Workshops
Following the great reviews on my workshops, this year I will be presenting workshops again around:
>>> horticulture (how to garden),
>>> home herbalism (how to use your herbs)
>>> homesteading (fermenting & making) workshops.
*Only 8 spaces per workshop! *
Full details underneath workshop descriptions.
At MeadowSweet Herbs & Flowers in Waikuku, North Canterbury
Every workshop will include all the materials necessary (just bring yourself)
From $55-$75
Propagation
Learn about propagating plants from:
- Seeds
- Cuttings
- Layering
- Root division/crown division
- Root cuttings
- Rhizomes/tubers + bulbs
- Sets (garlic/shallot/potato)
- Grafting
In depth discussion on seeds and cuttings including topics such as:
– pollination,
– heirloom vs hybrid seeds,
– how to make your own seedling mix, – seed sowing tips and techniques,
– caring for seedlings correctly,
– transplanting tender young plants.,
– hardwood vs softwood cuttings,
– different rooting techniques,
– hands-on examples of various other propagation methods.
Take home to the value of over $15
You’ll sow:
> a punnet of Heirloom tomatoes
> a punnet of Heirloom beans
> a punnet of Heirloom lettuces
You’ll make cuttings of:
> rosemary, mint, lemon balm,
You’ll take a division of:
Thyme or Trenegue chamomile
Spring Gardening
Learn about early season gardening by enjoying a walk through my potager and orchard as we explore what is looking good right now in the garden for harvesting, what pest or disease problems we may encounter in spring, and what is good for planting now.
We’ll talk about:
- How to start a garden from scratch
- Creating Living Soils
- Mulching
- Garden teas (seaweed tea, comfrey tea, weed tea etc.)
- Compost options
- How to test soil by doing a bioassay
- What to sow and grow in spring (Sept/Oct/Nov) in North Canterbury
- Making use of marginal spaces
- Succession planning
> 3 packets of seeds to sow
> 1 herb plant of your choice
Summer Gardening
Learn about mid season gardening by enjoying a walk through my potager and orchard as we explore what is looking good right now in the garden for harvesting, what pest or disease problems we may encounter in summer, and what is good for planting now.
We’ll talk about:
- Container gardening
- Gardening as meditation
- Basics of companion planting
- Starting a garden journal
- Make an edible salad bouquet or tea bouquet
- Being water-wise and sun-wise (ourselves and our gardens)
- Natural integrative pest control
- What to sow and grow in summer (Dec/Jan/Feb) in North Canterbury
- Succession planning
> 3 packets of seeds to sow
> 1 herb plant of your choice
Autumn Gardening
Learn about late season gardening by enjoying a walk through my potager and orchard as we explore what is looking good right now in the garden for harvesting, what actions to take to get ready for winter, and other late season tasks.
We’ll talk about:
- Winding down production
- How to save seeds
- Putting the garden to rest
- Potting up tender plants
- Green manure and cover crops
- Garden hygiene
- Garlic growing
- What to sow and grow in autumn (Mar/Apr/May) in North Canterbury
- Succession planning
> 3 packets of seeds to sow
> 1 herb plant of your choice
Herbal Teas
Home herbal remedies are a joy to make and with some basic knowledge of the plants and their uses, they are generally safe and gentle enough for the whole family.
Through these workshops, I aim to help you to get to know the plants a bit better and teach you how to use them with confidence for minor ailments at home.
Join me as we explore the most basic of herbal preparations: teas.
Learn about extracting herbal goodness with water, including the different methods:
- tea,
- infusion,
- decoction,
- long infusion,
- cold maceration
We’ll also spend some time
- getting to know which herbs are good for teas, and their specific characteristics
- understanding for which herbal actions you would choose teas.
You will brew:
- the perfect single herb tea
- a balanced and delicious blend herb tea blend.
Take home to the value of over $15
>Tea herb plant
>Tea herb seed packet
> Fresh Herb Tea Posie Blend
Herbal Extracts
Home herbal remedies are a joy to make and with some basic knowledge of the plants and their uses, they are generally safe and gentle enough for the whole family.
Through these workshops, I aim to help you to get to know the plants a bit better and teach you how to use them with confidence for minor ailments at home.
Join me as we explore making extracts from our plants.
Learn about extracting herbal goodness with alcohol, glycerin, and vinegars:
- tinctures,
- glycerites,
- vinegar extracts,
- herbal honeys
- oxymels
- getting to know which herbs are good for tinctures, and their specific characteristics
- understanding for which herbal actions you would choose tinctures.
