Work-Trade Policy

What kind of work?

Work-trade is available in exchange for class attendance. Usually the task is garden work or trail maintenance in the botanical sanctuary.
Social Media work-trade is available for 1 student. This student will take pictures and prepare social media output for Old Ways Herbal, because I just don’t have time in the summer! Please specify if this sounds like something you’d be interested in, and send along pictures/samples of your previous social media output.

When is work-trade?

Work-trade must be completed in full before the class you plan to apply it to, or a clear plan in place for completion of work-trade in a timely fashion.
We have monthly work -trade and volunteer days throughout the season to make it easy for work-traders to schedule their time. It is usually a Thursday or Friday, as I teach most weekends.
Students are also welcome to volunteer for extra work-trade days and bank their time for future class attendance–I always need garden help!

Exceptions to work-trade

If you are a BIPOC, please only consider work-trade if it feels like something you really want to do. Do not feel that you must perform work for your education: far too much is owed in exchange for POC labor already. I have scholarships available specifically for BIPOC, check out the relevant menu option.
If you are unable to perform traditional work-trade due to the way your body works, please be in touch directly to discuss what you are able to do.

How much work?

Workshops: To attend a workshop free of charge, the exchange is 4 hours of work.
Intensives: work-trade can cover half the cost of an intensive. The exchange is 4 hours of work.
Courses: Work-trade is accepted to cover half the cost of a course. For 4 class courses, the exchange is 16 hours of work (2 days). For 5 class courses, the exchange is 20 hours of work (2.5 days).

This practice allows more people to do work-trade and keep their costs down. In very special circumstances, we may allow someone to do full work-trade for an intensive or course.

Please contact us to RSVP and set up a work day. We set aside a few spots in every class for people who want to do work-trade, but they fill up quickly so please contact us early. If the spots are already filled you will be added to a cancellation list and contacted if a spot becomes available.

Please don’t RSVP unless you’re sure you can make it. Work-traders who cancel within 1 week of the class will not be able to do work-trade in the future. This is necessary because we do not have time to offer the work-trade to someone else.