2024 Rootcraft Online Herbal Training
10-month Seasonal Herbalism Intensive with Jovie Hawthorn Browne. ***2024 ENROLLMENT IS CLOSED***
So we want to incorporate herbs into our lives in a safe and effective way. But there are so many black-and-white, all-or-nothing, extremist views out there in the world of wellness!
On one hand: we don't want to go too far down the "woo" path and start eating up fear-mongering pseudoscience with a spoon...
On the other hand: we don't want to treat plants like they're pharmaceuticals by stripping them of the traditions they come from.
After realizing that I had been taught both ways, I spent nearly a decade deconstructing and reframing my 6-year formal education.
From this, I've finally found a way to teach my approach so that others can take advantage of my experience rather than having to learn and unlearn the same dangerous missteps themselves...
Keep scrolling to learn how...
By the end of this 10 month training, you'll be able to confidently:
Plant, grow, and harvest your own medicinal plants (North American and Eurasian species focused)
Create your own topical and ingestible herbal medicines
Choose which plant to work with out of several that could have the same action
Reference over 60 different medicinal plant profiles
Choose the best extraction method for a plant
Know which plants to work with throughout the year to help prevent common ailments
Decide when you can work with medicinal plants versus when to go to the doctor
Click each tab to view lessons for that month
Welcome to Rootcraft!
FREE PREVIEWHow To Get the Most Out of This Course
Cultivation: Farming Fundamentals
IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ
Rootcraft Supply List
Health Privilege
Cultivation: Ethical harvesting
FREE PREVIEWCultivation: Plant families
Cultivation: Plant Reproduction
Video: Plant Propagation
Herbal Actions: Introduction
Video: How Mint Spreads
Herbal Actions: Constituents
Medicine Making: Solubility
Video: Solubility Experiment
Herbal Safety
Laws & Regulations
March Intro: Spring Equinox
Cultivation: DIY Potting Soil Mix
Cultivation: Seed Starting Tips & Tricks
Cultivation: Up-potting Seedlings
Medicine Making: Water Extraction Tools
Medicine Making: Water Extractions- Teas, Infusions, Decoctions, Syrups
Herbal Actions: Alteratives
Meet Chickweed: She has Bones
Profile: Chickweed
Profile: Stinging Nettles
Medicine Making: Nettle Infusions
Stinging Nettle Recipes
Video: Leave it to Cleavers
Profile: Cleavers
Medicine Making: How to make a Cleavers Succus
Cleavers Recipes
Profile: Violet
Profile: Burdock
Medicine Making: Burdock Root Decoction
Profile: Dandelion
Dandelion Recipes
April Intro: Waxing Phase
Cultivation: Hardening off Seedlings
Cultivation: Harvesting Tips
Video: How to Harvest the Mint Family
Medicine Making: Drying & Storing
Video: Drying & Storage Tips
Medicine Making: Poultices & Compresses
Herbal Actions: Demulcents
Video: Meet Plaintain
Profile: Plantain
Plantain Recipes
Profile: Marshmallow
Video: Meet Comfrey
Profile: Comfrey
Profile: Corn Silk
Profile: Mullein
Mullein Recipes
Video: Mullein Through the Seasons
May Intro: Bealtaine
Medicine Making: Herbal Formulations
Spring Recipes
Profile: Hawthorn
Hawthorn Recipes
Medicine Making: Alcohol Extracts
Medicine Making: Fresh Folk Method Tincture
Medicine Making: Dry Ratio Method Tincture
Medicine Making: Tincture Straining
Medicine Making: Dosage
Herbal Actions: Emmenagogues
Profile: Raspberry Leaf
Profile: Vitex
Profile: Red Clover
Video: Meet Red Clover
Profile: Motherwort
Video: Meet Motherwort
Profile: Feverfew
Profile: Black Cohosh
Profile: Mugwort
June Intro: Summer Solstice
Herbal Actions: Energetics
Video: One Way to Make Herbal Syrups
Herbal Actions: Nervines
Profile: Skullcap
Profile: Passionflower
Video: Meet Lemon Balm
Profile: Lemon Balm
Lemon Balm Recipes
Profile: Valerian
Profile: Hops
Profile: Klamath Weed aka St. John's Wort
Profile: Tulsi aka Holy Basil
Profile: Crampbark
Video: Meet Milky Oats
Profile: Milky Oats
Profile: Chamomile
Profile: Lavender
Course Survey
July Intro: Full Lunar Phase
Cultivation: Lunar Gardening
Essential Oils
Video: How to Make a Rosemary Hydrosol
Medicine Making: Hydrosols
Medicine Making: Oil Extractions
Oil of Oregano vs. Oregano Oil
Medicine Making: Balms & Salves
Why not just use essential oils?
Skincare from the Inside Out
FREE PREVIEWHerbal Actions: Diaphoretics
Profile: Cayenne
Profile: Sage
Profile: Elder
Black, Blue, & Red Elder Safety
Elderflower & Elderberry Recipes
Profile: Hyssop
Profile: Mint
Profile: Horseradish
I created Rootcraft for those who feel they don't "fit in" with the herbal crowd.
Unlike many herbal teachers you can find, I didn’t grow up living off the land...
I’d love to say I did, but I grew up in the impoverished Mojave desert in military housing.
Thanks to colonization, I've never had access to elders who could teach me the healing traditions of my ancestors...
