HERBALISTA HEALTH NETWORK

2016 Service Report

Building Community Through Herbalism!

This past year Herbalista continued our mission of building community through herbalism by offering clinical support and educational opportunities. We expanded our reach, offering care not only in Atlanta, but around the country and the world.

Members of Herbalista outside the Open Door Community From L to R: Courtney, Corinne, Lorna, Chelsea, and Hannah

Our mobile clinics facilitated a total of 38 clinics and 10 health fairs in 2016. We worked with hundreds of folks, providing holistic care to those who need it most.

Rain or shine, the Cart makes its rounds.

List of Clinics:

16 Herb Cart Clinics

Woodruff Park (5)
The Open Door Community (1)
The Big House on Ponce (10)

17 Herb Bus Clinics

The Big House on Ponce (10)
The Open Door Community (7)

5 First Aid Stations

The Southeast Women’s Herbal Conference First Aid Station
The “Jungle” Refugee Camp in Calais, France (2 trips)
Herbal First Aid Station at Standing Rock, South Dakota
The Home Sweet Home Foot Care and Wellness Station in Dublin, Ireland

10 Community Health Fairs

The Big House on Ponce (10)

The Herbalista Health Network continued to provide educational programming and facilitated 3 Plant Rambles, 3 Grow a Row Workshops, 5 Pay-It-Forward Medicine Making Workshops, 10 educational series at the Herbalista Community Health Fairs, and 2 Herb Cart Weekend Trainings.

Plant Ramble in Kirkwood Forest on August 28, 2016. Atlanta, Ga

Herbalista began to offer services abroad with Lorna traveling to Europe to both teach and serve. In the summer of 2016, Lorna spent two months in Ireland, England, and France.

She taught the Herbalista model of community health care at both the HerbFeast Conference in Ireland and the Radical Herbalism Gathering in England.

Radical Herbalism Gathering 2016. Shropshire, UK.

Lorna also made 2 trips to the “Jungle” Refugee Camp in Calais, France, offering holistic foot care at an integrative First Aid Station in the heart of the camp.

Refugee First Aid and Foot Care Support Station. Calais, France. June 8, 2016

Back in the States, Herbalista again facilitated the First Aid Station at the Southeast Women’s Herbal Conference. This gathering is the largest herbal conference in the United States, with over 1200 women and children in attendance. Our first aid station is an integrative clinic, staffed by both herbalists and EMT’s.

Southeast Women’s Herbal Conference First Aid Station Crew. Lake Eden, NC. October 16, 2016.

In November of 2016, The Herb Bus drove out to the Standing Rock Reservation to offer relief work at the Oceti Sakowin Herbal First Aid Station. Due to religious and social observances, they had a strong no alcohol policy and we were able to bring lots of non-alcoholic remedies, such as glycerites, capsules, and vinegar extracts to share at the clinic.

Standing Rock Wellness Area. Oceti Sakowin Camp, South Dakota. November 18, 2016.

In December, Lorna traveled back to Europe to continue assisting in the development of community herbal programming.

She taught an foot care workshop in London to the Herbalists without Borders UK Chapter.

Herbalists without Borders UK Foot Care Workshop London, England December 2016

We also began planting the seeds for a new community initiative in Dublin. On December 18th, we staged HerbShare Dublin: a Pay-It-Forward Medicine Making Workshop to prepare supportive remedies to distribute to the Homeless in Dublin to help them get through the winter months.

Medicines made at the Pay-It-Forward Medicine Making Workshop. December 18, 2016. Dublin, Ireland.

The night before our workshop, a campaign called “Home Sweet Home” to end homelessness was initiated by local housing activists and artists. They set up a new shelter in the Apollo House to provide a safe place for those who had been sleeping rough on the streets for the holiday season. Lorna helped form the wellness committee which established rotating practitioners offering massage, physical therapy, herbal support, and foot care for both residents and volunteer staff. We were able to distribute much of our medicine via the Home Sweet Home Campaign!

Foot Care Station at the Apollo House. December 22, 2016. Dublin, Ireland

We felt so fortunate for all of the inspiring people we met along our journey this past year! Here are a few of the great folks who dedicate their lives to building a more compassionate and caring world!

Sister Mary who offers a free foot care clinic for the homeless at the Capuchin Day Shelter in Dublin, Ireland.

All of the health care workers and activists at Standing Rock!

Nurse Cecilia Ibeabuchi of St. Francis House, who provides foot care as a part of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program.

Maggie O’Keeffe, Herbalista and Housing Justice Activist at a Resource Station outside of the GPO in Dublin, Ireland.

Thanks to all of our supporters, sponsors, and volunteers who make this work possible!

We look forward to building a healthier future together!

