experienced medical herbalist and herb grower. Anne previously managed a herbal medicine degree programme at Middlesex University in London. She has published several books including Household Medicine in Seventeenth-Century England (2016) and The Medicinal Forest Garden Handbook (2020). Anne was co-founder of Holt Wood Herbs, a medicinal tree and shrub project based in Devon, UK. The online harvest course is based on successful short courses that Anne has previously run at Holt Wood.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How long is the course?

    There are 10 lessons, each with several short videos, a download, an activity and further reading. Each lesson takes about an hour or two to complete, depending on which activities you want to do. You will have online access to the learning materials for a full 12 months from your enrolment.

  • What experience do I need?

    No experience is needed, just an interest in harvesting and using medicinal plants including trees and shrubs. All suggestions for activities include full instructions.

  • Must I be growing medicinal plants already?

    No, this course is about learning principles of good harvesting and making herbal preparations. So, it may be useful whether you already are growing plants or if are planning to do so in the future. You may also find that some of the plants mentioned are available through foraging hedgerows and countryside.

  • What assessment is there in the course?

    There are no examinations or tests. The course does include activities and quizzes to help you get to grips with the content. All of these activities are optional.

  • Can I get help if I need it?

    The course is carefully structured to build up knowledge and understanding as you work through it. There are opportunities for discussion and queries online at the end of each lesson.

  • How much does the course cost?

    The total cost of the course including online videos, reading, activities and downloads is £45.00.

  • When can I start?

    Straight away! This course of 10 lessons and associated downloads and activities is all accessed online. So you can start at any time once you have signed up and enrolled for the course.

More Benefits From The Harvest Course

  • Really Useful Resources

    Get advice and tips on the right sort of equipment and suppliers so that you don't waste time and money. Includes suggestions for sources of bottles, equipment, labels, packaging, and more.

  • Additional Recipes

    Obtain details of 50 further recipes for use with herbal harvests from a medicinal forest garden. These are practical suggestions, including use of perennial sources such as trees and shrubs, for bodycare, common complaints, and general health.

  • Medicinal Forest Gardening Community

    Start networking with others interested in harvesting herbs in a forest garden. You gain private access to a medicinal forest gardening community as an enrolled student.

Course curriculum

    1. Read This First!

    2. Course Introduction

      FREE PREVIEW

    3. Amazing Harvests, Amazing Herbs

    4. Tell Us A Little About Yourself

    1. Herbal Harvest Bonanza Outline

      FREE PREVIEW

    2. Herbal Harvest Bonanza Video Part 1

      FREE PREVIEW

    3. Download Myrtle Information Sheet

      FREE PREVIEW

    4. Herbal Harvest Bonanza Video Part 2

    5. Activity: Herbal Harvest Bonanza Quiz

    6. Further Information

    7. REALLY USEFUL RESOURCES LIST

    1. Identifying The Right Plants Outline

    2. Identifying the Right Plants Video Part 1

    3. Download Prickly Ash Information Sheet

    4. Identifying the Right Plants Video Part 2

    5. Activity: Make a Herbarium

    6. Further Information on Botanical Identification

    1. Good Harvesting Practice Outline

    2. Good Harvesting Practice Video Part 1

    3. Download Information Sheet about Ash

    4. Good Harvesting Practice Video Part 2

    5. Activity: Quiz on Harvesting Practices

    6. Further Information on Seasonal Harvests

    1. Fresh Plant Uses Outline

    2. Fresh Plant Uses Video Part 1

    3. Download Medicinal Herbs

    4. Fresh Plant Uses Video Part 2

    5. Activity: Make a Fresh Herbal Preparation

    6. Further Information on Using Fresh Herbs

    1. Preserving Medicinal Actions Outline

    2. Preserving Medicinal Actions Video Part 1

    3. Download Siberian Ginseng Information Sheet

    4. Preserving Medicinal Actions Video Part 2

    5. Activity: Alcohol and Tinctures Quiz

    6. Further Information on Alternatives to Alcohol

    7. FOREST GARDEN MEDICINAL RECIPES LISTING

About this course

  • £45.00
  • 2 hours of video content
  • 10 lessons

Here is what students say

  • What did you enjoy?

    Thank you so much for the course. I have enjoyed it ... The course has been user friendly and that is so important to me... I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I think it is well presented and the quizzes help to reinforce the information.

  • What did you learn?

    How to make things and what kind of ingredients to use... Preparation of herbs for distilling and infusions... A grounding to be able to harvest from my garden... Most useful for me has been information about oils and tinctures.

  • What will you do?

    I have confidence to make my own preparations... I am interested in developing a small scale medicinal farm and this has given me an overview of the topic... Making things to use at home for my family and friends... Myself and a group of volunteers have set up a forest garden ... I will use the knowledge gained from this course to pass on to other volunteers or interested visitors.

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