Plant Teachings Collective

A seven month experiential journey into local plant medicines. 

Plant Teachings Collective is a collaboration between Kootenay based herbalists Patrick Kooyman of Blue Lotus Ethnobotanicals and Travis Cartwright and Marie Zak of Althaea Herbals. In this program, we work with six local herbs that grow wild or are cultivated in the West Kootenay region. We empower participants with the training and skills to use our own built-in sensory tool kit of taste and smell to evaluate, understand and gain insight into the qualities of herbal medicine within their own bodies.

This program includes training in herbal energetics, organoleptics, herbal actions, traditional use, phytochemistry and pharmacology, herbal formulation, and other aspects of working with herbal medicine. As part of this course you will receive six herbal tinctures as well as detailed monographs on each of the herbs that we work with.

Plant Teachings Collective runs from October, 2025 to April, 2026. In-person classes meet once a month on Sundays, exact dates to be determined. All live classes are recorded for later rewatching or for distance students. Extra video content for the course is posted online for class participants.

Event Details:

Date: October, 2025 to April, 2026 (exact dates to be determined)

Location: Nelson, BC (location to be announced)

Registration:

Registration opens August 2024. In-person and online options available. Check back here later for registration and further details.