Wild Medicine Program
"Plants are also integral to reweaving the connection between land and people. A place becomes a home when it sustains you, when it feeds you in body as well as spirit. To recreate a home, the plants must also return."
~ Robin Wall Kimmerer
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2024 Course Details
Wild Medicine is an in-person, community based learning journey to connect with the natural world and learn about how to incorporate medicinal herbs, wild plants and mushrooms into our daily lives. Laura's approach to learning and teaching about the natural world is kin-centered and based on building relationship with the natural world over viewing them as "resources". Her hope is to create a learning environment that encourages participants to feel welcome sharing from their own personal and cultural backgrounds and feel safe being who they are regardless of background and identity.
This years Wild Medicine Program will take place as a six session course from May through October. During the program we will build skills and knowledge to work with plants in a meaningful and practical way in our daily lives. We will follow the the gardens and forest and their inhabitants through the seasons on a beautiful property on the edge of Algonquin Park. The course involves hands-on skills development while making several herbal preparations through out the program. Program location will be mostly on the Wild Muskoka Homestead property outside of Dwight, ON with some class time taking place at the Wild Muskoka Production Kitchen in Dwight, ON.
- Hands-on plant and mushroom identification skills and resources
- Habitat identification and ecology
- Sustainable and safe foraging and building reciprocal relationships
- Making and using safe and effective herbal medicines
- Building the basics of a home herbal apothecary
- Permaculture principals in practice and homestead living inspiration
- Nature connection practices
Students will learn to make infused vinegars, tinctures, oils, salves, and turn these into a variety of first aid and healthful herbal tonics. We will also prepare and eat a number of wild foods in class and students will be given to the opportunity to harvest from the land and gardens to expand their learning at home.
This program takes place mostly outdoors in all weather and conditions (severe weather e.i. tornado warnings an exception). The June session will take place at the Wild Muskoka Production Kitchen in the village of Dwight. Bugs are a part of nature in the Muskoka summers. Please come to class dressed appropriately for the weather, long sleeves and pants for bugs, and proper footwear for hiking off-trail through rugged woods. This program is not suitable for those with mobility issues.
There will be two cohorts running in 2024. One group with class days on Thursday and one group on Saturday. Class hours are 10:00am - 4:30pm. The class will be limited to 8-10 students (class will allow for 10 if a few people carpool).
Thursday Session Dates 2024: May 9, June 13, July 18, August 15, September 12, & October 3
Saturday Session Dates 2024: May 11, June 15, July 20, August 17, September 14, & October 5
Program Location: Wild Spirit Homestead (home of Laura & Chris) between Dwight & Dorset, Ontario and Wild Muskoka Production Kitchen in Dwight, Ontario
Program Cost: $775+HST includes all class materials & handout
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Work Trade Program Closed
Thank you to all 2024 applicants. Everyone will be notified by February 10th.
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There are a few partial scholarships available for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Colour) and low-waged Muskoka residents. Email Laura at wildmuskoka@gmail.com with a self introduction to apply.
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Student Feedback:"I am sad to see our six-month journey come to an end, but so thankful for everything that Laura has shared over the last three seasons. Laura, thank you for showing me new ways to connect with the natural world and for sharing your knowledge about how to promote health and wellness through incorporating wild plants and traditional herbal medicines back into our modern lives.
I am grateful for the "seeds" that you have planted in me to cultivate a deeper relationship with plants and their healing properties. Connecting with nature has taken on a new meaning for me and I truly feel that this is just the beginning of a beautiful journey."~ Monica Gagne, 2018 Wild Medicine Program Student
