Herbal Harvest Workshop 2017

“Everyone agreed that harvest workshops at the Millard Learning Centre are an excellent way to learn—and feast.” – 2016 participant

Join us for the Galiano Harvest & Herbal Workshop – two amazing days of harvesting, preparing and learning about medicinal and edible herbs in a stunning coastal forest at the Millard Learning Centre on Galiano Island. It’s an intensive, two-day, hands-on retreat, in a fun and supportive atmosphere with two talented instructors.   

A beautiful place to learn

Bring your friends, or plan to make new ones as you visit the Galiano Conservancy’s own cutting-edge Forest Garden, and harvest and prepare lacto-fermented sunchokes. Walk Galiano’s beautiful Douglas fir forest and discover the wild plants that live there, learning their roles in the ecosystem and their traditional medicinal uses. Make kombucha, a lightly-fermented tea, and flavour it with herbs and native plants that you have gathered, and enjoy a fresh lunch that you’ve harvested together in the food forest.     Learn to make your own herbal salves and liniments with samples to take home, and experience  a red cedar steam. You’ll leave with a sense of how people and forests can work together, for each other’s benefit, in a sustainable future.

Check out photos of our 2016 event here.

Your Instructors

Cedana Bourne is Galiano Conservancy’s Agriculture and Nursery Coordinator, and a herbalist who grows or wildcrafts the plants for the formulas she creates for her apothecary. Cedana is also a Registered Holistic Nutritionist who appreciates a delicious whole foods meal. She is a passionate preserver and loves to incorporate wild foods into all kinds of tasty creations from baking to bubbly brews to fermented concoctions. Reed Osler is the Galiano Conservancy Association’s Education Coordinator. She has been sharing her passion for parks and wild places with the public in a professional capacity for over 15 years. She studied herbalism at Pacific Rim College and is a certified Community Herbalist who is especially passionate about native plants, their edibility and their medicinal uses. She also loves music, theatre and art and incorporates these creative pursuits into her programs with children, youth and adults alike.

FAQs

How do I get to Galiano Island? 

Galiano is easily accessible by BC Ferries, from either Vancouver or Victoria. Note that you’ll probably want to arrive the night before the workshop, to be there for a 9:00 am start. Link to BC ferries

What are the hours?

Day 1: 9:00-5 pm. Day 2: 9 am-3:45 pm (to allow you to catch your ferry.)

How do I get there?

The program is at the Millard Learning Centre, 10825 Porlier Pass Rd. Galiano Island. Be there 15 minutes early; park in the parking lot if you can, and walk to down to the Centre. 

Where do I stay?

There’s a variety of accommodations on Galiano Island. We suggest you reserve early. Or, you can camp right at the Learning Centre. If the weather gets nasty you can crash on the floor of the Learning Centre, as long as it’s all tidied up for the course in the morning. We even have camping gear available to rent.

What’s included? What should I bring?

One lunch is included—we’ll be harvesting it and preparing it together. Other meals are your responsibility (there are a few grocery stores on the island.) Accommodation is included if you choose to camp at the learning centre; otherwise you’re welcome to book your own accommodation. Workshop materials and handouts are provided, and you’ll have a liniment, a salve and a SCOBY to take home. Please bring a travel mug, a couple of jars or plastic containers if you have them, garden gloves, a basket, and secateurs (garden clippers). If you don’t have these, just let us know. Plan to dress in layers for cool fall weather; we’ll be outdoors rain or shine for about half the time. 

How do I pay?

To secure your spot, please book and pay online using the system below. You’re also welcome to send or drop off a cheque to our office; we will book your spot when we receive your cheque. 

Cancellation Policy

Refunds (less the 2% Paypal fee) are available up to two weeks before the event. After that point the program is non-refundable. 

We are looking for a volunteer to help with this event. Apply here. 

Contact us for the Galiano Islanders discount.