Mountain Man Protocols with Herbs
For a little more than a generation the mountain man of legend were the true survivors of the wilderness. Men like Hugh Glass, Jim Bridger, Kit Carson, Jeremiah Johnston (yes he was real) opened paths to the west. How they lived are still studied by historians and bushcraft enthusiasts. Using these protocols for survival a new way to study herbs has been developed.
Fire, water, food, shelter were the primary rules for survival. What herbs can be used to match these necessities? What can bring you warmth? What can help your thirst? What will sustain you for long periods of time?
This type of course has NEVER been taught before. Be the first class to enjoy this novel way of learning basic and advanced herbs.
Starting Thursday February 18th 4 p.m. Pacific Time. This will be three classes.
Cost if the course is $85.
Payment will be through paypal.me/curandero50
This class may be recorded.
Starting: Thursday, February 18th, 2021 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time ZOOM! online Three (3) Sessions
Cost: $85
Advance registration is required.paypal.me/curandero50 Register via e-mail: curandero50@gmail.com
Classes Starting April 2021
** Classes on ZOOM! **
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.
Please contact Charles Garcia curandero50@gmail to register.
Payment is through paypal.me/curandero50 .
This class may be recorded.
Starting: Tuesday April 27th, 2021 4:00 p.m. Pacific TimeZOOM! online Four-to-Five (4-5) Sessions
Cost: $110
Advance registration is required.paypal.me/curandero50 Register via e-mail: curandero50@gmail.com
** Classes on ZOOM! **
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
Pay DBA using PayPal.Me PAYPAL.ME Pay DBA using PayPal.Me Go to paypal.me/curandero50 and type in the amount. Since it’s PayPal, it's easy and secure. Don’t have a PayPal account? No worries.
This class may be recorded.
Starting: Thursday April 29th, 2021 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time ZOOM! online Three (3) Sessions
Cost: $100
Advance registration is required.paypal.me/curandero50 Register via e-mail: curandero50@gmail.com
** Classes on ZOOM! **
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
Payment will be through paypal.me/curandero50
This class may be recorded.
Starting: Sunday May 16th, 2021 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time ZOOM! online Three (3) Sessions (1hour plus)
Cost: $125
Advance registration is required.paypal.me/curandero50 Register via e-mail: curandero50@gmail.com
Charles R Garcia , has been invited to present at the American Herbalists Guild inaugural spring event!
Assembly of Flowers: Medicine Stories & Tea Time with Herbalists!
May 22, 2021
Visit the official event page with registration and all event information (this link opens a new page.)https://whova.com/web/ahgsp_202105/
Sierra Herbfest 2021
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 $50 USD for our hard work and supplies we will have to purchase for this event.
If you camp in our group site your camping fees are covered. (Yah!) If you want more privacy you must pay your own camp fees.
Scheduled to coincide with the new moon in July - for stargazing!
Charles will be bringing a telescope. If you have one bring it.
If it crosses your mind, bring something to trade. Dear friend Joe Schilling will be in charge of the trade blanket.
Also if he is up to it Joe will show you how to make a capote with a large spare blanket. (The one he sent me saved my #@%$ 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.
HH – Thursdays 4:30 PM PT
Thursday Topics
June 25th - The Herb Garden
May 28th - The Bugout Kit and Herbs
May 21st - Blackberry Leaf
May 07th - Lemon Balm
April 02nd - Long-Term Disaster Herbs
Register via e-mail: curandero50@gmail.com $20/Session: Paypal.curandero50@gmail.com
Recent Classes
In Person Classes Postponed due to CA quarantines
! Advanced Disaster Herbalism !
Five Sessions. A five-week course continuing on the use of herbal medicine in long-term disaster situations, such as earthquakes, social upheaval, wildfires, power outages, and perhaps a zombie apocalypse! (Not really.)
Heavy on practical hands on training. We will cover the use of local and common herbs found in the San Francisco Bay area.
Students will also create their own survival tins !
Discussion will include support for the homeless, disadvantaged populations, the Spanish Flu of 1918-19 and the current novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19.
Students wil be instructed in serious hygiene, the mixing and use of essential oils to avoid secondary infection, saging tents with white sage smoke , found to be effective against other viruses that are airborne.
In-Person Classes Postponed due to California Quarantine
Starting: In-Person TBA - see ZOOM Lecture Series Thursday evenings 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 2801 Lincoln Ave, Richmond, CA Five (5) Sessions
Cost: $175.25 Paypal.curandero50@gmail.com Register via e-mail: curandero50@gmail.com
More Classes
From your suggestions, courses on request. For example:
Native Plants! An experimental course focusing only on the plants used by California Natives, with less input from European herbs. This will be hands on .
Survivalists? Preppers! Especially for the Prepper and Survivalist Community, because you can only stock up so much medicine for so long until it goes bad! From Co-Director Lori Pino, this course will be an Intensive based on the survival techniques in Forever Faire and the sequel Return to Faire .
Our Purpose
Lori and Charles March 2012
The California School of
Hispanic Herbalism officially opened its doors in January
of 1998 in the San Francisco East Bay city of Richmond, California, to teach
and preserve the healing traditions of the Hispanic curanderos and curanderas
(folk healers) of California. Many of these classes had been informally taught
for two years prior to the creation of the school.
Primarily offering classes in herbalism, the school
also stresses an understanding of Curanderismo, the healing techniques and
philosophies of Native-Hispanic California. The cross-cultural influences
of European and Asian herbs, along with the use of native plants, made California
Curanderismo a unique and potent healing medium. These practices also include
the use of intuitive diagnosis skills, psychoactive plants, ritual and magic.
Charles and Lori will also perform ritual healings based on the folklore rites of curanderismo, for those unfortunates who feel their illness is of a spiritual nature. They also investigate some paranormal activities, and may attempt a "limpia" (cleansing) of a person or place if absolutely necessary. We do not video tape our rituals or limpias for the privacy of our clients and their family. We do not use psychics or mediums in our cases again for reasons of privacy. We do use scientific equipment to help us determine if any paranormal activity is present.
Contact Us
e-mail: curandero50@gmail.com
Please leave clear phone messages. Do not rush through.
