Planting the Future Conference – California
Saturday, May 15th 2010
Sonoma Academy Campus – Santa Rosa , CA
(off Petaluma Hill Rd, just minutes from Santa Rosa)

More info: United Plant Savers

Teachers include: Amanda McQuade-Crawford, Christopher Hobbs, Kathi Keville, Cascade Anderson-Geller, Richo Cech, David Hoffmann, Sheila Kingsbury, Autumn Summers, Leslie Gardner, Denise Cooluris, ND, Peggy Schafer, Kami McBride, Jane Bothwell, Gail Julian, Rose Loveall, Trinity Ava, Dale Pendell, Bill Schoenbart, L.Ac, Lynda LeMole, David Crow, Sage LaPena, Annabella deMattei and other local teachers.

Classes:
Sirens of the Sea – Sea vegetables for food and medicine– Autumn Summers, Trish Gallagher, Kristin Younger, Terry Nieves
From ancient times to the present, seaweeds have been used by coastal people all over the world to nourish themselves, their gardens, as well as to treat disease. The Sonoma coast is incredibly rich in seaweeds that can be used as foods and medicines. Learn about this amazing resource from a panel of seaweed harvesters.

Hearing the Voice of White Sage (Salvia apiana), – A Shamanic Connection to the Plant World – Annabella De Mattei
An interactive class that is a synergy of presentations, dialogue, imaging, art expression and a journey using traditional shamanic techniques for accessing plant spirit.

Orpheus, Faust, Eve: Shamanism in the Western Tradition – Dale Pendell
Through the myths of Orpheus, Faust, and Eve we find shamanic traditions in the West—some using plants, some not—that continue to affect our policies and beliefs. The three magical traditions are distinct, and lead to vastly different results in the contemporary world.

Wildcrafting Herbs – Discussions on a Complicated Issue – Cascade Anderson Geller
With population growth and land development on the planet increasing, is there any rationale for wildcrafting herbs? Or, is wildcrafting herbs and other plants, actually an incentive to keep wild lands wild? We’ll explore this controversial issue from several points of view using well-known species such as goldenseal, ginseng, echinacea, linden, pau d’ arco, cork oak and others from around the world.

Ten Top Herbs for Kids – Sheila Kingsbery
Children often have fairly common ailments and a well thought out selection of herbs can help and appeal to their taste buds. Learn herbs for fevers, respiratory infections, coughs, sore throats, tummy aches, sleep issues, anxiety, skin rashes, insect bites and small wounds. And the delivery methods most helpful in getting children to willingly take our concoctions.

Turmeric and Red Sage –Ancient Tradition and Modern Science of Two Miraculous Herbs – Bill Schoenbart
Learn about the many traditional uses and modern research on turmeric as a powerful anti-cancer herb. Red Sage root, or Dan Shen, used to “calm the spirit” and treat heart problems has modern research that shows it possesses impressive cardiac effects and profound anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant properties. Bill’s own research shows that locally grown organic Red Sage roots are equal or superior to those grown in China.

The Medicinal Landscape – Kami McBride
Come explore the use of California native plants for creating your home medicine chest garden. Enhance the ‘medicine shed’ and turn your yard into a medicinal landscape. Seasonal harvests become healing medicines inspiring sustainability, self-empowerment and keeping your loved ones well.

Herb ‘Walk’ in the Potted ‘Insta-Garden’ – Gail Julian
Learn the identification and uses of the herbs provided to us by local growers, in our lusciously blooming potted ‘HerbGarden’.

Class Session #2 1-2:30pm

Backyard Aroma Farmacy – Kathi Keville
Learn to grow and use your own essential oil plants (including alternatives to endangered aromatic plants) to make your own oils. Class will be a live plant demo making simple decoctions without expensive materials. Goldenseal B-140

Herbal Skin Food for the 21st Century – Trinity Ava
Learn new and exciting formulation strategies to create “super foods” that will assist the vibrancy and protection of your skin. We’ll discuss utilizing abundant and sustainable local plants, beneficial antioxidants, skin tone evening serums for all skin types- men and women. Peyote B-220

Ten Top Herbs for Kids – Sheila Kingsbery
Children often have fairly common ailments and a well thought out selection of herbs can help and appeal to their taste buds. Learn herbs for fevers, respiratory infections, coughs, sore throats, tummy aches, sleep issues, anxiety, skin rashes, insect bites and small wounds. And the delivery methods most helpful in getting children to willingly take our concoctions. Trillium B-240

