Herbalism Apprenticeship
Harvesting, making and growing at Dogwood Forest
Herbalism Apprenticeship 2026
Accepting applications starting September 15th, 2025.
Sign up by January 15th for our 10% Early Bird Discount! Use code SEA10
In Person Workshops
Practicum Includes: Plant Identification, Harvesting and Medicine Making
Classes: March through October, 4th Saturday of each month
Foraging and Fieldwork:
To experience working on the land, we schedule additional sessions throughout the months. Look for posted times.
Aside from classes, we request that you attend at least one Foreging and Fieldwork session per month.
Essential Topics in Home Herbalism:
Online Curriculum
Live Q&A sessions
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
Required Texts:
"The Modern Herbal Dispensatory: A Medicine- Making Guide" by Thomas Easley and Steven Horne
"Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Cost: $900.00
Returning Students: $700
Holistic Orcharding add-on: $300
Returning Students: $200
New Course Offering 2026!
Holistic Orcharding
with
Rick Mareske
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 November, 4th Sunday of the month
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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 - Mineral spraying for exceptional budding, orchard cleanup, pruning blackberries
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November - Amendments, composting and mulching
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Holistic Orcharding: $300
Returning Students: $200
To join our Holistic Orcharding Course Click Here!
Application Process:
Begins September 15th 2025
Step 1: Submit Questionnaire
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
During our open house times, experience the beauty of our biodiverse ecosystem!
For convenience, Zoom is available.
Step 3: Register
In Person Workshops
Growing,
Harvesting,
Foraging &
Fieldwork
Nestled within the heart of Dogwood Forest, our sanctuary thrives with plants native to this land—herbs, trees, and flowers that harmonize with the rhythms of our climate and soil. Scattered among the forest paths, gardens, and orchards, each plant carries its own story and medicine to share.
As you wander through our 40 acres, you’ll come to know these herbs intimately—witnessing their growth, transformation, and connection to the land. Learn the ancient art of wildcrafting and become part of a vibrant community of herbal enthusiasts who exchange wisdom, experiences, and resources to nurture both skill and spirit. This class invites herbalists of all levels to engage in a truly hands-on, earth-centered practice.
Our classroom is the living landscape itself. Please dress for the elements as we follow the seasons together. In times of heavy weather, we may gather indoors or reschedule, always providing flexible make-up options so that no one is left behind on the path
Rooted in conscious living, we walk the sacred path with intention—continually writing our own story in harmony with the earth
At Dogwood Forest, we are devoted to conscious living and to walking our own evolving story along the sacred path of herbalism.
Our classes are not bound by a linear structure. While we share essential knowledge—such as plant identification, energetics, and medicinal uses—we place equal importance on the living processes that unfold and deepen over time.
This is not a program where you complete one year and move on to new material. Instead, each season brings new layers of understanding, allowing your relationship with the plants, the land, and yourself to grow organically.
Many of our students choose to re-enroll year after year, expanding their knowledge, guiding others, and contributing to the cultivation, harvest, and stewardship of our herbs.
Self- Paced Supplemental Online Learning
Essential Topics in Home Herbalism
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