Welcome

Hi! 

We are excited about Sierra Herbfest 2021. Join us!

Classes offered online via ZOOM in the Fall season.

Curandero Clients, Limpias, Special Classes by Arrangement

Classes for Fall 2021

•  Native Herbs
•  Lighten Your Heart
•  Urban Wars

Sierra Herbfest 2021 July!

Sierra Herbfest Creek



Sierra Herbfest Attendees

The California School of Hispanic Herbalism is happy to announce the return of the biennial High Sierra Herbfest and Primitive Skills Meet!

Set your calendar for July 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th! Set up is Thursday the 8th and we could use help. We hope folks will show up on Friday or early Saturday.

For those interested in the 2021 Last Annual High Sierra Herbfest and Primitive Skills Meet:

We are asking a donation of $50 USD for our hard work and supplies we will have to purchase for this event.

Reserve your space now!

• If you camp in our group site your camping fees are covered. (Yah!) If you want more privacy you must pay your own camp fees.
• Scheduled to coincide with the new moon in July - for stargazing!
• Charles will be bringing a telescope. If you have one bring it.
• If it crosses your mind, bring something to trade. Dear friend Joe Schilling will be in charge of the trade blanket.
• Also if he is up to it Joe will show you how to make a capote with a large spare blanket. (The one he sent me saved my #@%$ on a cold windy day here in Richmond.)
• Some of the planned activities will be making a capote (a coat sewn from a wool blanket) taught by Joe Schilling. Purchase a surplus blanket online and bring it up with you.
• Wilderness First Aid taught by LVN, EMT, and First Aid instructor Linda Garcia. Take notes. This can save your life.
• Knife knowledge and sharpening. 
• If our good friend Mark Steele is able to join us, prepare for a fascinating lecture on water purification.
• A cooking lesson or two on the use of cast iron pots. Meat, breads, veggies.
• Herb lectures on the use of Native American herbs, introduced European herbs, and medicine making. Bring some pint bottles, wax, and olive oil.
• Spinning and natural dyes taught by Ruth McConnell, Kristy Schilling, and Iris Weaver. 
• Perhaps a dramatic reading of a chapter from FOREVER FAIRE one evening. 
• A community sing. (Don't be embarrassed. It's fun to sing.) 
• A lecture on trepanning. Volunteers might be needed. (Just joking.)
• A short herb walk and perhaps a bit of harvesting. This depends on the amount of plants available. Currently it appears Mullein will be in great supply.
•  A possible lecture on knife self defense for women by Sarah Garcia.
• Fire making by Joe Schilling.
• Spoon making with hot embers.
• How to make great coffee.
• Preserving meat with spices.
• Pickling. (Bring vinegar and quart jars.)
• If there is time and interest...jamming.
• AND MORE!

More info soon!

from the Director:

The Herbfest was inspired by the Mid Atlantic Primitive Skills gattherings in Virginia and Maryland where Lynn and I taught off and on for several years. Charles taught herbs and Lynn taught First Aid for adults and kids. 

Charles started the Herbfest 20 years ago making it a semi annual event. Over the years the event took in many different ways skills....some primitive, some survival (like picking locks and handcuffs) and some esoteric like sun cooking, hands-on healing, and drum meditation. 

This year's event will be dedicated to Ross Cox and all others we have said goodbye to in the past several years.

** Classes on ZOOM! **  Classes may be recorded.

 Hispanic and California Native Herbs

A unique course focusing primarily on the herbs and herbal methods used by Hispanic settlers and Native Californians. This will briefly cover our Asian brethren who added their knowledge and wisdom to the Hispanic lexicon of herbs. This story has seldom if ever been addressed. Estimated to be a 4-to-5 week course.

Anticipated cost $125

Please contact Charles Garcia curandero50@gmail to register.

** Classes on ZOOM! **  Classes may be recorded.

To Lighten Your Heart

Hispanic herbalism has long recognized that depression can be helped by herbs, talk, sunshine, ritual, color, and even food. Furthermore we do not believe in depression.

We believe in DEPRESSIONS, each one needing a specific treatment and plant. All of us have the blues sometimes. But when the blues prevent us from daily tasks, enjoyments, and interfere with your thinking now it becomes something serious.

Therapy and medications can do wonders. I know this to be true. Yet sometimes you need something else!

Learn how lemon balm, tilia, orange blossom, bleeding heart, anemone, rose, and others can lighten your heart. Learn how to prepare each plant, and which individuals or comibinations to use in different situations.

This is estimated to be a three-week course.

Anticipated cost $75

** Classes on ZOOM! **  Classes may be recorded.

The Urban Wars

In several works of fiction 2021 is the start of the Urban Wars. These wars begin due to the widening gap of rich and poor. Of course this can never happen. (???)

I have long wondered what herbs would have been used by the insurrectionists from America to Ireland to South America. I’m going to allow my imagination to explore that question by using experiences from people who actually lived through war and collapsing societies.

Can it happen here?

Anticipated cost $125