Reclaiming Your Roots

I met Rachel this year through Urban Land Scouts. She is a knowledgeable plant lover and herbalist. She is also a generous teacher and will be hosting a series of medicinal plant classes over the next couple of weeks. Reclaiming Your Roots: Plant Medicine for the People will take place at Malcolm Martin Park (in Mechanicsville) or at Campbell Station Park (in Farragut).

The classes are designed to help empower you "to reclaim your own healing through exploring medicinal plants as preventative medicine" and will focus primarily on herbal tonics and edibles. In her flyer Rachel encourages people to come to whichever location or day of the week works best for you.

Rachel's experience comes from her six years of studying herbal medicine and working with various teachers across the country, including a year-long apprenticeship with North Carolina community-herbalist Suki Roth.

There is a suggested donation of $ 6 - 12 for each class with the option to "pay what you can." That's pretty reasonable tuition.

Contact Rachel at reclaimingyourroots(at)gmail.com for registration or further questions.

Class Dates and Locations
Malcolm Martin Park (2247 Western Ave. Behind Beardsley Community Farm.)
Sunday, 2-4 pm - April 29, May 6, 13, 20, and 27
 - or -
Thursdays, 6-8 pm - May 3, 10, 17, 24, and June 7


Campbell Station Park (405 N. Campbell Station Rd. At the Farragut Library.)
Tuesdays, 6-8 pm - May 8, 15, 22, 29, and June 12


Class Topics
1. Herbal Medicine Demystified
2. Herbs for Stress: Adaptogens
3. Herbs for the Nervous System
4. Growing and Using Your Own Kitchen Medicine Chest - Part 1
5. Growing and Using Your Own Kitchen Medicine Chest - Part 2

HABITATE

Summer berries in Grundy County, TN.

Oh spring. Oh, throbbing chlorophyl and flying things. This is the season when I have to rein in my plant fantasies and come back to earth. Part of that grounded garden planning for me involves shifting my efforts from annuals like tomatoes and root crops to edible and beneficial perennials. Perennials are a group of plants that return for at least two seasons. If growing in a good location many will last for several years. Perennial plants are like old friends and a great tool for building soil health, habitat, and space within your landscape.

If you live in Knoxville and want to learn more about perennials, please join us a the next Urban Land Scout workshop, Saturday, April 21st from 3-5 pm. We'll be discussing several plants in depth, learning some basic tools to use in garden planning, and making individualized maps of future planting sites. Workshops are $4 for Members of Three Rivers Market and $5 for non-members. You can sign up at the Customer Service Desk at the store.