NW Herbfest 2010

This is the Kitchen Lecture "Hall"
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...mostly the best. I made a decision to stay in a hotel instead of camping. I also declined to purchase the meals, not because they aren't good, (they are!), but because at more than $20 per meal it was simply too expensive. I brown bagged it! Plus I was able to bring my own snacks and that turned out to be a good thing too.

It also meant I could spend more money at the vendors tables! I got some stuff to take home to mom since she had to withdraw due to back surgery. This included a booklet of the Symposium notes provided by each speaker. Some are very complete, others not so much. But it is valuable tool to reference during the lectures.

On Saturday I took:

Wound Care by Kelly Marie Fitzpatrick BSN, MPS, ND
Class Description: We will discuss the physiology of wound care and the rationale for botanicals as well as nutritional supplements that are important in wound care.

I liked that she referred to inflammation (both outer and inner) as a type of wound and how an acute case can turn into a chronic case with conventional treatment. She was very emphatic that we should help our patients with life style changes NOW before things deteriorate to an "end care" type situation in the hospital. However I thought she was much too exclusionary in her vocabulary. She could have spoken much more plainly instead of using medical jargon.

Herbs & Improving Tissues Of The Body by Heather Nic an Fhleisdeir
Class Description: This lecture focuses on the main types of tissues in the body and the herbs that best improve their function and structural stability.

I thought this was one of the best lectures. I have read so many conflicting and confusing diagnostic methods. Her's was the best and easiest I've come across. She has a biochemist mother and a science researcher sister. Also she is the Head of Faculty at the Academy of Scottish Herbalism and has her own shop in Eugene.

Ayurvedic Basics for the Gastrointestinal Tract by Cascade Anderson Geller
Class Description: Digestive stimulants and much more, this class will feature the medicinal wonders hiding in the kitchen and the details to help you get the most medicinal effect from them.

I got some good information from this class, but kind of felt it was a gabfest. At a later class she stated she was kind of unhappy about how she did in this one. Overall she did give some excellent advice but obviously 1.5 hours is really not long enough for this particular instructor. I mean that in the best way. She likes to thoroughly explain an aspect of the subject before moving on. Ayurveda is an ancient Hindu system based on the 3 Basic Nature types or Doshas - Vata (Air), Kapha (Water) and Pitta (Fire). Actually she described it as a life style rather than "medicine" as often it really involved the kind of food one ate.

Lemon Balm

As a side note, I'm kind of ambivalent about Asian herbal systems overall. Not because I don't think they have value but because I wonder about the need or effectiveness when I can't grow the herbs myself. I tend to want to know more about can be grown here, and how things that DO grow here naturally were really used. That said, I have more of an interest for Ayurveda than Chinese Herbal tradition.

Tea Blending for Health and Pleasure by Jane Bothwell
Class Description: Learn to make teas that taste good and have fabulous medicinal effects. From the experience of blending teas for many years I will share with you my insights into formula making for effectiveness and pleasure.

This was a nice class and she has a quick and easy formula for tea blending. She also had examples of fresh and dried teas. I liked she suggested making popsicles and ice cubes too! What is delightful ise she freely gives away her recipes for specific teas, over 18 of them! She runs the The Dandelion Herbal Center in Arcata CA.


On Sunday I took:

Biphasic Formulas, How to Build Them, How to Use Them by Robin DiPasquale N.D., RH (AHG)
Class Description: This class will cover the principles of building biphasic formulas, discussing the various categories of herbs to use in developing a biphasic formula - steroidal saponins, phytoestrogenic herbs, liver herbs, circulatory stimulants, adaptogenic herbs, nervines.

I liked this class alot as well. Biphasic formulas are (as I understand it) are complementary formulas for the Follicular (Dark moon to Full moom-Estrogenic) and Luteal (Full moon to Dark moon-Progesteronic). This was a totally new concept for me and I found it very interesting. She is on the staff at Bastyr University near Seattle (although she lives in Wisconsin!) and has her own website here.

The Pharmacy in the Pantry by Cascade Anderson Geller
Class Description: This class will feature the medicinal wonders hiding in the kitchen and the details to help you get the most medicinal effect from them.

I liked this class alot better. It was another very interesting history lesson. This time it was about spices and it's violent and sad history. (Hint-the Dutch are not nice). She gave some very good and specific advice about grinders for spices and how to cook with them. I also learned that insects and most animals do not like spices. They seem to used by and for specifically humans and how to help us eat and live well!

Sensing The Chemistry In Herbs By Heather Nic an Fhleisdeir
Class Descriptions: The same colors, tastes, aromas and textures that stimulate our senses give us clues about the chemistry of an herb. We’ll cover the primary herbal chemical constituents, what they are known to do, how to best extract them and give examples of which herbs contain them.

I thought this class was good, but did not really go too much into the color, tastes or smells of the herbs. It was more about the chemical family trees and whether they were best soluble in water or alcohol (depends on what you want to get out of them of course!). The best thing I took away was to start just doing it. Empirical practice is the best way to judge if something is effective or not. Unfortunately my phone rang twice near the end of the class! I was so mortified.

Lavender!

I had to leave early to go to work at home so could not take the very last class. Frustratingly, there was traffic, a wreck (not us!) and technical problems which prevented me from working at all! There was a bit of a freak out that we will try not to repeat. However overall this was a much better experience than last time. Evidently Ms. Tilger is going to skip next year so this is the last NW Herbfest until further notice...

