Herbalism Apprenticeship
Subject to change in 2027
In Person Workshops
Practicum Includes: Plant Identification, Harvesting and Medicine Making
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Classes: March through October, 4th Saturday of each month ​10:30AM- 3:00 pm
​*In 2027 we will merge the Herbalism Apprenticeship & Shamanism Apprenticeship into one weekend*
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Foraging and Fieldwork:
3rd Sunday of the month: 8 AM-12 PM. We start early you are welcome to come when able.
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​To experience working with the land, we schedule additional sessions throughout the months. Look for posted times scheduled on our WhatsApp group chat. ​
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Aside from classes, we request that you attend at least one Foraging and Fieldwork session per month. This helps to grow a relationship and understanding to changing growth cycles of the plants at Dogwood Forest.
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Essential Topics in Home Herbalism: In Person Practicum
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Online Curriculum- You will get access to our online curriculum program, self paced.
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Monthly Workshops Include:
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Wild Edible and Medicinal Herbs
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Making Medicine from Collected Plants
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Herbal Bug Battle
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Culinary Herbs for Health
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Healing Soups and Foods
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Immune Support with Herbal Tonics, Adaptogens and Mushrooms
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Herbs for Colds and Flu
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Herbal Tea Blending ​
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Required Texts:
"The Modern Herbal Dispensatory: A Medicine- Making Guide" by Thomas Easley and Steven Horne
"Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Wall Kimmerer
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Cost: $900.00 Click here to submit an application form for 2027!
Returning Students: $800
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Holistic Orcharding add-on: $300
Returning Students: $200​
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Holistic Orcharding
with
Rick Mareske
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Throughout the year, we explore and experience every aspect of orchard life—including orchard management, organic sprays, culling, integrated pest management (IPM), harvesting, and processing. Growing perennial fruit is exceptionally rewarding, and we continually nurture both our plants and soils to enhance their health and yields.
In person workshops:
Classes: March through October, 1st Sunday of the month- with 1 exception on October 11th
March-May (10:30 AM- 1:30 PM)
June-October (8:30 AM- 11:30 AM)
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March - Orchard Maintenance; pruning trees, berries and brambles.
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April - Orchard calendar overview, nutritional sprays, orchard planning
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May - Culling; thinning the fruit
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June - Harvest blueberries and cherries, IPM (integrated pest management)
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July - Foliar, compost tea, green manure, mineral and clay sprays, OMRI certified insecticides
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August - Fall pruning
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September - Harvest apples and paw paws
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October (2nd Sunday) - Mineral spraying for exceptional budding, orchard cleanup, pruning blackberries & Amendments, composting and mulching​​
Holistic Orcharding: $300
Returning Students: $200​
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Application Process for 2027
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Step 1: Submit Application Form
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This basic assessment helps us identify your interests. After your submission you will be contacted via email.​​
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Step 2: Tour Dogwood Forest & Meet the Staff
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During our open house times, experience the beauty of our biodiverse ecosystem!
For convenience, Zoom is available.
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Step 3: Register & Reserve your spot for the year!
In Person Workshops
Growing,
Harvesting,
Foraging &
Fieldwork
Our main focus is on the plants that are native to our climate in Kansas City, as well as our many gardens with medicinal herbs, flowers and trees.
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We have 40 acres of forest and gardens where you can get to know our herbs intimately in all phases of development, learn responsible wildcrafting and participate in a community that shares knowledge and resources.
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The goal of this class is to offer practical hands-on experience to herbalists of all levels.
This class is held outdoors. You'll need to dress for the weather. This includes walking, working in the field/gardens. Please wear covered shoes, proper clothing etc.
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Accessibility: Half or more of our workshop day is held outdoors, on different terrain. Our indoor working space is accessible for wheelchairs/walkers etc. We do have a gator utility vehicle to help folks get to the forest grounds.
All workshops are currently in held in English.
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*We may occasionally need to reschedule or have class inside because of serious weather but will accommodate schedules by providing multiple make-up options*
Committed to conscious living and developing our own story on the sacred path
At Dogwood Forest (our forest's pet name), our classes are not bound by a linear structure.
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We will teach you information, such as identification, energetics, medicinal uses and more, but more importantly we teach processes that deepen as the years progress.
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We've had students re-enrolling in classes for years, developing their knowledge, eventually teaching or supporting our community.
Essential Topics in Home Herbalism
Self- Paced Supplemental Online Learning- included with Apprenticeship
Self-Paced Learning Includes:
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Online Videos
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Academic Curriculum
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Resources
Accessed through our Online Curriculum site
