Since returning from Ireland I've been busily preparing for the upcoming Women's Herbal Retreat. Compiling recipes, filling boxes with herbs, jars, and supplies, and generally getting excited about the long weekend to come. 

In just over a week I'll be gathering with a wonderful group of women for four days of cup-refilling and medicine making in the north woods, with Lake Superior spinning her magic literally just outside our door. 

Counting Green Magic Summer Camp, this will be my fourth retreat. And I have so enjoyed each and every one! The community, the sharing of wisdom, the laughter, the food… it's hard to choose a favorite part of these long weekends together. A passion for making remedies and life-long friendships have taken root at these gatherings, and I'm honored for the part I have been able to play.

I don't have any more retreats planned at the moment, so if you've been holding off now would be a great time to join us. (There is just one bed remaining!) Details follow. 

Included in your retreat:

• 3 nights lodging at the beautiful Lake Superior Barn, all linens provided
• Home-cooked, organic meals and snacks
• Guided plant walk
• Hiking trails through 300 acres of private forest and the Lake Superior shoreline
• Outdoor wood-fired hot tub, sauna, and campfire circle (weather permitting)
• Relaxed, casual classes to learn about and handcraft herbal medicines
• Herbs, ingredients, and packaging for the remedies you will create and bring home
• Recipes and instructions to make the remedies again

Though food and beverages will be included in your stay, alcohol is not provided. However we invite you to bring along a favorite bottle of wine to enjoy in the evening around the fire!

Location:

We will gather together near Maple, WI on the shores of Lake Superior. The Barn will be our home for the weekend, providing ample space for classes, meals, and relaxing. 

The Barn is approximately 1 hour from Duluth, 3 hours from Minneapolis, and 5 hours from Madison. If you will be flying to the retreat please email me and we will arrange affordable transportation from Duluth International Airport to the Barn on Thursday and a return trip on Sunday.  

Meals:

Meals will be simple, nourishing, and home-cooked. Most ingredients will be organic and many will be local. Some will even be herbal! If you have special dietary restrictions do let us know and we'll do our best to accommodate.

Activities:

Our schedule is relaxed, providing plenty of time to hike in the woods, sit by the fire, or soak in the bath. Be sure to bring your walking shoes, outdoor clothing, and any handwork projects you enjoy like knitting, sketching, or journalling.

And – of course – we will have ample time to learn about herbs.

Each day (Friday through Sunday) we will explore herbs and making remedies. These sessions are designed with beginners and advanced beginners in mind. Don't be deterred if you have limited experience working with herbs! Weather permitting we'll also take a guided plant walk, exploring the woods and field for medicinal plants. 

At the end of the retreat each participant will bring home a collection of their own hand-crafted remedies including tinctures, teas, syrups, salves, oils, and more. (Pictured below is most of what each participant created and took home from the Spring 2017 gathering.)

Arrival and Departure:

Arrive on Thursday October 26 between 5:30 and 6 PM. Depart on Sunday October 29 by 1 PM.

Accommodations:

There are four different room options for your stay. (The more affordable options tend to sell out most quickly, so don't delay if that is your preference!)

TS: Twin bed in shared bunk room (five guests per room): $675 per person (one bed remaining)

QB: Queen-sized bed in shared bunk room (five guests per room): $700 per person sold out!

QD: Private room, queen sized-bed, double occupancy: $750 per person sold out!

QS: Private room, queen sized bed, single occupancy: $925 per person sold out!

About your hosts: 

Rachel Wolf has a background in Environmental Education and spent her career-before-motherhood working with children and adults both in the classroom and out in the natural world. More recently Rachel's time has been divided between interest-led homeschooling her two kids, freelance writing about herbs and plant remedies, and running her herbal body care company, LüSa Organics. Rachel is a passionate teacher who delights in making topics accessible to a wide age range and hands-on learning is her specialty.

After a decade owning her own business, Kate Zomboracz is finally willing to admit she is, in fact, a cook.  Her devotion to local, organic food came from a strong environmental ethic developed while studying philosophy, environmental biology & sustainable agriculture and has evolved into her family's Community Supported Kitchen.  She works, lives and learns side by side with her three (wild and free) kids and husband.

How to Register:

Registration is now open! If you are interested in joining us, please RSVP via email at your earliest convenience. 

As we anticipate all of our slots filling quickly, please reply with your first choice bunk option and any acceptable second choices using the codes above (TS, QB, QD, QS).

50% of payment is due at time of registration, with the remaining 50% is due on October 1. Registration is non-refundable but we'll certainly do our best to fill your spot if life gets messy and you find you can't make it.

Some words from past retreat participants:

"This retreat was everything I dreamed it would be and more. Because how often do your dreams become reality? Rachel's warm and gentle spirit permeated the whole experience. Her wisdom is priceless. We shared an amazing fellowship, phenomenal food, and learned lifelong skills as well as took away a remarkable amount of herbal remedies! So grateful for the experience and cannot wait to do it again!"

and…

"The herbal retreat was incredibly relaxing and fulfilling and the food provided was amazing, wholesome, and nourishing. The herbal information provided was invaluable. This is the information your grandmother and mother would have given you centuries ago, but here you are, in a company of beautiful women, learning it midway through life. It is wonderful, uplifting, freeing, and will forever be in your heart and mind."