But I did have 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 don't preach the doctrine that "natural is the only way" or "everything is toxic and after you".
I used to. And I was... the worst. Through recovering from eating and anxiety disorders and examining privilege and internalized classism, I now encourage & teach leaning on whichever tools you have access to in order to get through this capitalistic, patriarchal hellscape we live in.
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 may not fit in with the herbal crowd. But the plants don't mind.
They allow me to continue learning and experimenting. My path has not been traditional. And that’s okay. Your path doesn't have to look like anyone else's path either.
I’m just here 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.
See what students are saying:
“Absolutely what I was looking for... I have spent years looking for a herbal teacher that walked that line between science and old knowledge. Who didn't dismiss life saving medicine bc of evil big pharma while understanding the importance of medicinal plants. Finally found it :) This course was absolutely worth the money and I learned so much and I really appreciate the teachings around herbalism with regards to health, capitalism, responsible foraging, acknowledging where a lot of the knowledge came from, etc. This is the beginning of a path I wanted to walk for years and will spend the rest of my life learning. Thanks Jovie :)”
-Savannah R. on Module 4: Herbal Actions- How Herbs Work!“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.“Incredibly informative... This course has blown me away with the amount of information provided, how it is made easily accessible without a degree needed to understand it, the explanations of how/why things work, and even medication interactions! The safety that is stressed has made me very comfortable with the information provided. I love that sources are listed so I can always cross reference, just in case. Excellent course that I've already recommended to others!"”
-Judith S. on Module 3: Grow Your Own Medicine- Green Witch Gardening Course“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.Answers the questions:
How much of an herb do I take? and for how long?
How do I harvest & store herbs from my garden to make them last?
What are the parts of plants that make them medicinal?
How can I categorize herbs based on what I need them to do?
What do closely related plants in my garden have in common medicinally? How are they different?
What are my options for working with herbs professionally?
You'll make your own:
Teas, infusions, decoctions, and other quick water-based extractions for immediate use
Tinctures and other potent alcohol-based extractions for longer term use
Infused oils and salves for skin healing
Other extractions: glycerites, syrups, cordials, and herbal vinegars
Proper dosage of herbal medicines
By the end of the course you'll be able to confidently:
Grow & harvest medicinal plants in pots, small gardens, and large spaces
Plant and harvest with the phases of the moon
Harvest different plant parts without damaging the plant
Start seeds, propagate cuttings, and transplant seedlings
Compost, mulch, and amend soil to maintain its health
What time of year a given plant is best worked with
Not just recipes...deep comprehension so that you can decide when, why, and how to work with a given plant.
Learn how herbs act in the body, based on *both* traditional use & scientific research
Organ affinities, primary actions, and secondary actions of plants
Matching an herb with an individual, not a disease
In depth profiles of 30 medicinal plants
Active constituents and plant chemical solubilities
Herbal energetics
Comprehension - not memorization!
Save 50% off of the individual courses! *You must enroll at the top of this page if you're within your 5-day promo window*
One time payment
Monthly Payment Plan
All of the lessons from the following free-standing courses are included throughout this 10-month course
So much more than echinacea and elderberry! A deep-dive into all things immune support so that you can know HOW, WHY, and WHEN to work with dozens of different herbs with different ways of helping the body do its job efficiently.
Nourish and heal skin by learning how, why, and when to work with over a dozen different medicinal plants both topically as well as internally to address the root cause of issues.
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).
Most of the plants we learn are native to Eurasia, and invasive to North America. Since Europe colonized many parts of the world, you may be familiar with these plants as well, especially if you live in a temperate region. If you are in the southern hemisphere or tropical region, you will likely not be familiar with the plants we discuss. Our seasonal courses will also likely not align with your growing times. Due to shipping constraints having to do with customs and package weights, unfortunately, I cannot send Medicine Maker Shipments outside of the continental US
Yes! Questions that may help the entire class can be asked in the discussion section of each lesson. You can interact with fellow students in the private Rootcraft Student Community. This is a great place to bounce ideas, get inspiration, find herbalists in your area, or plan materials sharing! For more individual matters, students are able to reach the instructor directly via email at [email protected]. Response time is typically within 24 hours.
The courses are 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. You have access to the course material for 1-3 years, depending on which course you're in.
Nope!
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.
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.
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!
I offer a 30 day money back guarantee, no strings attached! That will gives you time to go over the materials and see if the program is going to be a good fit for you. No refunds can be given 30 days after the date of your enrollment. If for any reason you’re unable to continue with your payments after the 30-day window, you can pause your payments and program access. When you’re ready to resume your payments, just let us know via email at [email protected] and we will get you back into the program.
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
You’re looking for in-depth wildcrafting or foraging training, because we’re going to focus on growing the plants 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!
Enroll now and start any time you're ready.
Your beginner-friendly 5-day crash course in balanced herbalism. Perfect for those curious about beginning their herbal journey.
(1) 5.0 average ratingLearn how, why, and when to make your own herbal preparations in this self-paced program that balances science & tradition.
(1) 5.0 average ratingLearn to grow, tend, & harvest your own medicinal herbs seasonally. Includes over 30 detailed plant profiles plus Celtic seasonal celebrations. Self-paced, pre-recorded.
(1) 5.0 average ratingTake a self-paced deep-dive into how herbs actually work— Beyond memorization & into embodiment.
(1) 5.0 average rating