Coulee Regional Herbal Institute

2008 Classes & Events

Classes and events are typically held on the third Sunday of each month.  Classes and events are free for members and cost 5$ for non-members.  Some classes may request a nominal fee for cost of materials.  Check details for location and contact number. 

January 20 Herbal Basics: Where to Start  with Gabrielle Daniels 

                              People’s Food Co-op, LaCrosse     3:30-5:30

Master Herbalist Gabrielle Daniels will be offering a class on the ABCs of herbs as an entry point for people interested in learning about herbs and herbalism.  she will cover basic herbal preps, good starter books and a general overview of herbalism.  for more info call Gabrielle at 637-2315.

February 17    Herbal Teas   with Rose Barlow        

                    People’s Food Co-op, LaCrosse            3:30-5:30

There's a whole lot more to making good effective herbal teas than just brewing a tea bag in some hot water!  Rose Barlow will take you on a tour of the world of herbal teas, including infusions, decoctions, herbal iced teas & lemondades, roasted root coffees & chai and more.  Sampling, recipes and hands-on activity.  Call Rose at 608-637-3074 for details.

March 16   Wildflowers of the Sierra Nevadas  with Jessie Conaway   

                       People’s Food Co-op, LaCrosse      3:30-5:30

Jessie Conaway will be sharing with us some gold nuggets from her recent trip to California--a slide show on the wildflowers and magnificent trees of the Sierra Nevada.  Herbal snacks and beverages will be provided.  Need more info? Call Jessie at 790-7425.

April 20   Spring Harvest: 5 Herb Intensive  at Morning Star Herb Farm 

                    Westby, Wisconsin (20 minutes south of LaCrosse)   3:30-5:30

Join us for our first outdoor class of the year as we focus in depth on five extremely common, easily identified, nourishing and useful springtime herbs:  Dandelion, Burdock, Nettles, Chickweed and Violets.   You'll be amazed at how talented each one of these herbs are, both as food and as medicine!  For directions to Morning Star Herb Farm or any questions you might have, call Carol Willis at 634-3640

May  18   Paddles and Petals  with Jessie Conaway,MS, Outdoor Educator   

             Perrot Park near Tremeleau Mountain   10:00-4:00      

Launch a kayak into the Perrot Park near Trempeleau Mountain and explore the medicinal plants of  the wetland and floodplain forests with Jessie Conaway & Carol Jacobs.  Beginners are welcome--insturction on kayaking basics in the moring, paddling and herb walk in the afternoon.  There will be a 20$ equipment rental fee for a kayak and paddling gear. 

Limited space.  RSVP to  Jessie at 608-790-7425, or send a deposit of 10$ to:  J. Conaway, W5225 Quackenbush Rd, West Salem, WI, 54669

 June 22   St. John's Bonfire    

                Faith Anacker's land, Westby, WI (20 minutes south of LaCrosse)  3:30-whenever

Coulee Region Herbal Institute will be celebrating the full sun of high summer with a potluck, drumming, bonfire and sauna.  The event will include a workshop on making herbal oils, an herb walk to identify summer herbs with an emphasis on those useful for herbal-infused oils, especially the venerable St. Johnswort blossoms.  Please bring small jars, olive oil, a potluck dish, a drum and a towel.  For directions or more info, call Faith at 634-6019.

July 20    2nd Annual Herbal Share Gathering & Wild Food Potluck  

                  Johanna O'Togham homestead, Viola, WI 

The Herbal share Gathering is an opportunity for herbalists of the region as well as folks interested in learning more about herbs to network, to share our visions and ideas for an herbal community and future events, and to share good food, fellowship and fun together.  More information and details forthcoming. 

August    No CRHI class in August

September  21   Mushroom Identification Walk  

                     Site and details to be announced

The autumn rains bring a rich variety of mushrooms to the forest floor.  We’ll be taking a walk in the LaCrosse area to learn to identify and deepen our appreciation for the magical, mysterious world of mushrooms.  More information forthcoming.

October 19   Herbs and Cancer with Mitch Cholewa

                   People’s Food Co-op, LaCrosse   3:30-5:30

While herbal  medicine may not offer miracle cures for cancer patients, it can be of immense value in offering comfort, relief, and nutritional support for the myriad side-effects and symptoms of cancer and its various treatment options.  Mitch Cholewa has worked for many years on the cancer ward at Franciscan Skemp and has a wealth of experience and knowledge in this realm.  Join us for a discussion on the valuable but often misunderstood role of herbs in treating cancer.

November 16    Herbal Cordials and CRHI Annual Meeting

                          People’s Food Co-op,  LaCrosse  3:30-5:30

We will hold our annual meeting to brainstorm a calendar of events for 2009 and discuss any other CRHI business that needs discussing.  We’ll also have our ever popluar Herbal Cordials presentation with herbalist Carol Jacobs of Winona. There will be a small fee for use of the co-op classroom. 

December--No Meeting      Happy Holidays!!