Little did I know that when we rented the goats I would be given another plant path to explore: herbs! Laura and Dr. Dave are members of the NC Herb Association and they told me about a then-upcoming Wild Herb Weekend.

Time to breathe. Surrounded by strangers and wearing a name tag. Way out of my element but ready to have a Wild Herb Weekend learning about the medicinal side of wild herbs.

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Well that wild weekend was this past one! As someone prone to horrible anxiety, I used my years of inner work to get through the issues and actually mingle and learn some stuff! Without getting into all the workshops (yet? Maybe in other posts?), I found an especially helpful space in the classroom of Marc Williams. I took 2 classes from him: an ethnobotany course on medicinal herbs used by NC's First Nations, and Formulation of Aphrodisiacs.

I learned about growing ginseng, but others made sun tea, which is especially pretty steeping on the hillside. @wishwehadacres

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Before I go any further, I've had a You Grow Girl post in the back of my mind for a long time. This year I've really honed in on some linden trees in bloom, making note that this is my year to forage their blooms and learn about them further. On Saturday Laura offered a class on making sun tea, and one of the teas was linden based. Naturally I had to try it if I was on the verge of my own harvest. That night a bunk mate offered me a tincture made with wild berries, cocoa, and linden. We talked about the specifics of it, the uses and the reasons she picked that particular combination. Guess what? Linden is good for opening the heart!

Back home and ready to continue learning! Thank you NC Herb Association for an incredible Wild Herb Weekend!

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Now, let me get this straight: aphrodisiacs? At the risk of TMI, give me a few beers or a bottle of wine and I'm good. But after the first class with Marc, his approach to herbs and his general charm as a teacher, I knew I wanted to stay and learn some more, no matter the topic. Aphrodisiacs it was.

The clincher, so to speak, was that it was a course on heart opening, not necessarily focused on gettin' some action. The class covered a bit of the science, a bit of tradition and lore, and a lengthy discussion about appropriate herbs and methods of use. I don't know about you, but with all the news lately I think my heart has gotten a bit hard and closed. It could, and still can, use some opening, some receptiveness, a lot less guarding. I guess there was a reason the linden flowers were calling.