You’ll make:
- an echinacea tincture
- a weed vinegar
- thyme honey
Take home to the value of over $15:
>Extract herb plant
>Extract herb seed packet
>Small Echinacea tincture, weed vinegar and thyme honey
Topical Herbals
Home herbal remedies are a joy to make and with some basic knowledge of the plants and their uses, they are generally safe and gentle enough for the whole family.
Through these workshops, I aim to help you to get to know the plants a bit better and teach you how to use them with confidence for minor ailments at home.
Join me as we explore making topical remedies from our plants.
Learn about
- infusing oils with herbs
- blending herbal ointments/balms/salves
- making a compress
- making a poultice
- making a liniment
We’ll also spend some time
- getting to know which herbs are good for topical application, and their specific characteristics
- understanding for which herbal actions you would choose on the skin.
You’ll make:
- a St Johns wort infused oil
- a calendula salve
- a comfrey poultice
Take home to the value of over $15:
>Topical healing plant
>Topical healing seed packet
>Small Calendula salve & St Johns Wort Oil
Bake / Ferment
Delve into the world of fermentation by joining me in a day of basic hands-on instruction in making
- a sourdough starter
- making a sauerkraut or kimchee
- start with milk kefir
- making kombucha
Take home:
>Sourdough starter
>Milk kefir grains
>Kombuch scoby
>Small sauerkraut
Where are the workshops?
Workshops are at my home acre in Waikuku (just outside Rangiora, North Canterbury) – very easy access from State Highway 1.
What’s included?
Every workshop will include all the materials necessary (just bring yourself)
- a garden tour with specific focus on plants that we will be dealing with during the workshop
- tea and light refreshments,
- notes,
- take away products,
- nursery (plant and seeds) discounts for the day
How long are the workshops?
Workshops are on Saturday mornings or Wednesday late afternoon/evening, but I can run workshops for groups outside the listed dates and times for a minimum of 6 participants, please inquire
- Workshops run for about 3 hours
- Saturday morning workshops run from 10am to 1pm
- Wednesday workshops (herbalism only) run from 5.30pm to 8.30pm)
What’s the cost?
Workshops are normally $75 each, but as an introductory offer of these to North Canterbury, bookings made made from Aug 2022 to Feb 2023 are only $55 (*subject to change as material costs change, please inquire)
Legal stuff
Rain days will apply. Cancelation and Refund policy in place.
Please note this is a working farmlet and you take responsibility for your own safety. Please bring gumboots and a hat.
There are only 8 spaces available per workshop, most workshops run twice.
Horticulture
- Propagation
- Spring Garden
- Summer Garden
- Autumn Garden
- Mushroom growing (external consultant) *
- Fruit Tree Planting & Pruning *
Herbalism
- Herbal Teas (Decoction, Infusion, Maceration)
- Extracts (Tincture, Vinegar, Glycerites)
- Topical (Oil, Balm, Liniment, Poultice)
- Herbal Home Skincare (Bath salts, Body Scrub, Whipped Body Butter, Face Cleanser etc) *
Homesteading
- Sourdough & Fermenting
Talks and Presentations
I would be delighted to speak to your social or gardening club or group of herb enthusiasts on a variety of herb use, and natural gardening topics. Please contact me for available dates and pricing.
Talks normally range from 30 minutes to well over an hour, depending on topic and audience engagement, and can include an overhead presentation, live plant and dried plant samples, information booklets, and seeds.
ONLINE TALKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND INTERNATIONALLY
Distance is no longer a consideration – I do talks and presentations via online conference tools too! If your group falls outside of the Christchurch geographical region, contact me to set up an online talk/presentation. This means I can also speak to herb and gardening enthusiasts across the globe – the only requirement that your main language is English (or Afrikaans), and that you have internet, and a conference tool, a projector or big screen.
- Survival Gardening – ideas and ideals on living as self sufficiently as you can
- Herbs and Healing – a selection of in-season fresh herbs, a few examples of dried herbs, lotions and potions, teas, tinctures and liniments.
- Edible Flowers! Enchantingly beautiful, pleasantly fragrant, and surprisingly flavoursome.
- The Kitchen Apothecary. Medicinal uses of common culinary herbs.
- Herb Gardening. General introductory talk on what herbs are and how to grow and use them.
- Hot-As! All about growing and using Chillies and Capsicums.
- Kids in the Garden. How to engage children with their own herb and edible gardens.
- Companion planting principles
- Composting – from hot to cold, worm bins and Bokashi
- Herbal Preparations. What are infusions, decoctions, macerations, compresses etc. And how to make them.