HERB - What classes would you like to see?

[Christine A Seelye-King]

>While well attended, more than other classes, the class that was 
>taught on herbs and spices at this university session was geared >toward
the most basic of beginners. 
>Much to my dismay, this has been the case of every society-sponsored
>herb/spice class I've ever attended.

I, too, have found this to be true.  I have taken several herb classes in
the SCA, only to be dissapointed in their beginner approach.  The last
one I took at Pennsic, there was general agreement afterwards that there
should be beginner and advanced topics offered.  

> I think there's a clear need for classes that go beyond the information
>that can typically be called "classification" or "encyclopedia"
>information. Few books or classes actually address how spices and >herbs
were actually used in period or the theories behind how they >were
actually used.
>What classes can you think of that accomplish this? What classes
>have you always wanted to see being taught? What have you always
>wanted to know about herbs? Ideas, anyone?

I have included a section on herbs as part of the Curriculum for the
School of Culinary Sciences.  It is a section (department, if you will)
that someone could specialize in, (which means recieve a Lector degree in
the topic for RUM purposes).  I have taught several 'specialty' herb
classes.  The one that is most often requested and best attended is
"Making and Using Herbal Preparations".  I do it either in a kitchen or
with a hot plate.  I cover all types of herbal preparations, giving
definitions (what is a tincture, decoction, and essence, and what are the
differences between them; what is an herbal lozenge, and what is one used
for?; etc.)  and also bring examples of everything I cover, including
commercially available products and homemade ones.   I usually
demonstrate a few, such as a distillation (using the stove or hot plate
and a large pot, an internal trivet, a small bowl inside, and a large
bowl as a lid, filled with ice); a poultice using an aloe;  and others,
depending on the ingredients I have available at the time of the class.  
	I have also taught "Herbs for Camping", which discusses
preparations to take along with you, such as bug bite lotion, aloe,
cinnamon for fire ant hills, as well as discussing herbs commonly found
while camping (obviously requires knowledge of the camp site ahead of
time, and would vary depending on the region).  
	I have taught the "History of Herbal Medicine" which includes
some history of Medicine and discussion on various treatises, and the
difference between Arabic medicine and what developed as European
'medicine' with the advent of Christianity.  I take it right up through
the present, as the history of the herbal is chequered at best, and was
only revived in the 1960's (thank you Euell Gibbons).  
	Leafing through my herb notebook, I find other class outlines
entitled:
	Various Mythologies surrounding Herbal Healing Gardens
and some modern classes I have taken from a friend (now my boss)
	Oriental Herbs
	Detoxifying from the Holidays
	Herbal Nutrition
(obviously out of period, but interesting classes, nonetheless!)

The other most valuable time spent with fellow herbalists is the Herb
Walk.  I have done this at Pennsic numerous times, both as a student, and
a couple of times as a Pro Tem instructor!  Baroness Sadira (?) is a
wonderful one to go on a Pennsic herb walk with, she even put together a
Pennsic Herbal one year.  A visit to an herb farm is a really good field
trip, we have found some near to sites and done this on Sunday afternoon
(as we left the site) a couple of times. 
The same holds true for a cook's field trip to a really good Farmer's
market, but that is a discussion for another list. 
	Mistress Christianna 
	


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