Rootcraft
Herbalism
Balancing Science & Tradition
to Grow Medicine with the Seasons
How do we balance the
scientific side and the
"woo" side of herbs?
So we want to incorporate herbs into our lives in a safe and effective way. But there are so many black-and-white, all-or-nothing, extremist views out there in the world of wellness!
On one hand: we don't want to go too far down the "woo" path and start eating up fear-mongering pseudoscience with a spoon...
On the other hand: we don't want to treat plants like they're pharmaceuticals by stripping them of the traditions they come from.
After realizing that I had been taught both ways, I spent nearly a decade deconstructing and reframing my 6 year formal education.
From this, I've finally found a way to teach my approach so that others can take advantage of my experience rather than having to learn and unlearn the same dangerous missteps themselves.
Keep scrolling to learn how!
Learn what I wish I had when I first started...
You can scour books & scientific studies yourself for herbal knowledge
(and I encourage you to do so!)
But if you're not sure what to trust,
Or don't want to waste time on trial & error,
I'm sharing all of the viable information from my 6-year formal education,
PLUS everything I've had to UNLEARN & RELEARN in the decade since...
For example:
How to Avoid Pseudoscience
& white-washing of cultures by balancing scientific evidence with time-tested traditions (& giving credit)
Sourcing Herbs
How to grow them yourself or purchase them from a trusted supplier. Because not everyone is into foraging!​
Safety & Contraindications
Who should *not* work with a given herb based on current medications and existing medical conditions
Seasonality
How to harness seasonal ebbs and flows in energy to stay ahead of common struggles & ailments.​
Nurturing Local Ecosystems
By ethically planting, harvesting, & working with native vs invasive species differently​
The best way to work with each plant part
Whether fresh or dry, tincture or topical, root or flower. It all depends on the plant's makeup!
10-Month
Online Herbal Intensive
In-depth, comprehensive training for those seeking the lifetime skill of working confidently with medicinal plants...
You'll learn how to:
​
Plant, grow, and harvest your own medicinal plants
(North American and Eurasian species focused)
​
Create your own topical and ingestible herbal medicines & know how to choose the best extraction method for a plant
​
Choose which plant to work with out of several that could have similar benefits.
​
Know which plants to work with throughout the year to help prevent common ailments
​
Reference over 60 different medicinal plant profiles
​
Avoid herbal interactions with medications or existing medical conditions
​
Option to add on Medicine Maker Shipments: Ships in February, May, and August (scroll for more info)
2024
Pre-Enrollment is Open
Keep scrolling if you're ready to begin lessons *now* and don't want to wait until Feb 2024 for the full 10-month course...
-
Classes run Feb-Dec 2024
-
1-hour per week
-
160 lessons
-
14.5 hours of video content
-
Downloadable PDFs
-
Lessons released weekly to keep on track with the seasons
-
Access to content for 3 years
-
Certificate upon completion
-
Access to Rootcraft Student Community
Includes:
-
Module 1- Herbalism Basics
($111 value) -
Module 2- Medicine Making
($333 value) -
Module 3- Grow Your Own Medicine
($333 value) -
Module 4- Herbal Actions
($333 value) -
=$1,110 if you purchase each course separately
Module 1-
Herbalism Basics
A crash course for beginner herbalists who are wondering if this herbal path is the right one for them.
It's FREE if you decide to enroll in another course later!
​
This is the course for you if you're asking:
How much of an herb do I take? and for how long?
​
How do I harvest & store herbs from my garden to make them last?
​
What are the parts of plants that make them medicinal?
​
How can I categorize herbs based on what I need them to do?​
​
What do closely related plants in my garden have in common medicinally? How are they different?
​
How do I sell the herbal preparations I make?
​
What are my options for working with herbs professionally?
Begin Module 1 Today!
-
18 lessons
-
1 hour of video content
-
Downloadable PDFs
-
All lessons available immediately upon enrollment
-
Self-paced:
-Takes 1-4 weeks to complete
-Take up to 1 year to finish if needed. -
Access to Rootcraft Student Community
Lessons:
-
Ethical Harvesting
-
Farming Fundamentals
-
Plant Families
-
Drying & Storing Herbs
-
Herbal Actions Intro
-
Herbal Energetics
-
Herbal Safety
-
Dosage
-
Laws & Regulations
-
Herbal Careers
​
​
Module 2-
Medicine Making
Hands-on training!
