Review of 2009 Classes and Events:
Herbal Support for Menopause
June 11, Thursday 9:30-4 $80
Taught by British herbalist and author Anne McIntyre.
This is one of the most popular classes we have ever offered at Avena. We are honored that Anne is returning to Maine to teach this class. Anne has been a clinical herbalist for over 25 years and incorporates both Ayurvedic and western herbs in her approach to menopause. If you are new to Ayurveda and are interested in this class we encourage you to review Dr. Vasant Lad¹s book The Yoga of Herbs to gain a basic understanding of Ayurveda. Space is limited so please register early.
Class will be held in the newly constructed Herbal Classroom. Though not fully finished, this will be the first formal class offered in our new community classroom.* Chairs and benches will be provided along with fresh herb tea. Bring your own bag lunch. *To see photos of The Herbal Classroom and to learn more about how you can help us complete this special project click on here.
Creating A Flower and Herb Garden for Attracting Hummingbirds, Bees and Butterflies
Taught by Herbalist Deb Soule
Wednesday June 24, 3-5pm, $20
In honor of National Pollinator Awareness Week, Deb will teach about the various medicinal herbs and flowers growing in Avena¹s gardens that attract and feed pollinators. Information about garden design, placement of plants, medicinal plant uses, and the significant role pollinators play in the overall health of our ecosystem will be included, along with stories of Deb¹s recent winter experiences working alongside a biologist in Costa Rica studying ruby throated hummingbirds.
Organic Beekeeping Workshop
Taught by Ross Conrad
Friday June 26th and Saturday June 27th Bring your own picnic lunch/supper.
Ross Conrad, former president of Vermont Beekeeper's Association and author of Natural Beekeeping : Organic Approaches To Modern Apiculture comes to Avena to teach this informative workshop. Ross regularly teaches organic beekeeping workshops and classes, and offers presentations on various beekeeping topics. His small 13-year-old sideline beekeeping business, Dancing Bee Gardens, supplies friends, neighbors and local stores with honey and candles among other bee related products and provides bees for Vermont apple pollination in spring.
Friday - 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM $40.00
(Beginners session 12:30 to 3:30 PM $40.00)
Saturday - 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM $75.00
This workshop covers topics suitable for commercial and hobby beekeepers, with a primary focus on intermediate and advanced methods. For beginners, a special Friday afternoon session that covers hive construction and layout, the basics of bee biology, and handling bees is strongly recommended. The rest of the workshop, Friday afternoon/evening and all day Saturday, presents a balanced view of natural and organic beekeeping topics and practices not ordinarily covered in lectures and articles, including: presence and mindfulness in the beeyard; swarming as an expression of the bees vitality; working with swarms and making nucleus colonies; non-toxic mite and foul brood control; Apitherapy, and an appreciation for the role that pollinators play within the Earth's ecosystem. Weather permitting, the day will be punctuated with visits to the hives, where techniques for handling bees are demonstrated with opportunities for hands-on experience by workshop participants. Bring a veil, if you have one.
Community Health Forum
Led by Dr. John Woytowicz, Pharmacists Martha Fishback and Greg Cyclone, and
Herbalist Deb Soule.
Wednesday July 1, 5-7pm Free
In opportunity for members of the community to ask questions about herbal medicine, participate in a discussion about the role herbs play in community health, and better understand how a person using herbs and certain pharmaceuticals can use them wisely and safely.
Herbal Support for People with Lyme Disease
Taught by Herbalist Chris Marano
Friday, July 10th 2-4:30pm $35
Chris Marano, RH (AHG), MA, BS, is a master clinical herbalist with a health-care practice in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts. His health care practice and teachings take him throughout the United States, Canada and the British Isles. He is founder of Clearpath School of Herbal Medicine, dedicated to the teaching of holistic health, herbalism, and Earth-based wisdom; and Clearpath Herbals, offering health consultations and high-quality, custom-blended herbal preparations. His experience includes Chinese, Native American and Western therapies. He is a professional member of the American Herbalist Guild (AHG) and Northeast Herbal Association (NEHA), veteran teacher, author, meditation instructor, and has degrees in pre-medicine, Chinese philosophy and science education from Columbia University, a graduate degree from The Herbal Therapeutics School of Botanic Medicine, Zen and Chinese philosophy training from the Institute of Chung-hwa Chinese and Buddhist Culture, and years of training with medicine elders of the Cherokee and Anishnaabe tradition.
Chris will cover herbs and food that improve overall vitality and immunity, relieve symptoms and support people living with acute and chronic Lyme.
Herbs For Children
Taught by Herbalist, Midwife and Naturopathic Doctor Mary Bove
August 8th 10-4pm $65
Mary is the author of the book An Encyclopedia of Natural Healing for Children and Infants and was Deb¹s first herb teacher. It is a great honor to have her come from Vermont where she maintains a busy clinical practice.
Mary will teach about herbal remedies for a variety of common childhood ailments including colds, fevers, flus, earaches, respiratory infections, immunizations, skin rashes, sleep disturbances, ADD and stress.
Fall Fruits and Roots
Taught by Herbalist Deb Soule
Sunday October 18, 9:30-3:30pm $65
Learn the medicinal properties and how to grow, harvest, prepare and use elderberries, hawthorn berries, rose hips, astragalus root, codonopsis root, teasel root, elecampane root, and solomon¹s seal root. How to make medicinal soups from reishi, shitake and maitake mushrooms will be addressed along with herbal and nutritional guidelines for keeping the immune system healthy and vital as we go into fall and winter. Bring your own bag lunch and fresh herb tea will be provided.