Workshops
Build resilience in your life and reduce your dependence on the pharmaceutical industry by learning how to grow your own herbs and make your own herbal remedies.
Herb South is offering four weekend courses that will teach you the basics of herbal medicine so you can begin your journey towards confidence in land-based, natural care for yourself and loved ones.
"Herb 1" is a pre-requisite to the subsequent courses, which can be attended in any order.
Herb 1 - Introduction to Herbal Medicine + Herbal First Aid
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In this two day course we will learn the basics of herbal tastes and actions, meeting approximately 20 herbs in the herbal learning garden. We will focus in on 10 of those plants with particular application in first aid, and learn how to make poultices, compresses, infusions, herbal oils, balms and creams.
In this two day course we will cover...
Four tastes and their actions:
- bitter
- astringent
- demulcent
- aromatic
Plant preparations for first aid, including:
- Cold infusions
- Hot infusions and compresses
- Powders
- Poultices and principles of wound healing
We will learn how to make the following:
- Medicinal oils (two methods)
- Balm making
- Cream making
Herbs we will learn about in this course:
Plantain, yarrow, uva ursi, raspberry leaf, calendula, marshmallow, chamomile, comfrey, St John’s wort, elderflower
You will take home with you:
- A herbal first aid kit containing sample packets of dried herbs along with other useful ingredients such as activated charcoal, eye wash cup, crepe bandage, splinter removing tool, a medicinal oil, and four types of medicinal creams.- A set of laminated herbal cards to remind you about some of the key herbs you have learnt about- A book with all the recipes and information from the weekend and a herbarium section with details about the 10 herbs you will meet on this course.
Dates:
17-18 January 2026 9:30am - 4:30pm - FULLY BOOKED24-25 January 2026 9:30am - 4:30pm - FULLY BOOKED31 January - 1 February 2026 9:30am - 4:30pm - FULLY BOOKED
Tutor: Sophie FeberyVenue: 7 Dunns Road, Mataura (participants will need to find their own accommodation).
Cost: $360 includes lunch and afternoon tea, a course book and herbal first aid kit to take home with you.
A $50 non-refundable deposit will be required to register for this course.
Please contact us through the contact form if you'd like to register for the course. Please include your preferred date and whether the other dates would work or not in case your preferred course is full. These courses can fill up very quickly so please get in touch ASAP if you are keen to attend!
Herb 2 - Herbs for the Heart and Mind
In this course we will learn about herbs that are particularly good for mental health, brain health, memory, sleep and pain, and the cardiovascular system. We will learn about other supportive ways to keep healthy in these areas including Bach flower remedies, and will extend our herbal skills with learning about flower essences, tea blending, capsule making and homeobotanicals. Topics we will cover: - Stress and burnout- Sleep
- How to enhance vagal nerve function- Adaptogens - Bach flower remedies - Cardiovascular health - blood pressure, cholesterol, metabolic syndrome and heart rate variability
- Dosing for children
We will learn how to make the following preparations: - Capsules- Herbal tisane blending- Bach flower remedies- Homeobotanicals - Glycerites
Herbs we will focus on in this course: Hawthorn, motherwort, rosemary, lemon balm, holy basil, ashwagandha, California poppy, valerian, skullcap, turmeric
You will take home with you: - A sample of each of the preparations we have made - anti-inflammatory herbal capsules, a personalised herbal tisane, a personalised homeobotanical, a bottle of sleep drops and small tincture sample bottles of some of the herbs we've looked at - A personalised Bach flower remedy mix - A set of laminated cards with the key points from the course and the 10 herbs we've looked at - A "Herbs for the Heart and Mind" workbook
Dates: 11th-12th April 2026 9am-4:30pm - FULLY BOOKED 18th-19th April 2026 9am-4:30pm - FULLY BOOKED Pre-requisite: this course is only open to people who have completed Herb 1Tutor: Sophie FeberyVenue: 7 Dunns Road, Mataura (participants will need to find their own accommodation if coming from out of town). Cost: $360 includes lunch and afternoon tea, a course book and a herbal "heart and mind" kit to take home with you.
We will learn how to make the following preparations: - Capsules- Herbal tisane blending- Bach flower remedies- Homeobotanicals - Glycerites
Herbs we will focus on in this course: Hawthorn, motherwort, rosemary, lemon balm, holy basil, ashwagandha, California poppy, valerian, skullcap, turmeric
You will take home with you: - A sample of each of the preparations we have made - anti-inflammatory herbal capsules, a personalised herbal tisane, a personalised homeobotanical, a bottle of sleep drops and small tincture sample bottles of some of the herbs we've looked at - A personalised Bach flower remedy mix - A set of laminated cards with the key points from the course and the 10 herbs we've looked at - A "Herbs for the Heart and Mind" workbook
Dates: 11th-12th April 2026 9am-4:30pm - FULLY BOOKED 18th-19th April 2026 9am-4:30pm - FULLY BOOKED Pre-requisite: this course is only open to people who have completed Herb 1Tutor: Sophie FeberyVenue: 7 Dunns Road, Mataura (participants will need to find their own accommodation if coming from out of town). Cost: $360 includes lunch and afternoon tea, a course book and a herbal "heart and mind" kit to take home with you.
Herb 3 - Herbs for Winter Ills and Chills
In this course we will learn about some wonderful herbs for immunity and infections. We will learn how to nip illnesses in the bud when they're at their early stages with herbs, vitamins and minerals, and learn about how to care for children when they face various winter ills. We will learn to make syrups, tinctures, gummies, sinus rinses and ear oil.
In this two day course we will cover...
The five stages of winter ills and chills and what to do about them...
