The Arctos Herbalism & Ecosystems Intensive

blue, star-shaped borage flowers backlit by the sun with their hairs glowing
a group of herbalists smiling and showing off their mugwort wands on the porch of a teal house

Announcing the 2027 Arctos Herbalism & Ecosystems Intensive!

Our most in-depth 2027 program is the Herbalism & Ecosystems Intensive. This deep dive into place-based community herbalism runs April 7 - June 24. We meet on Wednesdays and Thursdays each week so that we can spend one day outdoors, experiencing plants in their environments, and devote our other day each week to kitchen and classroom learning.

In this intensive 120-hour course, we’ll build a solid understanding for a well-rounded herbalist:
CONNECTION with the land that we live on through the lenses of botany and ethical wildcrafting;
UNDERSTANDING of medicinal plant actions through organoleptics, phytoconstituents, and herbal energetics;
HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE with making tinctures and medicinal-strength preparations;
& IN-DEPTH exploration of materia medica using native plants, weeds, kitchen herbs, and garden botanicals.

As an in-person learning experience, this class builds community, grows experiential knowledge of botanical medicine, and carries the satisfaction of making herbal remedies with fresh plants. Students who complete this ten-week course are invited to sign up for seasonal offerings later in the year that build on this foundation.

The HEI is for community-oriented people who want to gain the skills to make their own botanical remedies and to take care of their friends and families with accessible herbal tools. Participants will have the joy of steeping themselves in the magic and medicine of plants and place. It may sound too bold to be true, but these experiences can and do change lives.

  • Class meets every Wednesday & Thursday from 10am-4pm from April 7 through June 24.

    Wednesday field trips are usually 30-75 minutes from Portland. Students are encouraged to carpool.

    Thursday classroom days are in SE Portland.

    There is a break for the weeks of May 12 & 19.

  • Wednesday field day classes are held outdoors within 90 minutes of Portland, Oregon. Students are encouraged to carpool.

    Thursday classes are held at Missy’s home in SE Portland. Nearby bus lines include the 72, the 15, and the 20.

    All classes are in person.

  • The Herbalism & Ecosystems Intensive features Missy Rohs as the lead instructor, with Gradey Proctor teaching botany & ecology for field days.

  • There is no application fee to interview & apply for the Herbalism & Ecosystems Intensive.

    The cost of the HEI is $1995. Payment plans are available.

    Discounted early admission is $1750 now through December 31st! To take advantage of this reduced rate, your interview must be completed and deposit must be received no later than 12/31/26.