Sunday, June 7th Class Descriptions
9:00am - 10:30am Classes
Herbal Solidarity and Community Care
with Mimi Budnick
In this workshop we will explore ways that we can share knowledge and material aid to strengthen and support our communities and foster relationships. We'll talk about the difference between charity and mutual aid, look at various models of distribution, and talk through some best practices and things to consider. We'll also take some time for individual reflection about communities folks are connected to and ways that you could offer support within a liberatory framework.
Vital Pregnancy: Safety of Herbs by Trimester
with Mischa Schuler
We’ll move through the arc of pregnancy, from the tentative first trimester to the greater stability of the second trimester to the intuitive nesting of the third trimester leading to the powerful energy of labor… exploring the herbs and dosages which are safe for each trimester and some of the conditions which may arise during each stage of the journey.
Medicine Among the Weeds Walk
with Mo Katz-Christy
Let’s welcome summer by exploring the wonder of wild weeds! Join clinical herbalist Mo Katz-Christy for a stroll around the Armory to learn about the medicine, botany, and magic of medicinal herbs. We will ask, what does it mean to look towards our local plants for medicine, especially when our soils are contaminated and invasive plants abound? What does it mean for a plant to be a “weed”, and where do humans belong in relationship to our ecosystem? We will discuss the bounty of medicinal plants in Somerville and their specific indications and properties. Bring a notebook and get ready to scribble fast as we delight in the bounty of our neighborhood!
with Mimi Budnick
In this workshop we will explore ways that we can share knowledge and material aid to strengthen and support our communities and foster relationships. We'll talk about the difference between charity and mutual aid, look at various models of distribution, and talk through some best practices and things to consider. We'll also take some time for individual reflection about communities folks are connected to and ways that you could offer support within a liberatory framework.
Vital Pregnancy: Safety of Herbs by Trimester
with Mischa Schuler
We’ll move through the arc of pregnancy, from the tentative first trimester to the greater stability of the second trimester to the intuitive nesting of the third trimester leading to the powerful energy of labor… exploring the herbs and dosages which are safe for each trimester and some of the conditions which may arise during each stage of the journey.
Medicine Among the Weeds Walk
with Mo Katz-Christy
Let’s welcome summer by exploring the wonder of wild weeds! Join clinical herbalist Mo Katz-Christy for a stroll around the Armory to learn about the medicine, botany, and magic of medicinal herbs. We will ask, what does it mean to look towards our local plants for medicine, especially when our soils are contaminated and invasive plants abound? What does it mean for a plant to be a “weed”, and where do humans belong in relationship to our ecosystem? We will discuss the bounty of medicinal plants in Somerville and their specific indications and properties. Bring a notebook and get ready to scribble fast as we delight in the bounty of our neighborhood!
11:00am - 12:30am Classes
Plant Allies for Resilience and Resistance
with Mo Katz-Christy
Come cozy up with some tea and learn how we can use plants to build our resilience so that we can continue to resist fascism for the long haul. In this class, we will discuss two main herbal actions: adaptogens and nervines. Adaptogens are herbs that long-term improve our resilience to stressors, and nervines are herbs that directly affect our mood. These can uplift, relax, stimulate, or sedate. We will explore how stress shows up in the body and how herbs can work with our whole bodies to modulate our stress response. This class is for anyone who wants to support themselves and their communities to be nourished, resourced, and connected to our ecosystems.
Herbal Healing: Mocktails for Chronic Pain
with Noah Stang-Osborne and Yvonne Wingard
This workshop will discuss the benefits of several herbs and plants that can be used for chronic health management. We will start with discussing the physical and mental health benefits of gardening, as well as the barriers that are faced by marginalized people such as disabled people and racial minorities. Then, we will talk about the medicinal value of several plants that can be easily accessed or grown in your own garden, and how to grow them. We will show different syrup making methods to make these plants into tasty drinks, which participants will have the opportunity to try. This class will also include discussion about one of the instructor’s lived experiences as a disabled person and how gardening can be more accessible to all.