Later I will post reviews of some audio CD's I order for classes I couldn't take:
1. Golden Boughs - Medicinal Trees by Cascade Anderson Geller
2. GynEcology by McQuade Crawford
3. First Aid in the Field by Wren Davidson

NW Herb Fest

Well folks, I've just come back from a very amazing "herbal" experience! I attended the 2009 NW Herb Fest at Wise Acre Farms, just about 15 miles south of Eugene. I got alot of great information, met some fascinating working herbalists and a naturopathic physician (and several ladies studying to become N.M.D.'s - all of them at Portland's own National College of Natural Medicine). Although I'm not into Chinese or Ayurvedic Medicine much (I prefer the Western Eclectic tradition), the program does seem to be very comprehensive. So now onto the nitty-gritty pics and info!

First up is a picture of my campsite under an old oak tree in a huge open field, (the entrance to the Fair is directly behind the tree...see the pink tape if you click on the picture to make it bigger).


I was welcomed by several friendly folks as I set up my tent, and saw a beautiful crescent moon as the twilight deepened, then the stars came twinkling out, and I saw the Big Dipper, Milky Way...and many other constellations I didn't know. In the back of my mind I filed away a determination to learn the night skies for a future project.

Unfortunately, I think I got about 3 hrs sleep max...people came in until 1 am, the lights of their cars shining directly in everyone's tent, then bumbling around & noisily setting up their own tents. Of course there was the small hike to the bathrooms...


This a view from from my car in the parking lot (the other end of the field), with the green house & gardens behind the Port-a-Potties. In the background you can see the sewage company actually servicing the Port-a-Potties on Sunday Morning, (click to make the picture bigger).

There were alot of people there, maybe as many as 200 attendees. They also had a little vendor row, with some wonderful, mostly local products (there were a few from Washington & California). Here are some pics: (the one below I took from inside the main tent while I was eating breakfast)









The next view is from the other end, from the path to "kitchen" class room, in the back (on the right) you can see the table they used for the optional meals served during the Fair. I decided to buy all the meals, to save money (although I went out a little too!), and to learn about more healthy/vegetarian options for eating. The food was excellent! I really liked their garlic sour cream artichoke dip, Nancy's yogurt with granola & berries, quinoa with vegetables...and many other dishes. They were all prepared by the Park City Cafe (see a mini-review here. I complemented the lady who did the cooking and talked with her a little bit, come to find out they have a booth at the Oregon Country Fair near the Community Village! Awesome, definitely going to check them out next year...


















From this booth I bought a "Leo Balancing" astrological herbal bath therapy product. She also had a full year "Cosmic" herbal bath teas, as well as cooking herbs aligned with the signs/planets. Although I'm not much into astrology, it was a fun thing to get.






I also bought several tinctures from some other booths, and gathered up some propaganda from all of them, including one with herbal wines! Some of the teachers also had their own booths, selling their own herbal preparations, goddess tapes, book and various other items. One booth that I really liked was Mountain Rose Herbs
a huge sponsor of the festival, (which had only an an informational booth, not selling anything). They gave away posters, pamphlets, and lots of bumper stickers, plus let you touch, smell and taste several kinds of herbs they offer.


I have ordered from them, and used their products. So far I'm impressed with the quality, quick service and the cost. They are the premier local source for truly organic herbs, teas, and other body products.


Finally, I have some pics of the extensive herb garden:

Primrose & Coneflower (echinacea)










and some of my favorite flowers:









Nasturtiums & ?






Last, (but not least!) was the heat...it was unrelenting. I actually spent the 2nd night in a hotel, and was glad I did. I got some sleep and was able to pay attention and take notes in the classes alot better on Sunday. It got so hot in that big tent out in the field I kind of passed out and missed out on 2 good lectures. I ended up discussing the heat problem with some fellow student ladies, and found that it was a big problem for alot of folks, not just me. One older woman had pretty much decided not to come again, even though she had not missed one since it's inception many years ago (it's been through a couple incarnations, but always held by the same woman, Sharol Tilger). If I come next time, I will definitely stay in a motel with air conditioning!

The conundrum (if you will), is that it is the only reasonably priced herbal seminar around the PNW. The ones at Breitenbush are more than twice the cost...and the lecturers they get are VERY GOOD - almost all of them are clinical practitioners with 20+ years experience, and the majority have published books too. I will post more later about the specific classses and teachers at the Fair, since I think that information is worth sharing, and it's just so much I wouldn't be able to include it all here..(it's the post that never ends...it goes on and on my friends...).

Blessed be!

We've had beautiful weather here...high 70's..a little into the 80's, but cool and crisp in the evening...the shadows are lengthening! Mabon is just around the corner...

A couple days ago I ran out to get some milk and came upon a gorgeous 1st quarter moon, which I would have missed had I not done that. -(and yes, I know the pic is a full moon, but couldn't find anything free of a quarter moon...)

Sat outside last night and watched the moon and the twilight turn to darkness.

This is my favorite time of year, I always get so excited with the bevy of Holidays coming up, which I enjoy, even if it is alot of work...AND...since I am NOT working...I can plan things a little more. Already have lots of crafts and food items I'm preparing for...even signed up for some Herbalism classes, where I'll be making some gifts for Yule!

Strangely it's relaxing and stimulating at the same time...

Good Harvest to you and yours!