On this Page:

• Inclusivity Statement
• Respect for Natural Surroundings
• Ethics of Herbalism
• Photography & Social Media
• Work-Trade
• Cancellation/Withdrawal Policy

Inclusivity Statement

As herbalists, we cherish the biodiversity of the natural world. Likewise, we celebrate all expressions of humanity, as we recognize that diversity, mutual respect, and love are the central pillars upon which our communities build their strength. Everyone suffers under monoculture. To that end, these are our aspirations:

We will treat each other with mutual respect at all times. We will make no assumptions about each other. We will honor the truth of intersectionality and hold space for each other’s lived experiences. When a perspective is different from our own, we will receive it with understanding, not dismissal. When our preconceptions are challenged, we will take notice, name our feelings and our privilege, and strive to adjust our perspective. We will not expect those of less privilege to tutor us in our blind spots, as this is another way of centering the privileged experience.

Due to the nature of the space, accessibility may be an issue for some community members of limited mobility. We want everyone to be able to participate fully in all aspects of the class; however, we also value your safety. Please read “Our Classroom” and contact us to discuss options.

We recognize that as learning, thinking human animals, we make mistakes. If we do not always live up to these expectations, we will strive to grow. Let us be gentle with ourselves as we grow towards enlightenment.

There is no space for hate here, in any form. Anyone who believes discrimination has taken place that violates the spirit of the Inclusivity Statement should bring it to the immediate attention of the school director.

Respect for the Natural Surroundings

Just as we treat each other with love and respect, we must treat our surroundings with the same regard. We will not cause any destruction or disrespect of the natural world through our presence. This includes littering, yelling, roughhousing, picking plants, disturbing nests, smoking, etc. We will also endeavor to be present and appreciate the glory around us as much as possible; let us soak in the beauty through our pores and keep it with us when we go.

Ethics of Herbalism

As a student at the Old Ways Herbal School of Plant Medicine, you have an ethical and moral responsibility to step into your role as a steward of your natural community. Follow ethical wild-crafting guidelines, do not purchase herbs harvested unsustainably or herbs of questionable origin, do not attempt to limit others’ access to knowledge or traditional formulas (including trademarks etc.), and teach others about the ethics that guide herbalism. We will discuss this concept in much more detail in class so don’t worry if it is unfamiliar.  

Photography & Social Media

We welcome student photography during and after class. PLEASE share! I am always trying to collect pictures (because I’m too busy yakking to take any!) and your classmates enjoy it too. You can post them on the Old Ways Herbal facebook page, tag @oldwaysherbal or #oldwaysherbal on Instagram, or email them to me and I will send them to the group. Old Ways Herbal reserves the right to use photos on our social media, emails, or limited advertising if appropriate.

Photos posted on social media should be taken down or made private if someone in the photo requests. If such a request has been made, these will not be used by us on social media or advertising in the future.

If you do not want your picture taken in class at all, you should communicate this to me in writing. In the absence of such a request, the assumption will be that you are willing to be photographed, and that photographs may be used on social media or in advertising (unless you have requested the photo not be used as described above).

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 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.

Cancellation/Withdrawal Policy

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.