Bringing Back the Green – The Evolution of Herbalism: Are We Prepared for the 21st Century ? – David Hoffmann
A look at the diversity of herbalism in the U.S., how it has changed in the last 25 years, and how it might change in the next. Are we ready for climate change, globalization, etc. Yerba Mansa – B-222

Asthma and Allergies in Sonoma County: Herbal Solutions and Formulae – Denise Cooluris
Asthma and allergies have reached epidemic levels in Sonoma county. Join us as we discuss the mechanisms of these immune reactions, the multifaceted causes, and how herbalists can formulate to safely and effectively address these concerns in our community. White Sage – B-120

UpS “AT-Risk” Herbs– Lynda LeMole
Meet the 19 UpS “At-Risk” and the “To-Watch” plants during an interactive slide-show presentation. As an herbalist or UpS member, you can learn to use this slideshow to educate and inform about plant extinction, how herbs are determined to be “at-risk” and what UpS is doing to encourage botanical sanctuaries, plant rescues and preservation. Ginseng B-142

Direct Medicine Plant Walk – Christopher Hobbs
Meet the lesser-known but exciting medicinal plants in the wild here in Sonoma County. We will emphasize cross-cultural uses, botany, chemistry, pharmacology, safety, preparation, home use and clinical use. Help preserve the famous “at-risk herbs” by learning more about local weeds and abundant bioregional resources. Outside at Zeigler Point

Class Session #3 2:45 – 4:15 pm

Women’s Spirit – Jane Bothwell
Women have used plants for healing since time began. Learn to deepen this relationship and make wise choices in your medicine for yourself and others. Specific formulas as well as simples will be shared. Topics will be preventative health with nourishing herbs, and formulas for PMS, yeast infections, bladder infections, cramps. Goldenseal B-140

Plants for Ecological Healing – David Crow, L.Ac
Plants create and maintain both the balance of the biospheric elements that all higher life depends on, and the inner ecology of the human body. We’ll explore Community Immunity- understanding our biological interdependence with plants and their immunological intelligence; Healing body and earth- how plants heal both the inner ecology of the human body and the outer ecology of the environment; Phytoremediation- the use of plants for ecological detoxification. Yerba Mansa B-222

Folk Research: The Hidden Benefits of a Long Tradition – Kathleen Harrison
As herbal medicine has moved into the mainstream, we’ll review how research has been done for thousands of years, using observation, memory, oral tradition, experimentation, and intuition. We’ll discuss contemporary issues such as standardization, addiction, and the somewhat parallel history of psychoactive medicines as Science is finally looking at them. Peyote B-220

Infected Mucosa: Alternative for Goldenseal, Oregon Grape, & Yerba Mansa – Amanda McQuade
Will Local Mallows Replace Althaea? What are the alternatives for goldenseal, Oregon grape, and yerba mansa? Synergy between abundant demulcents and antimicrobials move us beyond berberine for URT conditions and mucus membrane health. Ginseng B-142

Cultivation & Conservation of Western & Chinese Herbs – Leslie Gardner & Peggy Schafer
Join two growers for a conversational trip from here to China and back. We’ll discuss the cultivation of efficacious botanicals, use of potential analogs for at-risk medicinals, conservation issues, and invasive species. White Sage B-120

Protecting California Native Herbs – Sage La Pena
Learn how to protect California native medicinal plants using traditional gathering methods. Trillium B-240

Seed Cleaning and Medicinal Plant Propagation – Richo Cech
This will be a demonstration of various methods of purifying the seed harvest, including rubbing, whacking, using graduated screens, wind winnowing, flannel sheet method, fermentation and flotation. Clean seeds maintain their vitality for longer, and they are easier to space and cover during planting. Hands-on tricks of the trade! Outside at Zeigler Point

TEACHERS’ BIOS:
Amanda McQuade Crawford, DipPhyto, MNIMH, MNZAMH, RH (AHG), is an herbalist. author of The Natural Menopause Handbook, The Herbal Menopause Book, and Herbal Remedies for Women, and is a contributor to many other books and guides on herbs. Amanda hosts “What A Relief,” on the Veria television network in S. Cal.

