Herbalism resources for beginners

Dec 22, 2024

Updated: Jan 7

Herbal medicine is the people’s medicine. It should be accessible and available to everyone who wants to learn. This knowledge was traditionally passed on from elders, unfortunately, this is no longer a common family dynamic and we are losing this tradition if not already lost already. More people are reaching out to learn these methods and are faced with a lot of information.

There are many resources on herbalism available however not all are reputable and while well meaning internet and e-book articles are abundant, it's important to be aware that there is misinformation around the subject that may share anecdotal experiences which are a good read but should not to be taken as valid training or as a resource. Herbalism is a part of a holistic approach to an individual and their own health journey. A person’s health is their own responsibility and they have the right to their own agency involving the method, treatment and terms. A person’s constitution is unique to the individual and what works for one person may not be best for another. The following resources I share are from teachers and organizations I know and trust.

Set your intention: why do you want to learn herbalism? Is it to connect to nature? Live a healthier life? Heal an ailment? Manage a health condition? Find alternatives to over the counter remedies?

There are so many reasons to want to begin learning, and all of them are valid. Hone in on your “why” to best navigate.

Start building your foundation: if you want to grow your own herbs, forage, or work with fresh plants, it’s imperative to learn plant identification. It’s also important to learn about any deadly poisonous plants that are growing in your area that could look similar to the medicinal plants you are growing/ foraging for.

If you want to buy dried or fresh herbs from someone else, it’s important to make sure that they are reputable as third party sellers have been known to use fillers to increase profit (dried) and/or not have a verification program in place. If you are unsure, contact the seller for the verification process. A reputable grower/seller will have no issue sharing this information to you as a buyer.

If you want to make salves, tinctures, etc it’s important to learn best practices for this, be it through a course or book.

If you want to buy pre-made remedies, it’s important to make sure the person you are buying it from are reputable.

Resources to avoid:

AI generators

Google searches

Taking advice from internet forums

Taking advice at face value from anyone who doesn’t have the credentials to offer such advice

Start with your community:

Get to know your local herbalists, environmental organizations, and plant societies. Find local plant walks in your area and learn first hand from trained herbalists and botanists the medicinal plants that are growing in your area. This is an excellent way to begin your learning. You can often find these offerings for free through your local library or municipality. Earth Day events are often good places to go to meet local herbalists and/or people who will provide connections. Plant people are generally excited to share information with persons who wish to learn and usually quite generous with their time.

Books:

You have to be careful these days with books. There are more and more that are written by AI and published for profit.

Here are books that I have personally read, that I recommend as a great starting point:

The Healing Garden by Juliet Blankenspoor

Pacific Northwest Foraging by Douglas Deur

Pacific Northwest Medicinal Plants by Scott Kloos

Evolutionary Herbalism by Sajah Popham

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Invasive Plant Medicine by Timothy Lee Scott

Aphrodisiac by Kimberley Gallagher

Plant Witchery by Juliet Diaz

Earth Magic by Steven Farmer