4/12/2016
Kara Buchanan and her husband, Gus, have been gardening at Rock Point School since they first moved into the dormitory in 1989. When Kara began studies in medicinal herbalism, they devoted most of their gardening efforts to cultivating medicinal plants.
With the help of a few dedicated plant lovers, students and community volunteers, the herb garden, first created in 2001, has been renewed and replanted in recent years to create an educational resource for Rock Point students, UVM groups and local students of herbalism, and producing medicine for the community.
This year, Kara has partnered with fellow community herbalist, Kate Elmer Westdijk of Spoonful Herbals. The garden will be one of several learning spaces as part of their Herbalism Apprenticeship Program. Apprentices will learn about both cultivated and wild medicinal plants and to make a variety of herbal preparations to be shared with the community through a CSH or Community Supported Herbalism Share program (think local CSA farm share, but with herbal products instead of veggies!)
Once per month, June-Nov., shareholders will pick up their shares at Rock Point. (or at another South end location) Season wellness formulas, medicine cabinet staples, and creative culinary and nutritive blends will be offered. Shareholders will be offered plenty of detailed guidance about using the herbal formulas and the plants used to make them. Guided tours of the gardens and wild plants on the Point and workshops will be offered as part of some pickups, too.
There is still time to join, if you’d like to receive herbal shares this season!
Please see the Spoonful Herbals website for more details and to sign up for a share.
Kara and Kate would love to offer educational herbal opportunities in the garden, the field and forests for other Rock Point partners and groups. Please inquire! spoonfulcsh@gmail.com or karabuchanan@gmail.com