Botany Field Course for Herbalists:

Now accepting applicants for 2027 and 1 mid-year space for 2026

In January of 2025, a longtime friend and Herb Walks attendee asked if she could study plant identification with me to supplement her college class in Ecological Restoration. After we brainstormed how that might look, she created a draft of a course description, including duration, goals, cost of program, and a cost breakdown per student for 6 students. The course became a reality for 6 students on 24 Monday mornings from January into November. Those students signed on for a second-year advanced course in 2026 and I started a new beginning course on Tuesdays.

 

I’m now accepting inquiries from those interested in joining one of those two courses in 2027. They will continue to run on Monday and Tuesday mornings from January to November. The opening classes are on Monday and Tuesday, January 11 and January 12, 2027.

 

I'm also interested in hearing from interested students who may want to fill a space that just opened up in this year's beginning Field Course 1. If you might be that student, please continue reading.

 

No previous knowledge is required for the beginning course. Some foraging experience or previous plant study is required for the advanced course. My use here of the words “for herbalists” in the course title is broad, along the lines of Merriam-Webster’s definition #2 of an herbalist: “a person who collects or grows herbs.” Most likely you already fit that definition. If so, click on this link or the photo above to learn more and schedule an interview.

Ocean's Edge Trail Herb Walk

Join me on Saturday, July 18, from 9:00. to 11:30 a.m. to discover the variety of useful plants that live in the interface between land and sea on the Ocean’s Edge Trail in the Seaside Wilderness Park in Ventura. Feel the sea breeze far from the inland heat while you enjoy the views and the plants.

 

Adult tickets are $35, tickets for students 13-17 or adult full-time students are $25. Children 12-and-under may attend for free, with advance notice and approval. One supervising adult must accompany each child 12 years old or younger. Senior discount is available by request.

 

Copies of my book, Medicinal Herbs of California, along with the rest of my mobile bookshop, will be on hand for sale and signing before the walk.

 

Click on this link to learn more and sign up,

          Carpinteria Salt Marsh               Herb Walk

On Sunday, July 26, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. we will return to the Carpinteria Salt Marsh Nature Park, also known as El Estero, a rare salt wetland in Southern California.

 

The park includes walking trails and interpretive signage. It is home to hundreds of migrating birds and other wildlife, including exotic sharks, rays and native fish when conditions are right. Depending on the tide level we may be able to see marine wildlife like the Shovelnose Guitarfish, Round Stingrays, Smoothhound Sharks or the Leopard Shark shown in Malia Smith’s video from our walk there in 2023.

 

There is a great variety of edible and medicinal plants of the Coastal Strand and Coastal Sage Scrub plant communities for us to see and learn from. Useful native plants there include Blue Elderberry, California Blackberry, Grindelia, Lemonade Berry, Mugwort, Pickleweed, Wild Rose, and Coastal Sagebrush.

 

Adult tickets are $35, tickets for students 13-17 or adult full-time students are $25. Children 12-and-under may attend for free, with advance notice and approval. One supervising adult must accompany each child 12 years old or younger. Senior discount is available by request.

 

Click on the photo above or this link to learn more and sign up,

Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike

Many of you have joined us for our monthly Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike. If you haven't, what are you waiting for? We are blessed with a unique and special vista point above the Ojai Valley where we can watch the sunset afterglow and rising of the moon.  

 

On Wednesday evening, July 29, we’ll meet at the trailhead at 6:15 p.m. for a 6:30 p.m. start, then gradually hike about 1.5 miles to the viewing site, experiencing some elevation gain on a well-worn, dirt fire road with uneven footing in places. Along the way we’ll stop to meet some valuable edible and medicinal plants, including:

 

 

My 2021 book, Medicinal Herbs of California, will be available at the trailhead for sale and signing.

 

Paid registrants will receive a confirmation email a few days prior to the event with all necessary info, including what to bring, weather forecast, and directions to the trailhead. Afterwards, they will receive a follow-up email with a list of all plants and wildlife seen.

 

Adult tickets are $35, tickets for students 13-17 or adult full-time students are $25. Children 12-and-under may attend for free, with advance notice and approval. One supervising adult must accompany each child 12 years old or younger. Senior discount is available by request.

 

Please click on the photo above or this link to learn more and register.

You can order my book by visiting the Herb Walks bookshop or by clicking on the book cover image above.
 
To request a simple autograph or have the book signed to your name, when you reach "checkout" use the “Order notes (optional)” field. This personal touch is something not available when purchasing on Amazon or other vendors. 
 
If you already own my book or you're considering buying it, be sure to click on the following link to check out the free hyperlinked bibliography I created to save you the hassle of copying long URLs from the printed page to your browser. This feature enables you to easily visit any of the web sources linked to the 350 citations in the book.