~The Herbalista Crew

HERBALISTA HEALTH NETWORK

2015 Service Report

Building Community Through Herbalism!

This past year the Herbalista Free Clinic expanded services by adding a new member to our fleet. In January 2015, the Herb Cart hit the pavement to join the Herb Bus providing free herbal healthcare around the Atlanta area.

Together these herb-stations-on-wheels facilitated 38 clinics in 2015, serving hundreds in our local community!

Duane pushes the Herb Cart towards Woodruff Park for a Sunday Clinic alongside the Food Not Bombs Crew. May 2015

We continued to pour sweet, sweet herbal medicine, custom compounding all sorts of remedies for our patients, from teas to tinctures to oils and more! And though we are mobile, we provide regular opportunities for refills so that we can be a service folks can depend on! Over the course of 2015 we poured over 6 gallons of extract blends, 8 pounds of loose herbal blends, 1500 capsules blends, a quart of fixed oil preparations, dozens of aromatic inhalers, salves, spritzers and more!

We served at herbal first aid stations around the country. At these stations, herbalists and conventional practitioners (nurses, EMT’s, ect.) work together, providing patient focused healthcare.

The First Aid Station at the Florida Earthskills Gathering. February 2015

Joining 7Song’s Northeast School of Botanical Medicine to serve at the CALM First Aid Station at the Rainbow Gathering in Manistee National Forest, Michigan. July 2015.

The First Aid Station at the Southeast Women’s Herbal Conference in Lake Eden, North Carolina. October 2015.

This year the Bus drove nearly 10,000 miles delivering healthcare and herbal education in Atlanta and around the country. The 2015 Herbalista Expedition was the Herb Bus’ most ambitious trip yet, clocking 8,000 miles and covering over 20 states during her 2 month voyage.

Viva la Herb Bus!

At well over 200,000 miles, this little bus just keeps on going! The Catholic Worker’s Hippy Kitchen on Skid Row, Los Angeles, CA. August 2015

And while we do rely on donations from the greater community, we are always striving to create more of a self-supporting system, from seed to remedy! This past year we watched Herbalista evolve from a “free clinic” into a “health network.”

( And we’re not done yet. Stay tuned for this year’s Seed Library!)

And as usual, our programming combined service with education!

Processing Tulsi Basil, donated through the Grow A Row Program

Pay-It-Forward Medicine Making Workshop. March 22, 2015 — Creating teabag blends that will stock the free clinic at a Pay-It-Forward Medicine Making Workshops.

The Herb Cart Service Project. Woodruff Park, ATL, GA. January 2015 — Apprentices training through the Herb Cart Service Project.

Health education at the Herbalista Community Health Fair. Big House, Atlanta, GA. March 2015.

It’s hard work I tell ya! Herbalista Community Health Fair at the Big House, Atlanta, GA. June 2015

We made new friends and reconnected with old ones!

Serving alongside the Foot Not Bombs Crew at Woodruff Park. Atl, GA November 2015 — Serving alongside the Foot Not Bombs Crew at Woodruff Park. Atl, GA. November 2015

Atlanta Beltline Fruit Forage and Herb Ramble with Concrete Jungle. September 2015.

The Radical Herbalism Gathering, Shropshire, England. June 2015.

Botanizing in Michigan with 7Song's Northeast School of Botanical Medicine. — Botanizing and wildcrafting in Michigan with 7Song’s Northeast School of Botanical Medicine.

Picking Monarda in Montana with the lovely Kris of Hill Botanicals. July 2015.

Visiting the Olympia Free Clinic in Olympia, Washington. — Visiting Herbalist Renee Davis and the Olympia Free Herbal Clinic in Washington State. July 2015.

Serving with Occupy Medical in Eugene Oregon. August 2015.

Learning and serving at the Gubbio Project for the Homeless in San Francisco with Nurse Roehrick. August 2015.

The California School of Studies. — All aboard! The Herb Bus visited the California School of Herbal Studies. Forrestville, CA. August 2015.

Once again, tending the feet of our friends on the street on Skid Row. Catholic Worker's Hippy Kitchen, Los Angeles, California. — Once again, tending the feet of our friends on the street on Skid Row. Foot Care Friday’s at the Catholic Worker’s Hippy Kitchen, Los Angeles, California. August 2015.

Sitting with white sage in the mountains of southern California. — Sitting with white sage in the Laguna mountains of southern California. August 2015.

Visiting Ponderosa High School in Flagstaff, AZ, where Terra Birds is empowering youth through gardening and permaculture skills. August 2015.

We look forward to a new year filled with herbalistic adventures in healthcare…

Won’t you join us? ~The Herbalista Crew

Each fall I load up the bus and drive to the North Carolina mountains. Destination: the Southeast Women’s Herbal Conference! This annual gathering of women and children is now in it’s 11th year! I am honored to facilitate the Herbal First Aid Station and hold a safe space for our gatherers.

