Hands-on workshop with Kerrith Mc Kenzie and Eva-Maria Martin in Burgundy, France.
Kerrith McKenzie
Born in Bombay and trained as a sculptor, after many years as a teacher, Kerrith has spent much of the last 12 years learning about medicinal plants. In his herb garden, a stone’s throw from the Cluniac Abbey of Romainmôtier and set on the site of a long-disappeared chapel dedicated to Saint Anne, he grows 30-odd healing herbs (Burdock and Marshmallow, Willow Herb and Milk Thistle, for example, but also Tulsi and Teasel, Saint John’s Wort and Solomon’s Seal) which he uses to prepare herbal Teas and Tinctures, Soaps and Salves.
« A rose is a rose is a rose», claimed Gertrude Stein in her famous poem of 1913. As every gardener knows, however, the garden it grows in is not just a garden. It is also a prayer, a place of learning and a bridge to the wonders of the natural world. Becoming familiar with the plants that surround us is, in fact, an ideal antidote for the disenchanted materialism Stein was celebrating. In this course, given in tandem with Eva-Maria Martin, Kerrith hopes to share some of the lessons he has learnt from working with the inspiring plants in his garden.
For more than 20 years Eva-Maria has been roaming the mountain meadows and forests in Switzerland and in her native Austria , collecting wild flowers, berries, roots, and mushrooms and learning through numerous seminars and courses how these natural elements can support us in achieving our best health.
Early on she developed her own green drink to detox and re-mineralize, long before these drinks and smoothies became fashionable. She studied iridology in order to gain knowledge about the human body as a whole system, and aroma therapy to learn about the chemical constituents and compounds of plants and how they can be applied in remedies and cosmetics as well as in the household. Courses with herbal experts in the US, in Austria and in Switzerland were another piece in the mosaic about how we can use food and the plants that grow in our backyard and in nature to nourish and heal us.
She prepares her own essential oil mixtures and tinctures which are appreciated by her family and friends as are her home-made cosmetics which only use organic raw materials and natural preservatives.
She now feels confident to share her knowledge and practical experience and so to shed some light on this marvelous treasure that nature provides for us. Her ideal is to help people to begin to reclaim control of - and responsibility for - their own health.
PROGRAM
Saturday, October 19
10h Arrival at La Maison Normande and Introductory talk
10h30 Herb walk: discovering local medicinal plants
12h30 Lunch at La Maison Normande
14h00 Preparation of a Tincture: A Herbal Aid for restful sleep
Preparation of a Body Butter
15h30 Tea
16h00 Infusing dried plants for salve making
Preparation of a lip balm
19h00 Supper at a nearby Restaurant (included in course fee; drinks to be paid by
each participant)
21h00 Presentation/Discussion: Exploring medicinal plants
Sunday, October 20
9h00 Herb walk: discovering local medicinal plants
10h30 Preparation of a warming Chest Rub salve
Preparation of a Herbal Salt
12h30 Lunch at La Maison Normande
14h00 Preparation of Herbal Tea to lift the Spirit
Preparation of Lemonbalm Sirup
16h00 Farewell exchange, tea
Cost: EUR 190
Included in the course fees are the meals (*) and break time refreshments as well as all course material used (creams and oils, alcohol, dried plants, pots, jars, etc). Every participant will receive samples of the preparations we produce during the course. The course fees are due when you receive the confirmation of your reservation.
(*) except for drinks at the dinner in the restaurant which will have to be paid by each participant to the restaurant
IMPORTANT:
Accommodation is not included in the course fee. If you consider attending the seminar we highly recommend booking your accommodation as soon as possible as it is a busy season in Burgundy.
We have pre-reserved rooms at the following properties:
The room rates are EUR 75 for single occupancy of the room, EUR 90 for two people in the room and EUR 110 if three people occupy the room. Rates include breakfast.
The room rates are between EUR 175 and 185 per room with single occupancy and EUR 185 to EUR 195 for double occupancy. Rates include breakfast.
If you book at these properties please mention that you are part of this course so that they will release the rooms to you.
For our cancelation policy please refer to the “Terms and Conditions” on the bottom of every page on this site.