Healing the Land While Healing Ourselves: Regenerative Gardening as Ancestral Practice
with Toya Walker
This class explores regenerative gardening as both an ecological practice and a personal healing journey, rooted in ancestral knowledge, observation, and reciprocity with the land. Participants will learn how soil health, plant diversity, and intentional planting mirror emotional resilience, rest cycles, and community care. Drawing from lived experience building a Zone 6 regenerative garden, the instructor connects composting, guild planting, and seasonal rhythms to burnout recovery and sustainable living. This is not a “perfect garden” class but a permission-giving one, focused on listening, adapting, and honoring what already grows. Attendees will leave with practical techniques they can apply immediately, alongside a reframed relationship with productivity and rest. The class weaves storytelling, education, and grounding practices into an accessible and empowering experience.
Polished Dirt: Making a Dorodango with Boston Blue Clay
with Emily Wang
Dig into local clay history and geology by making a dorodango (“mud dumpling”): a smooth, shiny sphere made of nothing but dirt! Greater Boston is rich in a glacial marine clay, named Boston Blue Clay, which fueled the local brick-making industry from 1840-1950. Now, this clay goes mostly unnoticed. Let's notice it together through the meditative (and some say, addictive) art of polishing a ball of clay-rich dirt until it shines like a billiard ball! Materials and tools provided.
Tree Walk
with Alex Klein
What trees grow in the urban Boston area and why? This walk with herbalist and arborist Alex Klein will decipher the rationale for why certain trees are planted along city streets and why others grow spontaneously in whatever spare bit of soil or crack in the sidewalk they can find. We'll also talk about interesting medicinal/edible/craft uses of these trees, both historical and contemporary.
with Mo Katz-Christy
Come cozy up with some tea and learn how we can use plants to build our resilience so that we can continue to resist fascism for the long haul. In this class, we will discuss two main herbal actions: adaptogens and nervines. Adaptogens are herbs that long-term improve our resilience to stressors, and nervines are herbs that directly affect our mood. These can uplift, relax, stimulate, or sedate. We will explore how stress shows up in the body and how herbs can work with our whole bodies to modulate our stress response. This class is for anyone who wants to support themselves and their communities to be nourished, resourced, and connected to our ecosystems.
Herbal Healing: Mocktails for Chronic Pain
with Noah Stang-Osborne and Yvonne Wingard
This workshop will discuss the benefits of several herbs and plants that can be used for chronic health management. We will start with discussing the physical and mental health benefits of gardening, as well as the barriers that are faced by marginalized people such as disabled people and racial minorities. Then, we will talk about the medicinal value of several plants that can be easily accessed or grown in your own garden, and how to grow them. We will show different syrup making methods to make these plants into tasty drinks, which participants will have the opportunity to try. This class will also include discussion about one of the instructor’s lived experiences as a disabled person and how gardening can be more accessible to all.
Healing the Land While Healing Ourselves: Regenerative Gardening as Ancestral Practice
with Toya Walker
This class explores regenerative gardening as both an ecological practice and a personal healing journey, rooted in ancestral knowledge, observation, and reciprocity with the land. Participants will learn how soil health, plant diversity, and intentional planting mirror emotional resilience, rest cycles, and community care. Drawing from lived experience building a Zone 6 regenerative garden, the instructor connects composting, guild planting, and seasonal rhythms to burnout recovery and sustainable living. This is not a “perfect garden” class but a permission-giving one, focused on listening, adapting, and honoring what already grows. Attendees will leave with practical techniques they can apply immediately, alongside a reframed relationship with productivity and rest. The class weaves storytelling, education, and grounding practices into an accessible and empowering experience.
Polished Dirt: Making a Dorodango with Boston Blue Clay
with Emily Wang
Dig into local clay history and geology by making a dorodango (“mud dumpling”): a smooth, shiny sphere made of nothing but dirt! Greater Boston is rich in a glacial marine clay, named Boston Blue Clay, which fueled the local brick-making industry from 1840-1950. Now, this clay goes mostly unnoticed. Let's notice it together through the meditative (and some say, addictive) art of polishing a ball of clay-rich dirt until it shines like a billiard ball! Materials and tools provided.
