Herbal Medicine 101: Summer Elder Medicine and Herbal Wines

Meet the green ally that will soothe your nervous system and cool you down after a hot summer day. Elder is an old time folk remedy favorite. Almost every culture has made medicine and delicious remedies from this plant.

Some parts, such as the berries and flowers are used to make delicious wine, lemonade, fizz and syrups, while others are considered poisonous. Before tinctures (modern extractions using distilled alcohol) our ancestors drank their medicinal herbs by making herbal wines, beers and mead. Herbal wines contain very low alcohol, while extracting and preserving flavors and medicinal constituents of plants. These are wonderful ways to work with nourishing herbs and to bring them into your everyday life.

In this class we will work with Elder and make various delicious, nourishing and medicinal preparations. This is a hands-on introductory herbal workshop where we will learn plant identification, sustainable harvesting practices and make remedies designed to build long term health.

Light refreshments will be served.

Space is limited, please register in advance!

About the instructor: Alexandra Radoaca is an herbalist, wilderness guide and sound practitioner. She focuses on building health through nourishment and working with local, accessible, abundant plants. She believes that herbalism is accessible to everyone. All we need is to follow our curiosity and get our hands in the dirt, the plants teach us the rest! She is the founder of Mindful Wilderness, an organization focused on herbal education and Vulgaris Herbs, an herbal shop in Sugar Loaf, NY with a mission to serve our community with herbal supplies, small batch herbal remedies, botanical art, workshops and consultations. She is a New York State-certified camping and hiking guide and a Wilderness First Responder.