It takes a crew and this year we were lucky to have 6 herbalists and 2 EMT’s providing around the clock care. Next year’s gathering will be October 14th – 16th… hope to see you there!

And we’re home! Once again, our sweet lil’ Herb Bus took this Herbalista safely around the country and back. This year’s expedition ended up covering 8,000 miles of Americana. 8,000 miles of changing circumstance. 8,000 miles of lush forests and scorching drought. 8,000 miles of dilemmas and discovery, scarcity and opportunity, of pain and of healing. It was 8,000 miles to share and to learn. 8,000 miles to think and 8,000 miles to dream.

I thank everyone who gave me this chance. Much appreciation to the clinics and practitioners who hosted me, love to the friends and family who shared my journey, and gratitude to the mighty crew who held it down in the ATL and made it all possible.

And the crew I speak of is larger than Herbalista. It is larger than the Big House or the Open Door Community. Our crew rolls deep. We may not always know each other, but we are headed in the same direction. We may not have realized we had each other’s backs, but we defend the same rights and stand by the same ideals.

A big shout-out to the urban agrarians; the homesteaders and humanitarians; the craftsmen and caretakers; the teachers and radicals; the permaculturalists and pacifists; the wellness warriors and earth champions. Thank you friends of the field, the forest, the street, and the subway. May we continue to rally together, for health and community!

Herbally yours,
~ Lorna

This summer I had the pleasure of returning to volunteer at the LA Catholic Worker’s Foot Clinic. Every Friday they serve the homeless at their center on Skid Row. Lovingly called the “Hippy Kitchen” this is a center for hospitality, offering clinics and meals and more.

The LA Catholic Worker House is a sister community to our Open Door here in Atlanta. We have had a couple of opportunities to visit each other’s foot clinics and share our knowledge and trade ideas. I had such a wonderful time and hope I have the chance to return again soon!

Still buzzing from the Radical Herbalism Gathering in England, I have packed up the Bus and now begin a 2 month expedition around this wild and wondrous county. I will be visiting and serving in free clinics and foot clinics along the way and look forward to sharing my adventures with all of you.

~With Love, Lorna

March 25th, from 11am – 4pm

at the Big House on Ponce

368 Ponce de Leon, Atlanta, GA 30308

Please join us at the Big House each month for access to an array of health services, including Herbal Therapy, Yoga, Reflexology, and more. Services are on a first come, first serve basis, but while you wait your turn, please take part in the free health education classes we will have running throughout the day or take the opportunity to make new friends.

Receive what you need, give as you are able.

All Services from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm:

Herbal Aide

Reflexology

Endless pots of Herbal Tea

Referral and Resource Services

Bonfire Circle

Open Class Schedule:

11:00 – 11:45 – TBA

12:00 – 12:45 – Common Herbs with Gretchen

1:00 – 1:45 – TBA

2:00 – 2:45 – Kitchen Nutrition

3:00 – 3:30 – TBA

2014 Service Report

Another year of adventures in healthcare!

In Atlanta (our herbal hub) we continued regular services at our 2 Herb Bus Stations,

conducting 148 consultations over the course of 22 clinics.

At these monthly clinical rounds, we poured endless pots of seasonal tea, dispensed 6 1/2 gallons of customized tincture formulas (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), 14#’s of raw custom herbal and powder blends, and a variety of other remedies including aromatic inhalers, herbal capsules, and oil rubs.

We served at several herbal first aid stations including:

and the Southeast Women’s Herbal Conference in North Carolina

The Bus drove over 10,000 miles delivering healthcare and herbal education around the country.

The Five Flavors Crew, Lassen National Forest, California

We shared the Herb Bus model of healthcare with classes and communities from Atlanta to California. Some of our hosts included Ponderosa High School, the California School of Herbal Studies, Sacred Plant Traditions, Five Flavors Herbs, Homestead Atlanta, and the High Museum of Art.

We expanded our efforts to make community herbalism sustainable by initiating new programs that combine service with education:

Pay-it-Forward Medicine Making: Teaching medicine making skills while we stock the Herb Bus with needed remedies.

Screen Shot 2014-12-21 at 3.52.34 PM — Grow A Row: Supply locally and sustainably grown herbs to the Herb Bus by enlisting and supporting local farmers in the cultivation of medicinal herbs. A joint project with Funny Farm Atlanta.

Screen Shot 2015-01-02 at 12.31.46 PM — Herb Cart: An Herbalista service project providing herbal first aid while offering learning opportunities for herbalists and herb students.

We made many friends and memories:

Talking buses, gift economy, and tea in Long Beach with Guisepi of the Free Tea Party Bus

Being inspired at the Radical Herbalists Gathering in Shropshire, England.