This is the course for you if you want to learn:
​
How to make poultices, compresses, oil infusions, balms, & salves for first aid & skincare
​
How & when to make teas, strong infusions, and decoctions.
​
Both the folk & ratio methods for making tinctures
​
When a cold infusion or double extraction is necessary
​
How to make hydrosols for room & body sprays (instead of overly concentrated essential oils) using common kitchen equipment
How to make non-alcoholic extracts
​
The best extraction method for over 30 plants (for example: some plants don't work well as a topical oil or as a tincture, but are best as a tea! Or vice versa)
Begin Module 2 Today!
-
91 lessons
-
8 hours of video content
-
Downloadable PDFs
-
All lessons available immediately upon enrollment
-
Self-paced:
-Takes 1-3 months to complete
-Take up to 2 years to finish if needed. -
Access to Rootcraft Student Community
Lessons:
-
Everything from Module 1-Herbalism Basics, PLUS:
-
Topical Preparations
-
Water Extractions
-
Alcohol Extractions
-
Other Extractions
-
Over 30 plant profiles, categorized by how they're best extracted
​
Module 3-
Grow Your Own Medicine
Green Witch Gardening Course! Learn to grow, tend, & harvest your own medicinal herbs seasonally.
This is the course for you if you want to learn:
​
Which herbs can be planted once for continuous harvests year after year.
​
How to make more *free* plants out of the ones you establish
​
How to build soil that will provide year-round nourishment for plants, without costly synthetic fertilizers or pesticdes.
​
How to track seasonal energy changes so that you can live in flow with these shifts, use your energy wisely, & choose herbs to prevent common issues that may arise
​
Monthly rituals to honor the Equinoxes, Solstices, Celtic Fire Festivals, and Lunar phases throughout the year.
Begin Module 3 Today!
-
84 lessons
-
8 hours of video content
-
Downloadable PDFs
-
All lessons available immediately upon enrollment
-
Self-paced:
-Takes 1-12 months to complete
-Take up to 2 years to finish if needed. -
Access to Rootcraft Student Community
Lessons:
-
Everything from Module 1-Herbalism Basics, PLUS:
-
Seedling planting & care
-
Plant propagation
-
Harvesting with the seasons
-
Lunar phases & rituals
-
Celtic Fire Festivals
-
Equinoxes & Solstices
-
Composting & Soil care
-
Over 30 plant profiles, categorized by which season they're abundant
​
​
Module 4-
Herbal Actions
A deep-dive into HOW and WHY to choose the best herbs for a given situation, based on the way they impact the body. *Comprehension, not Memorization*.
This is the course for you if you're asking:
​
How do we work with herbs scientifically without treating them like pharmaceuticals?
What are "chemical constituents" are and how do they fit into a holistic approach?
​
What should I extract a given plant into in order to pull out the desired medicinal components?
​
Which organs or bodily systems does an herb have affinities for?
What are primary actions and secondary actions of plants?
​
How can I truly understand herbs, rather than just memorizing a list of ailments that an herb is "good for"?
-
69 lessons
-
9 hours of video content
-
Downloadable PDFs
-
All lessons available immediately upon enrollment
-
Self-paced:
-Takes 1-3 months to complete
-Take up to 2 years to finish if needed. -
Access to Rootcraft Student Community
Lessons:
-
Everything from Module 1-Herbalism Basics, PLUS:
-
Entire classes dedicated to each. of the following: Alteratives, Demulcents, Emmenagogues, Nervines, Diaphoretics, Astringents, Antimicrobials, Expectorants, Immune Support, Adaptogens, Bitters, Hepatics
-
Basic medicine making lessons
-
Over 30 plant profiles, categorized by which bodily system they impact.
​
​
Begin Module 4 Today!
Bonuses:
Free 1-hour Workshop
8 Keys to Learning Balanced Herbalism
+ How to Deconstruct your Practice
Rootcraft Student Community
A private, students-only online space where you can connect with fellow students, share introductions, ask questions, bounce ideas, seed swap, share material sources, or just chat about plant stuff!
Herbal Workbook
Downloadable PDF's for every lesson. Save them and use your computer as a search engine, and/or print them out and take notes for future reference.
