COVID-19 is weird.  Everything is weird.  If things change, they change, we’ll figure it out.

In advance of every class meeting, I’m working hard to get ready for you here at the school.  Handouts are adjusted to reflect the individual interests of the students in each group.  Oils are infused.  Honey is strained.  Tinctures are made, or pressed, or bottled for your sampling pleasure.  I may schedule a special trip to the co-op so we have enough organic apple cider vinegar to go around.  I’ll be visiting our plant friends in the gardens and forest to see who is ready for harvest at the next class, who makes a good talking point on the plant walk, and who should get a group visit because they’re just SO COOL.  In the last days leading up to the class, I’ll be harvesting plants for our tea and as teaching tools, printing up handouts, and cleaning and cleansing our learning space.  All of these things take time, effort, and in some cases money.

When students cancel at the last minute, resources have been wasted: sometimes it’s just my time finding the perfect medicinal mead recipe because of your personal interest in brewing, but sometimes plants have been harvested on your behalf and will now be wasted, or your portion of beeswax has already been weighed and chipped up in anticipation of your presence in our group.

Additionally, the group dynamic shifts and changes with the absence of group members, and that can be very disruptive.  The principle of synergy is one we discuss in great detail in the courses, and it applies to group dynamics as well: our class is more than simply a gathering of individuals.  Instead, we become a cohesive whole centered on our love and respect for plant medicine, the natural world, and our discovery of health and the healing path.  When students cancel at the last minute (or worse, no call/no show), it harms the group dynamic and is hurtful to other students’ experience.

There is a minimum number of students required to hold class, so sometimes last minute cancellations cause the cancellation of the whole class, or a class to be held with too few students to establish a strong group dynamic, which is harmful to the whole group.

If an emergency comes up, talk to me.  I’m a human and I know that things happen.  But please respect how hard we work here behind the scenes to give you such a powerful experience every time you visit, and how damaging your absence can be to your peers.

For all workshops and intensives:

You must cancel at least 7 days in advance to get a refund.  If a rain date is advertised, this policy applies if you can’t make the rain date.  If a rain date is not advertised and I reschedule due to weather, you get a refund if you can’t make the new date.

For all courses:

You must cancel at least 7 days before the start of the course to get a refund.  If you drop out of the course at or before the half way point, you will be refunded half the fee, minus a small materials fee to cover materials bought by me on your behalf for the remaining classes if applicable.  Past the half way point, refunds will not be issued.

Students who sign up for a course one class at a time are also expected to give 7 days notice for cancellations.  No call/no show damages everyone’s experience, as we make every effort to wait for latecomers: not only does it waste resources, but your fellow students miss out due to a late-starting class.  No call/no show students will be expected to pay for the class before attending a future class.

For apprenticeships:

Application deposits will be refunded in full if you are not chosen for the apprenticeship, and are refundable by request up to the application deadline.  The remainder of payment is due by the start of the apprenticeship and payment plans are available.  You must cancel 1 month before the start of the program to receive a refund, minus the application deposit.  If you drop out of the program at or before the half way point, you will be refunded half the program fee, minus the application deposit and the cost of any materials bought by me on your behalf.  Past the half way point of the program, refunds will not be issued.

My mimosa tree bloomed!