Spending time with special plants in special places. Anemone on Mount Shasta, California.

Harvesting and preparing medicine to share with my community and those in need. Arnica and Osha, Utah.

Tending the feet of our friends on the street with the Catholic Workers at Friday Foot Care on Skid Row, Los Angeles, California.

For all this and so much more, we are grateful.

We feel fortunate to have this opportunity to serve our community

and thankful for your friendship and support on this journey.

~The Herbalista Crew

Herbalista Crew (Past and Present): Lorna, Corinne, Todd, Amanda, Kaitlin, Lynda, and Anna

WELCOME TO THE HERB CART

Coming in 2015, this service project of the Herbalista Free Clinic will provide free, earth-based care and health education. This pop-up first aid station will set up at soup kitchens and at other marginalized communities around the Atlanta area. We hope this project will not only place more healing herbs into the hands of the people, but also provide an educational opportunity for those looking for herbal, hands on, clinical training.

If you have been looking for a way to put your herbal knowledge to work, if you are looking for a chance to serve your community, then here is the chance to do BOTH!!

To volunteer with the Cart you must meet the following requirements:

CPR and First Aid Certified within the last 2 years. This can be through any number of organizations, such as the Red Cross, American Heart Association, etc. This must be completed prior to attending an Herb Cart Weekend Training Session.
Attend an Herb Cart Weekend Training Session (Herbal First Aid, Herb Cart Protocol, etc.) Each training session is limited to 8 participants. Contact Lorna to register and make payment arrangements.
Train at the Harriet Tubman Free Foot Clinic at least twice (Safety and Sanitation, Clinical Flow, Anti-Oppressive Practice, etc.) This clinic meets every Wednesday Night at the Open Door Community.
Demonstrate herbal competence, compassion & pragmatism as a health worker. Please note, participation in the program is at the discretion of the Herbalista Crew.

We will schedule Herb Cart Clinics on various Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s throughout the year.

To enroll in this project, please email Lorna@herbalista.org

Upcoming Herb Cart Trainings

January 9th – 11th, 2015

Friday evening 7pm – 9:30pm

Saturday from 10am – 5pm

Sunday from 10am – 5pm

Herbalista Headquarters, Atlanta, GA

Cost: $250

February 20th – 22nd, 2015

Friday evening 7pm – 9:30pm

Saturday from 10am – 5pm

Sunday from 10am – 5pm

Herbalista Headquarters, Atlanta, GA

Cost: $250

Each year we set up an Herbal First Aid Station at the Southeast Women’s Herbal Conference to support this gathering of over 1000 women and children. Our clinic is a collaborative effort between EMT’s and Herbalists, as we strive to provide compassionate care for this temporary community. For more information on the clinic (such as how we stock it, staff it, the forms we use, etc.) please check out the SEWHC Herbal First Aid Station Manual. This Manual is a free pdf download available at the herbalista website. And for a glimpse inside this year’s clinic, check out our photo album.

A shot of the apotheke. The Herbal First Aid Station is a combined efforts of many -- the Herbalista Free Clinic, the Appalachian School for Holistic Herbalism, Red Moon Herbs, Traditional Medicinals, and the Clinic Crew! — A shot of the Apotheke.

The weather was lovely this year, the overall energy was so joyful, and I was particularly moved by the keynote given by Rosita Arvigo on service and the dharma of a healer. While I am not situated to speak on the concept of “dharma,” I do know that while our work as herbalists (or any community healthcare provider) is often beautiful. It also requires that we witness and work with deep emotional and physical pain. When we partner with our patients through their struggles, we can be at risk of neglecting our own needs or those of our loved ones. It can also be hard to grapple with the suffering of multiple patients all in the same day. This is what can make a gathering like the Southeast Women’s to be so important, as it brings together a community, all of whom are dedicated to this path. It gives us a chance to nurture and support each other, a chance for care-takers to be cared for. We are grateful to have the chance to do just that.

~Lorna

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Herbalista Blog: Making the Rounds

HERBALISTA HEALTH NETWORK

2016 Service Report

Building Community Through Herbalism!

~The Herbalista Crew

HERBALISTA HEALTH NETWORK

2015 Service Report

Building Community Through Herbalism!

We look forward to a new year filled with herbalistic adventures in healthcare…

Won’t you join us? ~The Herbalista Crew

March 25th, from 11am – 4pm

at the Big House on Ponce

368 Ponce de Leon, Atlanta, GA 30308

Receive what you need, give as you are able.

2014 Service Report

Another year of adventures in healthcare!

For all this and so much more, we are grateful.

We feel fortunate to have this opportunity to serve our community

and thankful for your friendship and support on this journey.