- Stage 0: prevention
- Stage 1: early onset
- Stage 2: fever
- Stage 3: symptomatic
- Stage 4: convalescence We will learn how to make the following: - tinctures
- a basic homeopathic remedy
- throat spray
- demulcent throat balls
- elderberry gummies
- onion poultices and mustard plasters
- cough syrup
Herbs we will learn about in this course: Astragalus, echinacea, elecampane, nettle, medicinal mushrooms, garlic, thyme, mullein, sage and licorice
You will take home with you: - A winter ills and chills kit containing vitamin packets, a herbal tincture, propolis throat spray, cough syrup, elderberry gummies, demulcent throat balls, a homeopathic remedy - A set of laminated cards with reminders of the things we've covered and the 10 herbs we've looked at - A "Winter ills and chills" workbook Date: 9th-10th May 2026 9am-4:30pm 16th-17th May 2026 9am-4:30pm Pre-requisite: This course is only open to people who have completed Herb 1Tutor: Sophie FeberyVenue: 7 Dunns Road, Mataura (participants will need to find their own accomodation). Cost: $360 includes lunch and afternoon tea, a course book and a "winter ills and chills" kit to take home with you.
Herbs we will learn about in this course: Astragalus, echinacea, elecampane, nettle, medicinal mushrooms, garlic, thyme, mullein, sage and licorice
You will take home with you: - A winter ills and chills kit containing vitamin packets, a herbal tincture, propolis throat spray, cough syrup, elderberry gummies, demulcent throat balls, a homeopathic remedy - A set of laminated cards with reminders of the things we've covered and the 10 herbs we've looked at - A "Winter ills and chills" workbook Date: 9th-10th May 2026 9am-4:30pm 16th-17th May 2026 9am-4:30pm Pre-requisite: This course is only open to people who have completed Herb 1Tutor: Sophie FeberyVenue: 7 Dunns Road, Mataura (participants will need to find their own accomodation). Cost: $360 includes lunch and afternoon tea, a course book and a "winter ills and chills" kit to take home with you.
Herb 4 - Herbs for Digestion and Detoxification
"The road to health is paved with good intestines"
In this two day course we will take a tour through the digestive system, learning about the various organs, what can go wrong and what we can do to help, discussing optimal nutrition and microbiome maintenance as we go. We will spend time discussing toxins and detoxification. You will meet 10 herbs from the garden which have specific actions on the digestive tract, along with various other helper herbs, and we will spend time learning about fermentation and home grown probiotics.
In this two day course we will cover...Day 1 - Mouth to upper gut - Mouth and teeth - Optimal nutrition - Food allergy and intolerance - Herbal bitters - Reflux, IBS and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth - Intestinal permeability Day 2 - Lower gut and detoxification - Liver and gallbladder - Dysbiosis - Toxins and detoxification including the NRF2 pathway - Large intestine - constipation, diarrhoea, diverticulitis and haemorrhoids Practical sessions will include: - Sauerkraut, kombucha, probiotic yoghurt, probiotic juice making - Herbal bitters blending - Herbal vinegars - Make your own prebiotic mix - Digestive tea blending
Herbs we will learn about in this course: Ginger, peppermint, fennel, angelica, globe artichoke, dandelion, burdock, yellow dock, milk thistle, wormwood. Bonus herbs we will briefly cover include barberry and broccoli/radish sprouts along with a review of gut active herbs from previous courses.
You will take home with you: - A digestion and detox kit containing herb samples, probiotic starter capsules, a prebiotic mix, a digestive tea, a bottle of herbal bitters, a sprouting kit and a herbal vinegar- A set of laminated herbal cards to remind you about some of the key herbs you have learnt about- A book with all the recipes and information from the weekend and a herbarium section with details about the 10 herbs you will meet on this course. Dates: 10th-11th October 2026 9am-4:30pm17th-18th October 2026 9am-4:30pm
Pre-requisite: This course is only open to people who have completed Herb 1Tutor: Sophie FeberyVenue: 7 Dunns Road, Mataura (participants will need to find their own accommodation). Cost: $360 includes lunch and afternoon tea, a course book and a "digestion and detox" kit to take home with you.
In this two day course we will cover...Day 1 - Mouth to upper gut - Mouth and teeth - Optimal nutrition - Food allergy and intolerance - Herbal bitters - Reflux, IBS and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth - Intestinal permeability Day 2 - Lower gut and detoxification - Liver and gallbladder - Dysbiosis - Toxins and detoxification including the NRF2 pathway - Large intestine - constipation, diarrhoea, diverticulitis and haemorrhoids Practical sessions will include: - Sauerkraut, kombucha, probiotic yoghurt, probiotic juice making - Herbal bitters blending - Herbal vinegars - Make your own prebiotic mix - Digestive tea blending
Herbs we will learn about in this course: Ginger, peppermint, fennel, angelica, globe artichoke, dandelion, burdock, yellow dock, milk thistle, wormwood. Bonus herbs we will briefly cover include barberry and broccoli/radish sprouts along with a review of gut active herbs from previous courses.
You will take home with you: - A digestion and detox kit containing herb samples, probiotic starter capsules, a prebiotic mix, a digestive tea, a bottle of herbal bitters, a sprouting kit and a herbal vinegar- A set of laminated herbal cards to remind you about some of the key herbs you have learnt about- A book with all the recipes and information from the weekend and a herbarium section with details about the 10 herbs you will meet on this course. Dates: 10th-11th October 2026 9am-4:30pm17th-18th October 2026 9am-4:30pm
Pre-requisite: This course is only open to people who have completed Herb 1Tutor: Sophie FeberyVenue: 7 Dunns Road, Mataura (participants will need to find their own accommodation). Cost: $360 includes lunch and afternoon tea, a course book and a "digestion and detox" kit to take home with you.