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About me,

Jovie Hawthorn Browne

Unlike many herbal teachers you can find, I didn’t grow up on the land. I’d love to say I did, but I grew up poor in the Mojave desert in military housing. I didn’t have elders to teach me the traditions of my ancestors. I had books and professors to teach me how cellular biology and phytochemistry worked as I earned my bachelor's degree in Biology and post grad diploma in herbalism. I didn’t get to know plants through foraging and wildcrafting them. I got to know them through cultivating and tending to them in several gardens for over a decade. I will always continue learning. My path has not been traditional. And that’s okay. Your path doesn't have to look like my path at all (or anyone elses for that matter). I’d just like to share what I’ve learned so far with all of you, in a way that I’m hoping will feel safe, non-judgmental, and balanced.

FAQ

  • Is this a certification course?

    You DO get a certificate when you complete the course, but keep in mind: since there is no state or national governing body over herbalism in the US, *any* certificate from *any* course you take simply states that you completed the course. No certification course can qualify you for any sort of licensing (since herbal licensing in the US doesn't exist).

  • Can I enroll for medicine maker shipments if I'm outside the US?

    Due to shipping constraints having to do with customs and package weights, unfortunately, I cannot send Medicine Maker Apprenticeship Boxes outside of the continental US

  • Will we have a way to ask questions?

    Yes! Students in all levels will be able to reach me via email. Office hours for responses are TBD.

  • How much time will I need to dedicate to this?

    The course is designed to be easily incorporated into life for those who have work, school, or family that takes up most of their time. Lessons are not live, so you do not need to coordinate any scheduling. You can expect to dedicate one to two hours per week to reading and videos, depending on how much time you need to process and absorb material. There's no homework or tests, and if you fall behind, that's okay! Catch up when you can, I'll continue sending you new lessons each week and you can get to them when you get to them.

  • Can I move through the course at my own speed?

    Yes, to a certain extent. Due to the seasonal nature of how the material is presented, lessons are released on a monthly basis. If you fall behind, that's okay. Catch up when you can and let me know how I can support you. If you're wanting to move faster, though, You won't be able to skip ahead.

  • Is there any homework or tests?

    Nope!

  • Which growing zones will the course apply to?

    A good portion of the perennials we will discuss will be hardy in USDA zones 3-10. Some are only hardy in zones 6-10, and a couple hardy to zones 9-11 that can be grown as annuals. If you're not sure what a growing zone is or what any of this means, that's okay! We'll be covering it in the course.

  • What if I live in the southern hemisphere?

    The way we will be profiling the plants will be laid out mostly as they appear throughout the seasons in the northern hemisphere. ie: we'll be meeting the plants that pop up in the northern hemisphere's Summer during the northern hemisphere's Summer. So while those in the southen hemisphere will likely miss out on the aspect of walking outside and harvesting the plant they just learned about (if it's something that grows well in their growing zone), there's nothing wrong with learning about plants out of season! So long as you want to learn about plants that are mostly native to the US and Eurasia. On top of that, a large portion of the information you'll learn will be foundational (meaning how and why plants work, how to extract and make medicine with them, etc) so the seasonal aspect of the plant profiles can be worked around.

  • What if I'm unable to or don't want to grow the plants myself?

    There is still so so so much to learn about herbalism other than how to grow them! We cover herbal actions, research and traditions behind the plants, medicine making, seasonal energy shifts, and more. You can always source your herbs through my webstore Spirit Haus Botanicals or through my recommended suppliers!

Testimonials

See what students are saying:

“I love the fact that there is downloadable content that I can go back to, and that there is no deadline. The info is also very non-biased when it comes to modern medicine ”

Jamie B.

“I really enjoy how each plant profile gives you a bit of everything of the plant as in the who, what and where. I also enjoy reading the folklore and the case studies. The Hawthorne lesson was super cool with all the folk history which each part of the plant.”

Alicia Q.

“The amount of information provided is great, not too much, not too little. Despite there being a pre-defined order, it is so easy to go back to the previous lessons ”

Tessa F.

“Jovie is an amazingly inclusive human. I appreciate her word choices when referring to who these plants were cultivated by. She always takes special care to acknowledge those who have come before us. I am a white female and love that she is firmly giving credit to indigenous, non-white humans. I suppose closed-minded people could be uncomfortable, but that just means you are educating well! ”

Julie F.

“The fact that I can come back to the course and totally take my time is incredibly helpful. Sometimes I have to go back and glance at things so I actually retain everything. I truly appreciate how the course was set up. ”

Alicia Q.

Ready to Get Started?

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These courses might be a good fit for you if:

  • You’re new to herbalism but want a deep dive introduction

  • You consider your herbal knowledge intermediate but want another perspective

  • You like to learn the science, but aren’t trying to get your PhD in phytochemistry in order to read it

  • You appreciate a balance between herbalism and conventional medicine

  • You like some woo-woo, but take it with a grain of salt

  • You learn best from someone who is calm, serious, and introverted

  • You’re easily overstimulated by sounds and visuals

This training might *not* be the best fit for you if

  • You’re looking for in-depth wildcrafting or foraging training, 
because we’re going to focus on growing them ourselves.

  • You’re only looking for recipes, 
because we’re going to be learning the fundamentals first

  • You’re looking for advanced or clinical herbalist training, 
because, again, fundamentals.

  • You learn best from someone who is loud, bubbly, and extroverted, 
because if I wanted to fake it I would go back to working in the service industry!

All Rootcraft students get a 20% off lifetime discount at Spirit Haus Botanicals!

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