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Sowing the Seeds of Good Health
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Thursday 25th March |
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Tutor: Christina Stapley
BSc Phyt MCPP
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Time: 10 am - 4 pm |
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Venue:
Calne, Wilts |
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Cost: £30
(Lunch
not included) |
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The day will be about planning a source of fresh herbs for your harvest to suit your lifestyle. Discover herbs for salads and teas, from growing in windowsill pots to sowing and planting a small herb garden to delight you all year round. We will be looking at tasty seeds to eat and trying new recipes. There will be a special emphasis on herbs offering useful herb seeds; this includes how to gain the most from them in food and home medicine. Fennel, sunflower, pumpkin, aniseed, milk thistle and more plus a planting plan for the
12 most helpful herbs for your garden and information on their uses. |
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Georgian Herbs in Peace and War
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Saturday 29th May |
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Venue:
23 Bennett Street, Bath, Somerset |
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Time: 10.15 am - 4.15 pm |
Tutor Christina Stapley
BSc Phyt MCPP
&
Ruth Mannion-Daniels
BSc Hons Biol, BSc Phyt MNIMH |
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Cost: £40
(Lunch
not included but may be taken in nearby Assembly
Rooms) |
Within the Georgian period 1714-1830 great changes took place, yet herbs were used to save lives throughout that time in very different circumstances. The herbal secrets of the ladies’ stillroom medicines, cosmetics and preserves in the early years will be opened in the perfect setting.
Ruth, a specialist in the work of naval surgeons at the end of the period, will reveal which herbs were essential to the work of naval surgeons at the Battle of Trafalgar as they worked to try to save limbs and lives.
An understanding of the treatments will be given alongside practical experience making authentic recipes from household books and herbals. A fragrant day is promised with distilled aromatic waters, herb sugars, dried herbs and gum resins amongst the ingredients of recipes for everyday problems and serious illnesses alike. |
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A Medicine Chest from Garden and Hedgerow
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Saturday 28th August |
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Tutor Christina Stapley
BSc Phyt MCPP
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10 am - 4 pm |
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Venue:
Calne, Wilts |
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Cost: £30
(Lunch
not included) |
Beginning by thinking about looking after your
herbs as autumn approaches, we then explore the
most useful first-aid herbs to grow or be aware
of when on country walks. These include
treatments for bites and stings, sunburn,
sprains, stomach upsets, stress etc. There will
be experience in making herbal oils, teas,
herbal syrup, poultices and compresses.
You will learn about commonly grown herbs and
their uses for everyday problems, their
preparation, dosage and contraindications. Rules
for safe home medicine will be given alongside
some hands on experience. Fruits and berries
feature, contrasting with soothing leaves such
as houseleek and ribwort plantain. From
peppermint to Calendula there will be plenty of
interest.
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How Well Are You Aging?
A series of workshops intended to inform
in a fun way with a mix of facts, recipes and
activities - both gently physical and mental.
The workshops are suitable for anyone over 30
years of age. The sooner you begin understanding
and looking after your body the better; however,
there are always helpful changes you can make . . .
The
workshops all take place in Calne, and can be
booked singly or as a block. Each
session is complete in itself yet forms part of
the whole understanding. For further details of
the workshops, click on the title below.
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Meeting Herb
Families 1: Primulaceae and Rubiaceae
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Saturday 20th March |
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Venue:
23 Bennett Street, Bath, Somerset |
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Time: 10.15 am - 4.15 pm |
Tutor Christina Stapley
BSc Phyt MCPP
&
Ruth Mannion-Daniels
BSc Hons Biol, BSc Phyt MNIMH |
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Cost: £40
(Lunch
not included but may be taken in nearby Assembly
Rooms)) |
In addition to learning about the familiar and less well-known members of these two interesting families of plants, this workshop offers the opportunity to take home the skill of making your own herbarium. Learn about making a record of pressed plant specimens
to which you can refer for certain identification of the herbs around you.
Although containing many species, the Primulaceae family includes just a few herbs, the most familiar and commonly used over the centuries being primroses and cowslips. Cyclamen, yellow and scarlet pimpernels and moneywort belong with them and have seen a much greater familiarity and use in the past.
This family is teamed with Rubiaceae for a double introduction to noting botanical similarities and differences. This will prove useful when meeting other larger herb groups in later sessions. The few herbs in Rubiaceae are remarkably wide ranging in their effects, uses and importance. This includes herbs to treat the lymphatic system, as well as those used in cookery and dyes for wool and silk. Alongside the home hedgerow
bedstraws we discover coffee and ipecacuanha.
