Iris Weaver, M.A. Email & Phone Number

AboutYou want healthier, cleaner, greener foods and medicines and want to know how to find, grow, make some of these for yourself and your family, and to be a good earth steward while you're doing it. You want to avoid synthetic chemicals and actually know what's in your food, your medicine, your body care.With the virus and so much uncharted change you want to be able to have the resources to care for yourself and your family, able to take care of everyday issues.As an herbalist and foraging instructor, I teach the skills you need for knowing where and how to find the plants you need for healthy, affordable food and medicine. I offer classes and lead walks where I teach you to identify what's growing in your yard, your sidewalk, the fields and the woods, and if what you're seeing is useful, will make good food or medicine, is native or invasive, whether it's safe to have around.I started learning what I could do with plants in my teens: first I taught myself how to make natural dyes with plants, then I learned what weeds to eat, and then I learned about natural medicines and other amazing gifts from plants. I read lots of books, got up-close-and-personal with a ton of plants, tasted a whole bunch of them (and am here to tell the tale), took classes, and learned by much trial and error how to make great medicines, body care products, wreaths, and all kinds of useful, fun things with (the help of) plants.I have been teaching classes to individuals and groups for over 40 years. My two favorite kinds of classes are the ones where you get to make something (a salve, lotion, tincture, infused vinegar or oil, a wreath) in class and take it home with you, and the ones where you get to meet the plants face-to-face. Knowing why and how you are doing what you're doing or how to identify what you're seeing is important, so you take home handouts and information on resources. I went to school as an adult and got a certificate in fashion design, and eventually got an M.A. in English. In school I discovered my love of writing which gets expressed in well-written instructions and descriptions that make learning easier. I rediscovered Beginner's Mind, and am frequently reminded to revisit that way of thinking by my students.I invite you to send me Linkedin message to see how I can help you know your local plants and how they can help in this time of intensive change.

Listed skills include Wellness, Health, Healing, Holistic Health, and 26 others.

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  Simmons University, North Shore Community College, Mayer School Of Fashion Design

  Ma-English, Ba-Women'S Studies; Aa-General Studies; Certificate Of Fashion Design