Eating early spring herbs with Shana Lewis

Explore the Culinary and Medicinal uses of Nettles and Lemon Balm with Shana Lewis

Ages: 12 and up (or by arrangement)

$10/person (includes material fee)

Register here:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScrM9bY-TSGnIKrVNjXXkpPncU1mBB6Sa7JUmrtGz3lI05hVQ/viewform?c=0&w=1

Spring is just popping up her head this time of year, and I will introduce everyone in this class to her early arrivals: Nettles and Lemon Balm. You will learn about their medicinal properties and their highly edible uses in food. You will participate in identifying, collecting, and preparing these herbs. You will experience hands-on how to add herbs to spice condiments, salads, and tea, and will be able bring home some of the herbal products we will make. We will also venture outside and explore the surrounding garden and woods to identify and ethically harvest these herbs in their natural habitat, and to learn to get past that first 'sting' in picking Nettles. Students are asked to please bring a pint jar to bring home their tea in, and a pair of garden or dish gloves to pick nettles. Instructor will provide extra supplies.

Learning about the nutritive and edible properties of the plants growing around us, I feel, in our gardens, or even in our backyards or next to the sidewalk, is highly empowering. Whether it's adding wild greens to soup, or preventing a cough or cold with plants, this knowledge is important for humans to feel confident, safe, independent, and resilient in their bio-region.

Teacher Bio : The plants have been teaching their wisdom to me for over 20 years. I studied local plant identification in my Fairhaven College degree, and have taught various workshops on women's health and herbs over the last two decades. I have co-instructed on plants at two wildlife reserves in Whatcom and Skagit counties, and have also been an organizing volunteer for numerous Northwest Herbal Faires. I love to create magical balms from the herbs in my vibrant garden.