Heirloom Springs® Herbalism Retreat

Herbalism, the time-honored practice of using plants for healing, is a journey back to nature's own medicine cabinet, offering not just physical health benefits but also a spiritual reconnection with the earth. At our "Herbalism in the Blue Ridge" retreat, led by the award-winning author and respected herbalist Kat Maier, attendees will dive deep into the world of medicinal plants. This retreat unfolds in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains, where participants will learn to harness the therapeutic powers of herbs through workshops, such as making their own elderberry syrup and identifying healing plants in our woodland walks. Kat Maier's expertise, combined with personal anecdotes of transformation through herbalism, will guide attendees from theory to practical, hands-on application, promising an enlightening experience.

The retreat setting at Heirloom Springs offers a serene backdrop perfect for exploration and learning. Participants will engage in activities that blend ancient herbal wisdom with modern insights, including crafting a culinary and medicinal garden and exploring the medicinal properties of common kitchen spices. The retreat experience is designed to nurture the body and mind, featuring morning hikes, yoga sessions in the forest, and farm-to-table meals prepared with locally-sourced, herbaceous ingredients. As attendees immerse themselves in the tranquil surroundings and the rich knowledge shared by Kat Maier, they will leave with not only practical herbal skills but also a refreshed spirit, reawakened to the wonders of nature and the healing it provides.

2024 Herbalism Retreat Schedule:
May 31 - June 2

    • Starts at 2:00pm

    • Meet-and-Greet in our Retreat Center

    • Welcome Herbaceous Refreshments

    • Walking Farm Tour with Rachael and Kat

    • Workshop 1: The History of Herbalism with Kat

    • Nature walk to a restorative yoga class in the forest

    • Herbaceous happy hour

    • Farm-to-table dinner and dessert outdoors under the stars

    • Fire, star-gazing and moon-bathingoes here

    • Starts at 9:30am

    • Coffee and light breakfast

    • Morning plant ID walk

    • Workshop 2: From the Spice Rack to the Medicine Chest with Kat
      Learn to work with the most common kitchen spices for preventive health care as well as deep healing. Ginger, thyme, sage, rosemary and others are profound medicines beyond the spice rack, learn why herbs have been traditional remedies for millennia.

    • Farm-to-table lunch served outdoors. Lunch to highlight culinary herbs discussed in the morning session.

    • Workshop 3: Planting a Culinary and Medicinal Garden with Kat and Rachael
      This is an outdoor active workshop. We will plant an herb garden together, including many of the herbs we learned about in the morning. We will get dirty and talk about soil health; the ins and outs of how to grow herbs from seeds to plants; what you need in terms of tools, space, water and sun; and what herbs grow best together.

    • Free time on the farm

    • Workshop 4: Making Medicine with Kat
      Learn how easy it is to make your own elderberry syrup, oxymel and elderflower tincture.

    • Workshop 5: Medicines in the Forest with Kat and Rachael
      This delightful hour will be a forest ramble to identify the medicines of the woodlands including the magnificent trees which many have called the “big herbs.”



    • Evening restorative yoga

    • Herbaceous happy hour

    • Farm-to-table dinner and dessert at Belle View, our lodging host

    • Starts at 9:00am

    • Optional hike prior to start

    • Coffee and light breakfast

    • Pilates mat class in the barn

    • Workshop 6: Energetic Herbalism and Q&A with Kat
      Energetic herbalism is what ancient systems have been working with for centuries. Simply stated, it looks at plants as well as people and their nature. Do they run cold? Hot? Is the plant cooling or warming. This is essential in looking at how to begin to choose from among the multitude of herbs. We will look at moistening herbs and drying herbs, as well as plants to relax and tone.

    • Farewell brunch

    • Ends at 1:00pm

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