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(2-Day) Herb Weekend: 13 Workshops


  • Deep River Folk School 282 Rising Sun Way Franklinville, NC, 27248 (map)

Cost for attending both days of the Herb Weekend is discounted to $140.00

Attending one day only, a full day either Saturday or Sunday, is $80 for adults / $40 for youth. There is also a "Rustic Camping Option ($10/night). See details and registration below.

Morning Workshops, Choose One
8:30am - 11:45am

Native Plant Herb Walk in Pollinator Garden

Instructor: Erin Cummings

We will walk through a lovely native pollinator garden that includes a lot of medicinal herbs. See the conditions these herbs grow and thrive in and learn about how to grow them and how to use them in your day-to-day life.

Herbs in a jar

Introduction to Medicinal Herbs for Health and Vitality

Instructor: Henrietta Cummings

In this workshop, we will go over the history of medicinal herbs, types of herbal supplements, how-to examples, specific medicinal properties of culinary herbs, common local wild plants, easy-to-grow herbs, and more, while we sample various preparations of herbs for health and vitality.

lemon balm tea

Nervous System Support in these trying times

Instructor: Ricky Bratz

More information to come.


Community Lunch, provided and time to visit the Vendor area
noon - 2pm

Lunch is included! A key part of the Folk School is community, and sharing a meal is one of the best ways we know of to get to know one another and build community. There are always plenty of options to suit various dietary needs, including gluten free, dairy free, meat free, vegan. If you have particular dietary restrictions that you’d like to share with us, of course just send us a message so that we can be aware of your need so that we can be sure to accommodate it or communicated clearly with you if we think we cannot.


Saturday Afternoon Workshops, Choose One
2pm - 4:45pm

Native Plant Herb Walk in Pollinator Garden

Instructors: Erin Cummings and Ricky Bratz

We will walk through a lovely native pollinator garden that includes a lot of medicinal herbs. See the conditions these herbs grow and thrive in and learn about how to grow them and how to use them in your day-to-day life.

Fresh herb tea

Tea Talkin' with Hannah, farmer and herbalist of Poppysol Farm + Apothecary 

Instructor: Hannah Popish

Do you love sipping on herbal tea? Do you maybe even already grow some of your own herbs and are curious how to blend them together? Get ready to engage all your senses and work with some common herbs at the height of their growing season to learn proper harvesting and blending techniques based on taste, purpose and intention. We will also go over brewing techniques when using different parts of the plants (flowers, leaves, roots). Together, we will make a sun tea with fresh herbs for you to try and you will also be able to blend and take home a sample of a tea blend with dried herbs, thus understanding the differences between working with fresh versus dried plant material.

pregnant lady

Herbs during period of Conception, during Pregnancy and during Lactation

Instructors: Nancy Harman and Henrietta Cummings

More information to come.


Sunday Morning Workshops, Choose One
9am - 11:45am (Note: Distillation workshop lasts until 1pm)

herbs garden

Wild Plant Herb Walk on River Trail

Instructor: Ricky Bratz

More information to come.

Cooking with Herbs 

Instructors: Henrietta Cummings and Erin Cummings

In this hands-on workshop, we will discuss how to make herbal-infused vinegars and oils, and will make herbal salad dressings from already made infused vinegars and oils. We will make sauces such as tzatziki sauce, herb butters, and pesto with its many variations from propagated and wildcrafted herbs. We will discuss various herbs to use and ways to make herbal yogurt cheese, and try some already made.  There will be recipes for many food preparations that include herbs and information on growing, harvesting, and storing herbs for cooking.

Aromatic Distillation (9am – 1pm)

Instructor: Sunshine Dawson

Join Sunshine for an interactive class on aromatic distillation using a traditional copper alembic still. Learn the nuts and bolts of setting up a still, participate in, and learn how and when to harvest plant material and pack the still. Watch as the alchemy unfolds as you co-create a distillation of fresh plants collected on site. Sunshine will discuss best practices to create potent, stable hydrosols and how to store and use them.


Community Lunch, provided and time to visit the Vendor area
noon – 2:30pm

Lunch is included! A key part of the Folk School is community, and sharing a meal is one of the best ways we know of to get to know one another and build community. There are always plenty of options to suit various dietary needs, including gluten free, dairy free, meat free, vegan. If you have particular dietary restrictions that you’d like to share with us, of course just send us a message so that we can be aware of your need so that we can be sure to accommodate it or communicated clearly with you if we think we cannot.


Sunday Afternoon Workshops, Choose One
2:30pm - 5:00pm

Botanical Cream Making

Instructor: Sunshine Dawson

Come and learn how to make your own silky smooth, effective creams rich with beneficial botanical oils and extracts! Sunshine has been making her own skin and body care, including creams for over 20 years with only natural ingredients. 
In this hands-on class, we will explore all the different potential ingredients used in creams; go over a basic cream recipe you can use as a base, and together make a decadent body cream for all participants to take home. Detailed handouts included!

Elderberry

Digestive Health and Immune Support including Making Elderberry Syrup.

Instructor: Ricky Bratz

More information to come.

Wild Plant Herb Walk on River Trail

Instructors: Erin Cummings

More information to come.

Native Plant Walk in Pollinator Garden – Growing and Harvesting your own Tea herbs

Instructors: Hannah Popish

Walk the Pollinator Garden with Hannah Popish while she discusses some of her favorite herbs in the garden for teas. She will talk about how to grow and maintain, what parts of the plant to use, how and when to harvest, how to make a tea (herbal infusion or decoction), good herbs to blend the plant with and more while you are viewing the herb growing.


Register to Join Us!

Herb Weekend: Sept 20 & 21, 2025

From $40

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