Annabella De Mattei is the creator of the Luna Fina line of herbal, floral and earth remedies as well as the Rose Chakra Flower Essences. She has developed an unusual way of working with plants that goes from the intellectual to the experiential and shamanic and has used this approach in various educational venues. She taught “Herb Explorations and Remedies for 6 years at both the Albany Adult School and Tamalpais Adult School (San Anselmo, CA).

Autumn Summers Inspired by the plants since childhood she has studied herbalism and ethnobotany for the last 20 years with a kinship for the plants, seaweeds and mushrooms of Northern California. She has guest hosted KPFA’s Herbal Highway, co-organized free community herb festivals and worked at Rosemary’s Garden, Simplers Botanical and KW Botanicals. Currently she teaches edible and medicinal plant classes at the California School of Herbal Studies (www.cshs.com) and throughout the Bay Area and manages Bayer Farm Community Garden for the non-profit LandPaths (www.landpaths.org)

Bill Schoenbart L.Ac., D.A.O.M.has been practicing traditional Chinese herbal medicine for 20 years, and has been a student of herbalism in general for 40 years. He is the author of two books on Chinese medicine, and teaches herbal medicine and medical theory at Five Branches University in Santa Cruz. Bill also does research for the natural products industry.

Cascade Anderson Geller – During the Vietnam era of the early 1970’s, Cascade channeled her political activism into healing and starting food cooperatives. Embracing her love of the outdoors and her Appalachian family heritage of wildcrafting, she became an herbalist as a way to gather up her passions into one basket. In 1979, she was a founding member of the Everett House Healing Ctr in Portland, OR, where she saw clients and taught classes. She has served on the faculty of the Nat’l College of Naturopathic Med., Bastyr College, SW College of Naturopathic Med., and the Cal. School of Herbal Studies and teaches at many other institutions and conferences. Cascade is a UpS Advisory Board member.

Christopher Hobbs L.Ac.,A.H.G. is a 4thgeneration herbalist and 3rd generation botanist whose life-long passion for plants was sparked at the age of 5. After 40 years of teaching and learning, he is still ardently listening to what the plants have to teach. Author of 25 books, licensed acupuncturist with over 15 years of clinical experience, he is now a PhD candidate at UC Berkeley in plant sciences, especially evolutionary biology, biochemistry, botany and ethnobotany. He is a UpS Advisory Board member.

Dale Pendell is the author of Pharmako/Poeia, Pharmako/Dynamis, and Pharmako/Gnosis, a depth study of the shamanic and pharmacological virtues of psychoactive plants. Dale’s first novel, The Great Bay: Chronicles of the Collapse, stories from the next ten thousand years of California history, will be released in July.

David Crow, L.Ac., is an acupuncturist and herbalist with over thirty years experience. He is the author of “In Search of the Medicine Buddha,” about his studies of Tibetan and Ayurvedic medicine in the Himalayas. He is the founder of Floracopeia, which supports ecologically sustainable agriculture through the production of essential oils and aromatic treasures. He is the founder of The Learning Garden, one of the country’s largest school gardens. http://www.floracopeia.com.

David Hoffmann B.Sc., F.N.I.M.H.
A Fellow of Britain’s National Institute of Medical Herbalists, David has been a phytotherapist for 30 years. He is a founding member and past president of the American Herbalist Guild, and on the advisory board of the American Botanical Council and United Plant Savers. He promotes phytotherapy throughout Australia, New Zealand and Canada. He teaches at the California School of Herbal Studies and Bastyr University. The author of 17 books, his latest is a textbook on science and clinical skills for phytotherapists entitled Medical Herbalism.

Denise Cooluris, N.D. practices family medicine, clinical botanical medicine, and integrative gynecology in Santa Rosa. An herbalist for fifteen years and a passionate naturalist, Dr. Cooluris has served as Adjunct Faculty and lecturer for the Botanical Medicine Department at Bastyr University. She combines her scientific training with centuries-old wisdom of traditional medicine to educate her patients and community.

Gail Julian is as a clinical herbalist, medicine maker and teacher with 20 years experience in the clinic and classroom. Her training includes Western Herbalism and physiology, native plant use, Chinese and plant energetic systems. Gail is a core teacher at the California School of Herbal Studies in Forestville.

