Making Medicine in Community

Medicine making has been on my mind a lot lately.

(Gladly, with a smile on my face.)

Sure, summer is often the busy time of harvesting and medicine making for the herbalist such as myself, but September and October seem to bring with it more community medicine making gatherings. At least that seems to be the trend the last few years!

Already this season, I’ve had the opportunity to lead two different medicine making workshops and there are more to come!

A couple of weekends ago, I was in Zumbrota leading a Fire Cider Workshop at Wildmother.

It was such a good time! Diving into what Fire Cider is, exploring the ingredients one-by-one, discussing the many (and unique) ways we can work with this home remedy, then of course chopping and combining beautifully colorful and amazingly aromatic jars of Fire Cider that each attendee got to bring home.

Yes, all of the Fire Cider adjectives are necessary - and still they simply can’t do full justice.

Then, last week, I was invited to speak as part of the staff building day at YWCA Mankato.

We explored the nervous system, women’s hormones, the medicine of the three major seasons of a woman's life (menarche- fertile years- menopause), and then discussed some of the herbal allies that support one or more of these areas. After so much incredible discussion, each staff member got to blend their own personal nervous system support oxymel. The ladies were raving about how good the room smelled - as the room was filled with happy chatter and laughter. They were excited about what they had created, each and every jar was unique, mirroring the uniqueness of each of the ladies who created them.

In a recent conversation with a fellow herb enthusiast, she shared:

“Medicine making in a community setting is magic ✨”

Yes, yes it is.

Community is ‘magic’. Herbal medicine is ‘magic’. Combining the two is incredible!

If you’d like to take part in a medicine making workshop with me this season, I have two opportunities coming up this month (10/2025)!

The first opportunity is a Fire Cider: Make & Take which will be on Saturday, October 25th at Beans Coffee House in North Mankato.

We will gather around the table to explore and make Fire Cider together, just as described above when I shared about the Fire Cider Workshop in Zumbrota. As part of the workshop, each attendee will get to enjoy any 16oz beverage from Beans and make a 32oz jar of Fire Cider to bring home with them!

The second opportunity is a workshop about Digestion & Bitters which will be on Tuesday, October 28th at the Hearth Space (inside Collective Remedy and Willow Pathways) in Mankato.

In this workshop, we will explore the vast topic of digestion - starting with the basics, then diving into some of the most common patterns/symptoms, how to support/heal the digestive system, the dynamic relationship it has with other systems of the body, and of course digestive herbal allies and bitters. As part of this workshop, each attendee will get to create their own digestive bitters blend to bring home (non-alcoholic option is available).

I so look forward to sharing in community and in medicine making in each of these offerings ☺️

Might you find yourself surrounded with good company and a prepared medicine cabinet this season,

Kara