Welcome to the
St. Croix Valley Herb Guild
Bringing People and Plants Together
OUR MISSION
Providing meaningful access to herbal knowledge, fostering community connection with like-minded plant enthusiasts, and inspiring a deep relationship with the natural world, through monthly classes and events throughout the St. Croix River Valley area.
1st Annual St. Croix Valley Herb Fest
Join the St. Croix Valley Herb Guild for a day of herbal learning, camaraderie, a vendor marketplace and more!
Stroll the grounds of the beautiful Green Pastures Family Farm nestled alongside the Kinni River and enjoy complementary herbal teas and brews.
See details below for our class line-up.
There are options for all herbal experience!
WHEN:
Saturday, September 13, 8:00am – 5:15pm
WHERE:
Green Pastures Family Farm
263 Liberty Road, River Falls, WI 54022
St. Croix Valley Herb Guild members receive a discount on the admission fee.
Current Members use coupon code: CURRENTMEMBER
(If you want to become a member, or need to renew, you can do so HERE.)
“Babes in arms” are welcome.
Childcare will not be provided for this event.
No dogs allowed.
Tickets are non-refundable.
$95 ($75 for Members)
Class Line-up
Session One – 9:00-10:30
The Immune System: Not what you think it is…
If you think ‘fighting off’ a cold is the role of the immune system, think again! The immune system reflects our response to the world, both physically and emotionally. This provocative class will shake up your understanding of how the immune system functions and what foods, herbs and flower essences make it healthy. Hint: not Echinacea!
Lise Wolff, RH (AHG), MSc. In 1997, Lise began training herbal students through her (nearly) year-long program, Three Seasons of Herbal Wisdom. For almost three decades this program has encouraged students with all levels of knowledge to put their learning to use as professional and community herbalists. In 2023, Lise launched her own online school on the Teachable platform. 2024 was the inaugural year of Three Seasons being offered to an online cohort.
Lise holds a Bachelors Degree from Macalester College and in 2008 graduated with a Masters in Science in Herbalism from the Scottish School of Herbal Medicine, through the University of Wales, the highest level of academic training available in the profession.
In her practice, Lise focuses on the nutritional and healing powers of local plants which she gathers and prepares to supply her apothecary. She maintains her practice in South Minneapolis and is available for private consultations. herbalistlisewolff.com
Tending to Your Heart and Womb
Our heart is both physical and emotional, sensing the spectrum of life every day. Our womb brings life into this world, yet also knows the art of letting go. These two centers of our body are connected, constantly in communication. Working with herbal allies is one way we can begin to tend these wise and sacred places within us. Together, we will explore herbal allies and simple practices that nourish the heart and the womb.
Kara Swenson is a practicing herbalist and integrative nutritionist located in Mankato, Minnesota. She works one-on-one with individuals in herbal consultations, leads local plant walks, and teaches a variety of herbal workshops. Kara is passionate about working with plants that grow in her bioregion as well as connecting with and living in tune with nature. thistlepatchwellness.com
Herbal Medicine Making: Teas, Tinctures & More
The plants that surround us are offering up their help and healing energy, but learning how to use them can sometimes feel daunting. In this workshop, we will discuss some of the many different ways to use plants as medicine. You will learn tried and true methods to prepare tinctures, teas, infusions, decoctions and syrups. Learn the skills you will need to start using herbs more regularly and become more confident in making your own plant medicine and creating your home pharmacy.
In this class we will not be harvesting herbs or discussing individual plants, but instead focusing on the practical skill of medicine making in its different forms.
Marina Povlitzki is an herbalist, flower essence practitioner, and yoga instructor based out of St. Paul, Minnesota. She sees clients for herbal consultations and private movement sessions, and teaches public yoga/fitness classes, herbal education classes, and leads plant walks. Additionally, she creates and sells herbal products for health, wellness and body care. Learn more at plantmagick.com
Harmony with Nature
Align the heart and mind to deepen your connection with nature. Explore the subtle shift in your approach that encourages the honoring of our plant and animal companions. These practical insights nurture a more harmonious relationship with plants and the natural world. Reconnect in ways that fosters stewardship with the earth.
Eva Branson is a lifelong student and lover of nature. It was early on in life that she observed a great healing potential within the natural world. These observations inspired her to study an array of modalities from a Bachelor’s in Science in natural resources to bodywork, energy-work and herbalism; all driven by the desire to help empower people to deepen their connection to the world around them.
Session Two – 10:45-12:15
Adapto-What?