Jane Bothwell is a practicing herbalist, educator, hypnotherapist, and flower essence practitioner of 20 years.. She directs and teaches at the Dandelion Herbal Center in Kneeland, CA. Jane is former teacher and administrator at the California School of Herbal studies in Sonoma County, CA. and is a UpS Advisory board member.

Kami McBride is an inspiring teacher that has helped thousands of people learn to use herbal medicine in their daily lives in ways that are healthy, safe and fun. Her mission is to help revive the art of home herbal care, creating self-reliance, sustainable wellness practices and revitalizing our relationship with the plant world. http://www.livingawareness.com

Kathi Keville has taught lively and engaging seminars on medicinal herbs and aromatherapy
throughout North America for over 40 years. She has written 14 books and 150 magazine articles.
Kathi lives at Oak Valley Herb Farm in Northern California’s Sierra Nevadas, surrounded by her gardens.

Kathleen Harrison is an independent ethnobotanist, who particularly studies the lore of plants used in ritual and healing. She does fieldwork in Latin America and teaches field courses for various universities.

Kristen Younger NC, CMT, Pacific Seaweed and Botanicals, Nutrition Consultant, Herbal Educator, and Massage Therapist. Kristen has been hand harvesting seaweed off the Sonoma County Coast for 20 years.

Leslie Gardner, B.S., M.H., RH (AHG), has taught and cared for the garden at the California School of Herbal Studies since 1993, and directs the Sonoma County Herb Exchange, a clearinghouse connecting medicinal herb growers with medicine makers and manufacturers. She is the author of “Life in the Medicine”, a guide to growing and harvesting herbs.

Lynda LeMole is Executive Director of UpS since 2003. She is former co-owner, President and formulater of Traditional Medicinals herb teas (1983-2003), was President of American Herbal Products Association 1984-89 and is a practicing environmentalist and herbologist.

Peg Schafer is a nationally recognized grower of high quality Chinese herbs. With a background in nursery management and farming, she is the owner/operator of the Chinese Medicinal Herb Farm near Petaluma, California.. . She is also co-owner of Fu Tian Herbs the first company in the US to exclusively offer certified organic, domestically-grown Chinese herb products. .

Richo Cech started his professional work as an archaeologist and ethnobotanist in East Africa. In 1978, he began cultivating and saving medicinal plants seeds. His collection became the basis for Horizon Herbs. Richo is the author of 3 seminal books on growing medicinal herbs, his latest release is The Medicinal Herb Grower. Horizon Herbs Seed Farm in Williams, Oregon cultivates 1,000 species of medicinal plants. Richo is a UpS Advisory Board member.

Sage LaPena is Nomtipom/Tunai Wintu traditionally and college trained ethnobortanist. She has over 20 years experience with California native plants.

Sheila Kingsbury N.D. is a Naturopathic Physician, Lactation Consultant and Registered Herbalist. Dr. Kingsbury is a graduate of Bastyr University’s naturopathic medicine program and has a clinical practice in Kirkland, Washington where she focuses on pediatrics and women’s health. She is the Chair of the Botanical Medicine department at Bastyr University and a core faculty member, teaching courses in Pediatrics and Botanical Medicine.

TERRY NIEVES has been a wild ocean food provider for over 13 years. As owner of Ocean Harvest Sea Vegetable Co., she offers a wealth of knowledge about seaweeds and their nutrition. She works as an educator, directing a Mendocino School County-wide nutrition and gardening program.

Trish Gallagher runs a local seaweed business, Wild DevOcean. Using sustainable and ethical harvesting practices, Ocean Goddess Trish wildcrafts fresh Northern California sea vegetation into delicious and highly nutritive snacks, supplements and high quality culinary sea vegetables for available at the Collective’s store. She offers wellness consultations. Trish has been gathering seaweed professionally for 12 years.

Trinity Ava – With a fascination for the world of plants since childhood, Trinity’s mission is to inspire and empower individuals with the effectiveness of herbal tradition. For over 13 years she has taught Eastern and Western herbalism, Ayurvedic principles, use of essential oils and has clinical experience. She teaches at the California School of Herbal Studies and Bastyr University. Trinity currently serves as a consultant for the natural/herbal product industry & teaches Yoga and contemporary dance http://www.trinityava.com or trinityava@gmail.com