Recipes and activities on the day will include
herbal wines, teas, candied flowers, syrups, dyeing
silk and leaf printing.
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Meeting Herb
Families 2:
Labiatae Family |
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Saturday 24th July |
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Venue:
23 Bennett Street, Bath, Somerset |
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Time: 10.15 am - 4.15 pm |
Tutor Christina Stapley
BSc Phyt MCPP
&
Ruth Mannion-Daniels
BSc Hons Biol, BSc Phyt MNIMH |
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Cost: £40
(Lunch
not included but may be taken in nearby Assembly
Rooms) |
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The day begins with a brief
look at the botany of this important family
containing mints, thyme, rosemary, sage, betony and
many other useful herbs. Many, but not all the herbs
looked at are Mediterranean in origin and we compare
these with our own native family members. From
combating infections to aiding digestion, and memory
we can take care of our whole body with Labiatae
herbs. A very practical, “hands-on” opportunity will
follow, getting to know the herbs and their
properties. We will be making fragrant recipes,
including an aromatic water, and make blends for
teas, a cream and washes to suit holiday needs.
These will include those both to protect against and
to treat insect bites, while others combat
infections and aid digestion of unfamiliar food. |
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Meeting Herb
Families 3:
Umbelliferae |
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Saturday 18th September |
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Venue:
23 Bennett Street, Bath, Somerset |
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Time: 10.15 am - 4.15 pm |
Tutor Christina Stapley
BSc Phyt MCPP
&
Ruth Mannion-Daniels
BSc Hons Biol, BSc Phyt MNIMH |
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Cost: £40
(Lunch
not included but may be taken in nearby Assembly
Rooms) |
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A day spent getting to know
this important group of plants. You will learn how
to identify which herbs are family members and what
they have to offer in health support and treatments,
both chronic and acute, for your own family. Herbal
medicine for the very young to the very old will be
covered. Enjoy practical experience of making
recipes such as teas, syrups, aromatic waters,
ointments etc. The family of Umbelliferae includes
some of the most useful herbs such as the Fennel,
Anise, sweet Cicely, Angelica and many more. It is
an important family to know for it also contains
poisonous members such as hemlock. Learn to
distinguish friendly from the dangerous.
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Meeting Herb
Families 4:
Rosaceae Family |
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Saturday 9th October |
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Venue:
23 Bennett Street, Bath, Somerset |
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Time: 10.15 am - 4.15 pm |
Tutor Christina Stapley
BSc Phyt MCPP
&
Ruth Mannion-Daniels
BSc Hons Biol, BSc Phyt MNIMH |
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Cost: £40
(Lunch
not included but may be taken in nearby Assembly
Rooms) |
An introduction to the botany
of this family reveals the often little-known
relationship of the rose with so many familiar
fruits, such as raspberry, blackberry, plum and
quince. Equally unsuspected may be the inclusion of
lady’s mantle, salad burnet and meadowsweet. A
practical day with many delicious recipes.
The glories of the Apothecary’s rose may have passed
with the summer, but the rose will still be very much
present in dried form, preserves and delicious
aromatic water. Other members of the Rose family are
at their best providing fruits and berries for our
winter health – sloes, crab apples, rowan berries,
hips and haws are very much part of our traditional
autumn harvest. A harvest to fill winter
store-cupboards with remedies and treats. We also
look at harvesting roots with the meadowsweet, as
well as making health-giving teas with agrimony,
raspberry leaf, rosehip and hawthorn..
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Herbal Christmas Gifts and Decorations
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Saturday 12th December |
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Venue:
23 Bennett Street, Bath, Somerset |
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Time: 10.15 am - 4.15 pm |
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Tutor Christina Stapley
BSc Phyt MCPP |
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Cost: £30 + cost of materials
(Lunch
not included but may be taken in nearby Assembly
Rooms) |
Seven
items to make. Complete up to five on a day filled with fragrance, colour and the spice of Christmas in a Georgian house. Choose from
1. A cinnamon sled with sacks of frankincense, myrrh and spices, pulled by reindeer.
2. A leaf printed scarf or herb-filled sachet.
3. A candle decorated with pressed flowers.
4. Small wreath of kitchen spices, seasonings and herbs.
5. Afternoon Tea Collection – a selection of nicely presented winter herbal tea blends and herb jellies to spread on bread or scones.
6. Novelty Scented Tree Decorations, Lavender angels or hanging stars and balls covered with spices.
7. Arabic Myrrh Tree, using gum Arabic and myrrh crystals to decorate tiny branches stood in a decorative pot for the festive tablee. |
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