Adaptogens! Dive into the exciting realm of adaptogenic herbs—nature’s incredible plants that help your body adapt to stress and fatigue! Our presentation kicks off with an engaging introduction to adaptogens, followed by an exploration of specific herbs and their unique properties, complete with delightful tastings of their infusions. We’ll also share tips on how to seamlessly incorporate these herbs into your everyday life. If we have a moment to spare, we’ll touch on which of these amazing herbs can be cultivated right here in Minnesota, along with some handy tips for growing and foraging.
LuAnn Raadt was raised on a farm in southern Minnesota and grew up with a love of plants and growing things. Ironically, she now happily gathers many of the “weeds” her family once tried to eradicate and uses them in remedies for common physical ailments and imbalances. Trained under professional herbalists, this farmer’s daughter particularly enjoys identifying plants, learning their botanical markers, and growing a wide variety of medicinal herbs. Most importantly, she is enthusiastic about introducing others to the fascinating world of folk herbalism and teaching them how to make and use herbal products for themselves.
Elder Flower Essence: Loss and Renewal, Autumn and the Tao
Autumn is a time of shedding and of returning to essential energy. But modern humanity and its worship of light, gain and growth have negated and truncated the essential loss, darkness and dying that lead to the qualities of wisdom, inner strength, and renewal.
In this class, we will journey into Chinese Medicine, Taoism, European folklore, herbal medicine, case studies and dreams to help us understand the inscrutable Elder and the deeply important actions of its flower essence.
As it is written in Chapter 6 of the Tao Teh Ching:
The Spirit of the Fountain dies not
It is called the Mysterious Feminine
The Doorway of the Mysterious Feminine
Is called the Root of Heaven and Earth
Lingering like a gossamer, it has only a hint of existence,
And yet when you draw upon it, it is inexhaustible.
Loyola (Loey) Colebeck is an integrative therapist using flower essences and systemic trauma healing methods since 2009. She was professionally accredited in Spain after completing extensive studies in Bach Flower Therapy and integrative therapies at various institutes in Barcelona. Loey has taught Flower Essence Therapy to other professionals during her annual 9-month training program. She translated Pablo Noriega’s book, Bach Flower Essences and Chinese Medicine from Spanish to English. Loey lives in Minneapolis where she also keeps a garden, plays in her apothecary, makes art, and cuddles cats at the municipal shelter. mindisbodytherapies.com
The Third Leg: It’s Not Only About The Plants
Sylvia Burgos Toftness invites you to share questions and experience around this critical aspect of holistic medicinal herbalism: your client’s over-all constitution. While all of us are intent about the benefits available in medicinal plants, and we strive to help our clients/family address the pain/discomfort/injury of the moment, that person’s general constitution is a critical factor in discovering how best to help them.
General constitution includes information such whether they describe themselves as someone with dry skin or plump and moist, who feels the need to pull on a sweater or is always grateful to feel a cool floor beneath bare feet. Are they always hungry, or usually disinterested in snacks? Do they spend hours in front of a computer screen, or do they make a point of walking 30 minutes a day? Do they eat regular meals, smoke, or drink alcohol? Do they enjoy 8-9 hours of shut-eye every night? Are they taking pharmaceuticals/herbal supplements?
As a group, we’ll discuss how we can help our clients/family/community/ourselves take general constitution factors into account to build effective wellness journeys.
After nearly 40 years in service to major manufacturers, higher education, and healthcare, Sylvia Burgos Toftness traded her business suits for tractors and muck boots. She and husband Dave (a chiropractor) established their 72-acre farm as an education and conversation platform. Every year, they welcomed hundreds of visitors for pasture walks and lively conversations about cows, rotational grazing, and sustainable agriculture. They bred, grazed and direct-marketed grass-fed-grass-finished beef on their rocky Wisconsin farm for nearly 15 years.
In fact, Sylvia’s interest in medicinal herbs was sparked by daily managing the herd’s grazing movements across the farm. What were all those plants? In 2024, she launched Herbal Safari©, a way to help people discover and use the helpful plants growing in their own backyards. She does this through guided herb walks and remedy making classes. She is in the Master Herbalist program at the Midwest School of Herbal Studies, Plymouth, Minn. herbalsafari.com
Herbal Salve-Making
Salves are a staple in any medicine makers’ tool kit. We will learn the basics of salve-making, as well as the qualities of different plant medicine to include…for aches and pains, wound care, skin soothing and more. We will also discuss how to adapt the basic recipe to make lip balm.