Discounted Materials
Rootcraft students get a lifetime 10% discount at Spirit Haus Botanicals online apothecary!
Shop ethically sourced seeds, ingredients, tinctures, teas, bodycare, & witchy tools
​
Plus dry herbs by the ounce & containers coming soon!
More Bonuses: Discounted Course Bundles
Enroll in one course and get a second one for 75% off!
*Get access to content from both courses immediately*
<<<$666 Value, only $444>>>
Meet the Instructor:
Jovie Hawthorn Browne
I created Rootcraft for those who feel
that they don't "fit in" with the herbal crowd.
Unlike many herbal teachers you can find, I didn’t grow up living off the land...
I’d love to say I did, but I grew up poor in the Mojave desert in military housing.
Because of colonization, I've never had have access to elders who could teach me the healing traditions of my ancestors...
But I did have books and professors to teach me how cellular biology and phytochemistry worked as I earned my bachelor's degree in Biology and post-grad diploma in herbalism.
​
I don't preach the doctrine that "natural is the only way" or "everything is toxic and after you".
I used to. And I was... the worst. Through recovering from eating and anxiety disorders and examining privilege and internalized classism, I now encourage & teach leaning on whichever tools you have access to in order to get through this capitalistic, patriarchal hellscape we live in.
​
I didn’t get to know plants through foraging and wildcrafting them.
I got to know them through cultivating and tending to them in several gardens for over a decade.
​
I may not fit in with the herbal crowd. But the plants don't mind.
​
They allow me to continue learning and experimenting. My path has not been traditional. And that’s okay. Your path doesn't have to look like anyone else's path either.
I’m just here to share what I’ve learned so far with all of you, in a way that I’m hoping will feel safe, non-judgmental, and balanced.
-
Is this a certification course?You DO get a certificate when you complete the course! But keep in mind: since there is no state or national governing body over herbalism in the US, *any* certificate from *any* course you take simply states that you completed the course. No certification course can qualify you for any sort of licensing (since herbal licensing in the US doesn't exist).
-
Can you travel?That’s our whole deal! Travel up to 25 miles from Springfield, Oregon (97477) is included. After that we can still get to ya, it’s just $1.40 per mile (round trip) after those first 25 miles. Travel to Portland is a flat rate of $200
-
What if the event is indoors?We can do events pretty much anywhere you are! If space and access allow for the trailer then we just mosey on in (she's 16' long x 8' high x 7' wide). But if not then we can definitely still bring the party to you. We have a separate free-standing bar on wheels that can go just about anywhere.
-
What about people who don’t drink alcohol?Listen, we’re not here to judge anyone. Plus there are minors to consider. All packages include bottomless self serve drinking water and lemonade (or another tasty, seasonal, non alcoholic beverage that we make ourselves). We do include kids and sober friends in our quote, however, since we base everything on an average. You're probably going to have guests who drink more than average, right? In order to account for them we need to also include your guests who will drink less than average in order to have enough supplies.
-
Do you need power hookups?We can operate fully self contained with a generator, but a standard, grounded outlet nearby is helpful and a 30Amp outlet is even better.
-
What about setup and tear down?We show up an hour before your event to set up and take about an hour after to break down (...the bar, that is. Although who doesn’t cry during a good speech?) This time is totally separate from your party time and not charged for.
-
What about cups and ice and stuff?We provide all of that! If you decide not to add on our glassware package we will provide recyclable plastic cups. As much as we like the idea of biodegradable/compostable cups, they actually aren't as friendly to the environment as they sound. We also provide the mixers and garnishes for all full-bar add ons.
-
How are kegs handled?Kegs need to be kept on ice and undisturbed for 24 hours before we get them. It may seem a lot easier to not do this, but you're going to be very unhappy when your guests are drinking foam and your kegs are wasted.
-
Will you be checking ID's?Yes! Everyone of drinking age needs to have valid identification present. Their mom or even the host vouching for them does not count in the eyes of the OLCC, unfortunately. Even at private events our bartenders have state licenses to uphold.
Flexible
-Completely online
Pre-recorded classes.
-No scheduling conflicts
-Learn on your own time
Self-Paced
-No assignments
-No exams
-No forced participation
-No group projects
Accessible
-Captioned videos & slideshows
-Downloadable PDFs
-Low stimulus
Low Risk
-30-day Money Back Guarantee
-Certificate earned on completion