Tree Walk
with Alex Klein
What trees grow in the urban Boston area and why? This walk with herbalist and arborist Alex Klein will decipher the rationale for why certain trees are planted along city streets and why others grow spontaneously in whatever spare bit of soil or crack in the sidewalk they can find. We'll also talk about interesting medicinal/edible/craft uses of these trees, both historical and contemporary.
12:45pm - 1:45pm Classes
Restorative Herb Circle
with Su Cousineau
Learn through doing and being. Join in circle to experience herbs that support mind/body, rest and resilience. Su will highlight some favorite herbs in these categories, and a few related practices. There'll be a little bit of lecture, some fresh and dried herbs to explore, herbal teas + tinctures to sample, a guided plant spirit meditation and a mini herbal spiritual bath practice. Folks are welcome to participate fully or observe as comfortable.
with Su Cousineau
Learn through doing and being. Join in circle to experience herbs that support mind/body, rest and resilience. Su will highlight some favorite herbs in these categories, and a few related practices. There'll be a little bit of lecture, some fresh and dried herbs to explore, herbal teas + tinctures to sample, a guided plant spirit meditation and a mini herbal spiritual bath practice. Folks are welcome to participate fully or observe as comfortable.
2:00pm - 3:30pm Classes
Let's Pickle! An Introduction to Lacto-Fermented Vegetables
with Flora Spivak
This beginner-friendly introduction to fermentation will cover the fundamentals of fermenting vegetables. We'll cover how and why fermentation works, how to keep your ferments safe & when to toss, and the benefits of making and eating fermented foods. You'll observe the process of making sauerkraut and brined pickles, and leave with a printed recipe for both.
Potent Herbal Approaches to Lyme Disease
with Emily French
The Lyme saturation in which we find ourselves is a powerful teacher about post-antibiotic medicine, the incredible ability of bacteria to adapt and survive, and the sophisticated movement of plant medicines through ecosystems and the human body. Once we understand what's happening in our bodies when faced with these infections, we don't have to feel afraid – we know what to do; we can move toward healing.This in-depth workshop covers herbal approaches to the following facets of Lyme Disease: deterrence, infection, acute care, and chronic support. Learn about the most potent plant medicines for Lyme borreliosis and common co-infections, as well as lifestyle and dietary guidelines to strengthen immune health and improve quality of life, whether the goal is avoiding or healing from a long-term Lyme infection. Suitable for herbalists and other health care professionals as well as the general public.
From Herbalist to Herbal Brand
with Lian Bruno
Many herbalists know how to craft powerful plant medicines, but turning those creations into a sustainable business is an entirely different skill set. At markets, we can explain our products in person, share stories about the plants, and connect directly with customers. Online and on shelves, however, our brands and products must speak for themselves. In this class, we’ll explore how herbalists can translate their knowledge into clear, compelling brands, products, and messaging that resonate with modern customers. We’ll look at real examples from the herbal products industry and discuss practical strategies for branding, positioning, and selling herbal products both online and in person. Drawing from my own journey from walking the Herbstalk marketplace over a decade ago to founding Puff Herbals, this session is intended to help the next generation of herbal product makers build businesses that remain true to the ethos of herbalism while reaching a wider audience.
Cyanotype for Honoring Transitions
with Maggie Haaland
Cyanotype printing is an early form of photography, utilizing the rays of the sun to create blue and white prints on paper or cloth. In this workshop, we will work with seasonal leaves and flowers to create beautiful snapshots of this moment in time. Cyanotype is a special medium to work with to honor transitions, celebrations, and milestones in our lives, capturing the energy of the moment onto cloth or paper. Each person will make a few prints and go home with a momento from the very last Herbstalk gathering- a ritual object they can carry with them into the world.
Edible & Medicinal Plants Near the Armory
with Nina Katz
Join herbalist Nina Katz for a plant walk around the neighborhood. We'll discuss and munch on plants, and also review them to make sure that people remember most or all of the ones that we cover.
with Flora Spivak
This beginner-friendly introduction to fermentation will cover the fundamentals of fermenting vegetables. We'll cover how and why fermentation works, how to keep your ferments safe & when to toss, and the benefits of making and eating fermented foods. You'll observe the process of making sauerkraut and brined pickles, and leave with a printed recipe for both.