You’ll leave with your own healing salve, a necessity for the herbal First Aid kit.
Heidi Madsen is the owner of Bluebird Hill Homestead, a medicinal herb farm, apothecary, and educational venue for kids and adults. She has been studying herbalism for over 20 years, and loves to share her passion for the natural world, inspiring people to connect with the plants right outside our door.
She leads a year-round nature club for homeschoolers, as well as several weeks of summer camps, teaching the kids hands-on herbalism, survival skills and natural art. She is the author and illustrator of two children’s books. bluebirdhillhomestead.com
Session Three – 2:00-3:30
Creative Ways of Preserving the Garden/Herbal Bounty
In this class Betsy Nelson will demo some easy ways to preserve the flavorful bounty from your garden veggies and herbs and also the weeds you may pull from it. Betsy will offer some simple and creative ideas for making the most of what you have in the garden. Recipes will be provided and there will be some tasty foods to sample.
Some of the recipes included are:
‘Chimi’Charlie: an Argentinian inspired chimichurri made with Creeping Charlie
Wild/cultivated greens ‘Spanikopita’
Anything Okinamiyaki, a Japanese-inspired vegetable ‘pancake’
Making the most of your dehydrator: foods that can be fabulous dehydrated, therefore not packing your freezer with some things that could be potentially ‘forgotten’.
Think outside the box pestos
Herbal salts and bouillon and broth cubes
Pressed edible flowers for decorating cakes
Herb and fruit ‘powders’
Herbal bitters and liqueurs
Herbal seasoning blends
Herbal tea blends
Betsy Nelson is a native Minnesotan and has always been “herb curious,” finding and tasting plants, flowers and herbs. She has degrees in Psychology and Studio Arts. She then went on to a career as a restaurant chef, her last restaurant gig being the Head Chef at the Aveda Spa and Retreat Center. Currently, Betsy works as a freelance food stylist and recipe developer, and has authored a cookbook, Tasting Minnesota as well as writing recipes for local magazines and food clients. Thinking about food as medicine has led her to study Western Herbalism and Ayurveda, and incorporates this knowledge into her cooking. Betsy is a Certified Herbalist, studying with Lise Wolff, Erin Poirier and Matthew Wood. She is an active forager, finding edible and medicinal plants throughout the Midwest. thatfoodgirl.com
The Art of Fire Cider – Boosting your Immune System Naturally
Warm your body, strengthen your defenses, and embrace an age-old tradition! In this hands-on class, you’ll learn how to craft your own Fire Cider — a powerful herbal tonic known for supporting digestion, boosting immunity, and helping you and your loved ones stay well through the winter months.
We’ll explore the history and purpose of this centuries-old remedy, discuss the benefits of each ingredient, and discover how adding specific herbs can supercharge your recipe. By the end of class, you’ll not only understand the healing properties of Fire Cider but also take home your very own custom-made batch, ready to nourish and protect.
Darcie Schmitz Tessmer is the owner of Capernaum Herbals. She is studying as a Master Herbalist, and she is a Certified Crystal Healer (CCH), Sound Healer, Reiki Practitioner & Biofeedback Practitioner who works with alternative healing to help the body as a whole. By day, she is an Accountant, however, Herbalism is her true passion. I am amazed every day by the incredible help and healing, “secrets” you could say, that God has provided to us through herbs. I have 3 children with my husband Joey and live in Minnesota. The products she designs were made for her family’s needs. She blends all ethically sourced and high quality herbs and resins in all of their formulas. All items are homemade. capernaumherbals.com
The Twelve Tastes
The Twelve Tastes is a wildly informative, experiential class introducing both green and seasoned herbalists to the ultimate language of plants…TASTE! Join Jessie to demystify the taste of herbs and connect their flavors and impressions with their medicinal actions. This is information that every herbalist should know!
Jessie Belden is a mother of wildlings, bioregional folk herbalist, teacher, mentor, farmer, dancer, and singer living on a homestead in western Wisconsin.
Jessie finds great joy in leading her 6 month herbal apprenticeships, workshops, learning to grow and raise her own food, reading books, and spending time with family and friends. She is honored to be a part of this inaugural HerbFest with the SCVHG! flowerfolkapothecary.love
Plant Communication
We will learn about practices and ways that can help us to cultivate an inner pathway that is conducive to being open and building a template and atmosphere where we can truly listen to ourselves. I find that communication with the plants happens best when we can slow down, let go of our busyness or doing and importantly let down our barriers to feeling judged, feeling that the tiny voice that wants to be heard is not nothing. Listening is a feminine and spiritual attribute of our heart, soul, and spirit. It is something we can develop.
