Vitalist School of Herbology

04/03/2025

Join us for one or all of the field trips!

07/02/2025

Lauren is so excited to be offering the first class series in the classroom and apothecary space Jon built but was never able to teach in. There are only a few spots left!

I was first introduced to the art of tincture-making as a teenager when my older sister, studying botanical medicine in college, came home for a visit. She took me and our dad out to the garden, where we carefully dug up an Echinacea purpurea plant and made a tincture from its roots.

That experience left a lasting impression on me—the sound and feel of "Echinacea" rolling off my tongue, the earthy scent of the freshly dug roots, the tingling sensation the roots left in my mouth, the rhythm of chopping and filling the jar, and the sense of connection as we worked together. It felt so familiar, like a coming home.

Though it would take a decade before I made another tincture, that moment awakened something deep within me—a plant-woman who had been waiting to emerge.

From that point on, my perception of the world around me shifted. The plants I once passed by were no longer just pretty decorations; I began to see them as living mysteries, inviting me to befriend and understand them.

Now, I want to share that magic with the next generation. I’m inviting young adults to join my Apothecary Creations series for $25 per class, half the price of the adult rate.

It's a chance to explore the plants and the gifts they offer, just as my sister once shared with me.

The first two classes are full and there are only a few spots left in the final three classes: Syrups, Oxymels, and Cordials; Botanical Inks; and Tinctures and Glycerites.

Sign up today to reserve your place in this beautiful journey. www.backyardwildcraft.com/events

Photo of my sister Jessie and me, 1998?
18m

04/12/2024

Local friends! We'll be vending some tincture formulas, topical products, and Lauren's botanical inks at the Siskiyou School Winter Faire this coming weekend!

Friday, December 6, 6-8 pm (adults only!)
and Saturday, December 7, 10 - 4 (everyone is welcome)

At the Siskiyou School, 631 Clay Street, Ashland, OR 97520

Ink sets will include new colors this year- brick red Madder root, and periwinkle blue Cabbage ink. This convenient little tin holds 7 inks and is great for throwing in your backpack for nature journaling on hikes and adventures. $30. Limited stock.

Tincture formulas support seasonal wellness, stress and nervous system support, and relaxation.
The special market price for all 2 oz bottles this year is $24

We'll have our beloved rescue grease in 1, 2 and 4 oz jars as well as breast butter, scar butter, and rosemary hair oil.

We'll be sharing a booth with local plant friends Kendra Rivers, Sunny Lindley, and Katie Baker who are offering other herbal products, seaw**ds, soap, botanically dyed garments and more.

Stop by and say hi or stock up on holiday gifts made by local plant women.

12/11/2024

As we approach the anniversary of Jon Carlson’s passing on November 16th, we want to share this beautiful piece written by Kerissa Fucillo Battle im Orion Magazine about the beautiful gifts Jon gave his community in his process of dying.

This feels like a heavy time of grief on so many levels for many people right now. May this story help us all remember the precious gift of our fleeting lives.

“I expect him to have an opinion about the phytochemistry and offer some other scientific explanations I hadn’t yet considered, but he simply smiles and says quietly: Perhaps it’s to offer beauty.”

-In the Manner of the Trees
Kerissa Fucillo Battle

The ceremonial beauty of an assisted death

24/07/2024

Local friends, we’re doing a garden work party this Saturday, between 7 am and noon, in honor of Jon Carlson’s birthday.

We’ll w**d some overgrown garden beds and give the plants some love and care. There will be indoor things to work on if anyone wants to come but is nervous about heat.

Lunch and tea provided!

Send us a message or email vitalistbotanicals@gmail.com for directions or to RSVP!

♥️🌿🌼