Backyard Remedies
4 week in person course at the Common Roots Urban Farm in Halifax
Wednesdays 6-8:30pm, May 27, June 3, 10, 17
In person at Common Roots Urban Farm
Bayers Rd, across from the Bayers Road Centre
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Mi'kma'ki
With Ember Peters, Registered Herbalist
Are you craving connection to medicinal plants but not sure where to start?
Backyard Remedies is a class series to help you connect with nature and learn about plant medicines growing around you. In these four weeks, you’ll be introduced to plant identification, basic herbalism principles, ethical harvesting and making herbal preparations. You will learn the virtues of common and abundant wild medicinal herbs such as dandelion, yarrow, plantain, peppermint, rose, and more. Together we create a learning environment based on connection with the land and engaging with broader environmental and social issues, while building practical skills to apply plant medicine to your daily life.
Week 1: Introductions, botany and plant identification, project introduction; plant walk
Week 2: Vitalism, energetics, herbal actions, plant connection, plant walk
Week 3: Harvesting principles, making teas and drying herbs, plant walk
Week 4: How to make basic herbal extracts, plant walk, project presentations
Notes: This program takes place entirely outdoors. There are sheltered areas from rain but students are requested to dress appropriately for the weather. This is an IN PERSON program. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to request handouts from Ember and get class notes from a classmate, classes will not be recorded While what you learn in this program may benefit your health, individualized health recommendations are not offered in this program.
Meet the Instructors
Ember Peters (they/them)
RHP (HANS)
Ember Peters is a clinical herbalist and educator based in Bridgetown, Nova Scotia, Unceded Mi'kmaq Territory. They are a founder of Wild Current Herbalism and the Maritime School of Holistic Herbalism. Ember has over a decade of clinical experience focusing on accessible trans inclusive care and supporting people with complex chronic illness. Ember is a Registered Herbal Practitioner with the Herbalist Association of Nova Scotia (HANS) and a founder of the Maritime School of Holistic Herbalism. They have taught widely about herbalism at conferences and schools across Turtle Island, and their work has been published twice in the Journal of the American Herbalists Guild. Dismantling white supremacy & transphobia are cornerstones of Ember’s practice, a part of their life-long commitment to fighting for liberation for all peoples. They recognize community based holistic health as a tangible step towards collective and individual liberation and resilience.
Ember’s website: https://wildcurrentherbalism.com.
“Learning from/with Ember is a gift. Their style is warm, accessible and informative. They have so much valuable practical experience working with folks across lived experiences, which they generously share. I can’t say enough about how much I appreciate not only their herbal knowledge, but also their commitment to social justice and solidarity in their teaching and their work.”
Tuition Accessibility
We are glad to be able to offer reduced rate spots to those that need them in order to make our programs as accessible as possible. Please note though that these reduced rate spots are not a sale - they are intended for people who would otherwise not be able to join us. There are a limited number of reduced rate spots so please be mindful that if you request it when you could afford the higher prices, you may be impacting access to the program for someone who truly needs the lower price. To help you decide if you should apply for the reduced rate (and which level would be most appropriate for you), we have put together this rough guide.
Pay It Forward (Support the Work)
Choose this rate if:
You are financially secure and spend little time worrying about basic needs
You own property, have savings, or have access to family financial support
You have disposable income and can comfortably invest in your education
You want to contribute toward making reduced-rate spots possible for others
Standard (Regular Cost)
Choose this rate if:
Your financial situation sits between the two ends of the spectrum
You have a steady income and can meet your basic needs without major stress
You’re managing some debt or working toward savings but are relatively stable
You do not have additional financial support beyond your own income
Solidarity (Low Income, BIPOC – Limited Spots)
Choose this rate if:
You are low or fixed income and would not otherwise be able to participate
You do not have access to savings or family/friend financial support
You are from a community that is marginalized such as Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, trans, disabled, etc.
Access to education like this would be otherwise out of reach