In the teachings of my Ojibwe ancestors the Earth is considered as Grandmother, Elder, a sacred relative. We are interconnected with all living, seen and unseen relatives of plants, water, all elements, trees, rocks, fish, animals, birds, the soil, stars, all life. And we have a reciprocal relationship with all creation. At this time in the earth we are learning that we are not separate from the earth and we are learning in many ways what this means.
In the roots of our ancestral and spiritual teachings and language we find wisdom, truth, stories, practices that can help us to grow in all of our various capacities while living with the earth. It takes effort to connect with those and to find and establish the rhythms that are appropriate for us.
Joanna Hill is from the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. I am an Indigenous herbalist. I am from the Wawaazisii clan, one of the original six clans of the Ojibwe. I have studied my own Ojibwe cultural teachings (and is ongoing). I met my Spiritual teacher when I was 24 years old. Some of my studies include mindfulness meditation in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hahn, Vipassana meditation, Naam Yoga, Spring Forest Qigong with Master Chunyi Lin & Master Jim Nance. I studied with a teacher in New Mexico for a few years from 2007- 2011. My love for plants will always be ongoing. I took Lise Wolff’s Three Seasons Herbal course in 2023. I have learned from various cultural teachers throughout my life. There is always something new to learn from the plants.The plants are not only selfless servers, they are guardians and teachers. We have so much to learn from them.
Session Four – 3:45-5:15
Free-Spirited Cocktails
Join Bentley Gillman for an exploration of crafting delicious free-spirited cocktails from wild botanicals. He will reveal his methods for building preparations for either flavor or for their effect on one’s body and mind. Bentley will also lead a discussion on experimentation and the necessity of failure as well as how the senses can information one’s experimentation.
We’ll end the day by making a toast to wild botanicals with a Salted Nettle Lime Cordial on tap for all to share.
Bentley Gillman is a forager, distiller, fermentation guru and author of Cocktails in Bloom. Bentley’s love for flavor and distilling developed in an unexpected place — foraging in the forests of Wisconsin and Minnesota. Over the years, his foraging led to countless flavor and fermentation experiments at home. Through delicious triumphs and some funky failures, he honed his skills and found his passion in the beautiful process of fermentation. As he developed these passions, he worked with Dan and the fantastic crew at the Strip Club Meat & Fish and earned degrees in Philosophy and Religious Studies at the University of Minnesota. Now he applies his skills to crafting excellent spirits and liqueurs for Tattersall. And his drive for experimentation is a major force behind our R&D still. He’s grateful to everyone who taught him along the way, those who tried his craziest experiments and to the Earth that gives so freely. tattersalldistilling.com
Meet Our Board & Planning Committee
Katherine Krumwiede
Katherine Krumwiede is an acupuncturist and owner of Diamond Stone Oriental Medicine, and founder of Solidago Farm. She had the pleasure of being the Board President of the North Country Herbalist Guild for five years, and is looking forward to building our herbal community on this side of the river.
Genevieve Needham
Genevieve Needham lives in Wanderoos, WI. She has been practicing massage for 25 years and witnessing the ebb and flow of life and death through her work as a birth and end-of-life doula. She has cultivated relationships with the plants her whole life.
Amy Hess
A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with training in integrative medical nutrition therapy and a passion for sustainability, Amy is dedicated to advancing knowledge of plants as an approach to holistic wellbeing and fostering community connections through her role on the St Croix Valley Herb Guild board.
Heidi Madsen
Heidi Madsen is the owner and steward of Bluebird Hill Homestead, a medicinal herb farm, apothecary, and educational venue for nature camps and herbalism classes. She is passionate about creating opportunities for people to experience a deep connection with the earth.
Jessie Belden
Jessie Belden is a mother, folk herbalist, teacher, and homesteader currently tending land in Baldwin, WI. She is convicted that tending our inner ecology with plant medicines has a natural result of living in greater harmony with nature and our Creator.
Eva Branson
Eva Branson is a lifelong resident of Hudson, Wisconsin. Since childhood she has had a deep connection to nature and a desire to help people which has lead to the study of several modalities in the healing arts; including formal study of herbalism with Lise Wolf.
Phyllis Jaworski
Phyllis Jaworski is the owner of Sacred Ibis Botanicals. She has a Master of Herbalism certification and supports women suffering from painful and exhausting hormonal imbalances to reconnect with their body, to achieve a greater quality of life, and vitality.