Arrowleaf Balsamroot Root Harvest + Wild Medicine
Saturday, October 3 | 10am–2pm
$65 per person | Limited to 6 participants
Private land near Coeur d’Alene
Arrowleaf Balsamroot has a big root.
And getting one out of the ground takes some work.
You follow it down, little by little, never quite knowing how much farther it has to go.
The more time I spend with Arrowleaf, the more I think the digging is part of the medicine. It asks for patience, persistence, and a willingness to stay with the work.
Arrowleaf feels to me like a plant of grounded creative energy. Ideas and inspiration can come quickly. Bringing something into form is another matter. That part asks us to work with what is actually here, to stay with something, and to do the slow and practical work of making.
Maybe Arrowleaf is the plant for after the vision quest.
On Saturday, October 3, we’ll gather on a private piece of land for a small Arrowleaf Balsamroot harvest. We’ll spend the day getting to know one plant through story, taste, ecology, observation, harvest, and medicine making.
We’ll begin by personalizing a simple digging stick to use during the harvest. From there, we’ll head out onto the land, locate Arrowleaf, notice where and how it is growing, and explore some of the other beings and relationships surrounding it.
And then we’ll dig.
This is not a passive plant walk. It’s hands-in-the-dirt, whole-body work. You can expect to kneel, squat, shift soil, laugh at yourself, get dirty, and use your whole body in the process. It’s not exactly a delicate harvest. It can be strenuous, but it can also be playful, satisfying, and surprisingly meditative.
Rain or shine, we’ll be digging.
Once the roots are out of the ground, we’ll clean and process what we’ve gathered together. I’ll share how I work with Arrowleaf as medicine and some of its traditional uses during colds and respiratory illness, particularly when sore throats, coughs, and stubborn phlegm are present.
You’ll leave with your harvested root and a handout explaining several simple ways to work with it at home. You can decide what you want your root to become: a fresh-root tincture, dried root to keep on hand for winter infusions or decoctions, or a root-infused honey for coughs and sore throats.
What to expect
Four hours outdoors on uneven ground, with a good portion of our time spent digging and working close to the earth. We’ll break for lunch along the way.
A personalized digging stick to use during the harvest
Story, sensory tasting, ecology, and time spent observing Arrowleaf in place
Hands-on root harvesting, cleaning, and processing
You’ll take home a portion of the root we harvest together, along with a handout describing several ways to work with it.
Hot tea and a simple snack
Please bring a lunch, plenty of water, and clothing you don’t mind getting dirty. Dress for the weather and for spending time kneeling and working close to the ground.
Saturday, October 3 | 10am–2pm
$65 per person
Limited to 6 participants
The exact location and additional details will be shared with registered participants.
register
To reserve your spot, send an email to Korrine at LapisSkyOfferings@gmail.com.
From there, I will send a Venmo or pay link.