Potent Herbal Approaches to Lyme Disease
with Emily French
The Lyme saturation in which we find ourselves is a powerful teacher about post-antibiotic medicine, the incredible ability of bacteria to adapt and survive, and the sophisticated movement of plant medicines through ecosystems and the human body. Once we understand what's happening in our bodies when faced with these infections, we don't have to feel afraid – we know what to do; we can move toward healing.This in-depth workshop covers herbal approaches to the following facets of Lyme Disease: deterrence, infection, acute care, and chronic support. Learn about the most potent plant medicines for Lyme borreliosis and common co-infections, as well as lifestyle and dietary guidelines to strengthen immune health and improve quality of life, whether the goal is avoiding or healing from a long-term Lyme infection. Suitable for herbalists and other health care professionals as well as the general public.
From Herbalist to Herbal Brand
with Lian Bruno
Many herbalists know how to craft powerful plant medicines, but turning those creations into a sustainable business is an entirely different skill set. At markets, we can explain our products in person, share stories about the plants, and connect directly with customers. Online and on shelves, however, our brands and products must speak for themselves. In this class, we’ll explore how herbalists can translate their knowledge into clear, compelling brands, products, and messaging that resonate with modern customers. We’ll look at real examples from the herbal products industry and discuss practical strategies for branding, positioning, and selling herbal products both online and in person. Drawing from my own journey from walking the Herbstalk marketplace over a decade ago to founding Puff Herbals, this session is intended to help the next generation of herbal product makers build businesses that remain true to the ethos of herbalism while reaching a wider audience.
Cyanotype for Honoring Transitions
with Maggie Haaland
Cyanotype printing is an early form of photography, utilizing the rays of the sun to create blue and white prints on paper or cloth. In this workshop, we will work with seasonal leaves and flowers to create beautiful snapshots of this moment in time. Cyanotype is a special medium to work with to honor transitions, celebrations, and milestones in our lives, capturing the energy of the moment onto cloth or paper. Each person will make a few prints and go home with a momento from the very last Herbstalk gathering- a ritual object they can carry with them into the world.
Edible & Medicinal Plants Near the Armory
with Nina Katz
Join herbalist Nina Katz for a plant walk around the neighborhood. We'll discuss and munch on plants, and also review them to make sure that people remember most or all of the ones that we cover.
4:00 - 5:30pm Classes
Gut-Level Healing
with Nina Katz
We'll talk about herbs and acupressure for digestive wellness. We will sample relevant herbs and locate and activate acupressure points on ourselves.
Kitchen Herbalism: Cooking with Local Herbs
with Lois Contreras Gutierrez
In this interactive workshop, plant educator and houseplant consultant Lois aka Lola the Plant Lady introduces participants to cooking with locally grown and seasonal herbs. Together we’ll explore herbs that thrive in the Northeast—like parsley, cilantro, basil, mint, thyme, oregano, dill, and chives—and talk about how to use them in everyday cooking. Participants will learn simple ways to add fresh herbs to meals.. We’ll also talk about how using fresh herbs can elevate flavor and support everyday wellbeing. This class is meant to build confidence in the kitchen and help people feel more connected to the plants growing around them. Whether you grow your own herbs, shop at farmers markets, or pick them up at the grocery store, you’ll leave with ideas you can start using right away.
with Nina Katz
We'll talk about herbs and acupressure for digestive wellness. We will sample relevant herbs and locate and activate acupressure points on ourselves.
Kitchen Herbalism: Cooking with Local Herbs
with Lois Contreras Gutierrez
In this interactive workshop, plant educator and houseplant consultant Lois aka Lola the Plant Lady introduces participants to cooking with locally grown and seasonal herbs. Together we’ll explore herbs that thrive in the Northeast—like parsley, cilantro, basil, mint, thyme, oregano, dill, and chives—and talk about how to use them in everyday cooking. Participants will learn simple ways to add fresh herbs to meals.. We’ll also talk about how using fresh herbs can elevate flavor and support everyday wellbeing. This class is meant to build confidence in the kitchen and help people feel more connected to the plants growing around them. Whether you grow your own herbs, shop at farmers markets, or pick them up at the grocery store, you’ll leave with ideas you can start using right away.