Whole Living Class: A Comprehensive Course on Herbalism & Gardening

Unleash your passion for the natural world with this immersive course on herbalism, gardening, seasonal eating, and the healing properties of food. Take class on a working herb farm in Louisa, Virginia and enhance your knowledge and skills in a hands-on environment.

We are only offering Thursday sessions of Whole Living for the 2025 summer season. This means that the class will fill up fast, don't procrastinate getting registered to hold your spot. Class dates are listed below. Pay in full in one transaction and receive a $200 dollar discount at checkout with code "Wellness200".

Embark on a transformative journey as you cultivate, gather, nurture, and harness the power of herbs and vegetables in your daily life. Explore the wonders of nature and harmonize with its rhythms to lay the groundwork for vibrant living. Learn to embrace stillness, observe, form connections, and unlock the endless potential of our natural world. With newfound knowledge and confidence, you'll discover how to safely and effectively utilize herbs for nourishment and healing for yourself, loved ones, and community.

This course offers a hands-on experience in both gardening and herbal medicine, deepening your understanding and relationship with plants throughout a growing season. Apply this knowledge to create top-quality herbal remedies, combined with whole foods for a stronger, more self-sufficient lifestyle. Upon completion, you'll receive a certificate of completion and you will have built your own apothecary of 70+ herbal remedies to start your journey to wellness.

     Wellness Simplified! ✨

    2025 Whole Living Class Enrollment Now Open!

    2025 Whole Living Class Details

    Discover all the details by clicking the button below: dates, pricing, payment plans, course description, pictures, and registration! ⬇️

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    Build Your Own Apothecary

    Make 70+ herbal remedies in class using fresh plants from the FGF gardens to build your medicine chest!

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    Course Topics

    Learn 125+ Herbs!

    78 hours of in class learning throughout a growing season on a working farm (13 classes).

    Wildcrafting: ethics & safety of wild plants.

    Harvesting Medicinals: learn the right parts to harvest, when to harvest, and drying times and methods.

    Medicine Chest: herbs for first aid, colds & flu and everyday ailments.

    Medicine Making: teas, tinctures, glycerites, elixirs, syrups, oxymels, oils, vinegars, infused honey, flower essences, salves, liniments, poultices, shrubs, herbal candy/gummies, smudging and aromatherapy.

    Herbal Body Care and recipes.

    Herbs and Food as Medicine: delightful culinary dishes, everyday food as medicine, seasonings and seasonal eating to support the body systems includes a full recipe cookbook for the seasons.

    Body Systems: overview with common aliments and support to gain back wellness. 

    Foundational Herbalism: Individualized Constitutions, Plant Energetics, Tissue States, Herb Tastings, Diagnosis and Formulations.  

    Cordials, Meads, Water Kefir and Kombucha/Fermented Drinks

    Navigating the Food Systems: learn about cooking with herbs and healthy foods as well as the preparations for obtaining optimal nutrition from your food.

    Fermented Foods: kefir, yogurt, sodas, kombucha, and vegetables.

    Preserving Herbs & Vegetables: dehydrating, pickling and fermenting.

    Gardening From Seed: ordering, starting, storing, transplanting, saving seeds and greenhouse growing.

    Soil: amending & creating biologically active soil.

    Fertilization: organic materials, natural amendments and understanding soil samples.

    Preparing Beds: layering/ no till, when to rototill, raised beds and containers.

    Companion Planting: the science and enhancement of growing complementary plants.

    Crop Rotation, Cover Crops & Natural Mulches

    Herb Growing: planting & tending.

    Vegetable Growing: planting, tending, protecting, harvesting and preserving.

    Insects: beneficial insects & pest control.

    General Garden Care for Success

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    Testimonials

    From past Whole Living Class Participants
    Connie SwaineClass of 2024

    I have been taking the Whole Living class at the farm (2024). What a life-changing class! We have learned about healthier living and have made many herbal remedies. Krista and Skye are so knowledgeable and helpful. I have so much respect for the work they put into the farm and the class. Do you know why they do this? To help us! Come visit them to see what they have done. They have such healthy plants to buy as well as great food products in their store. I couldn't find the organic castor oil I needed anywhere local...not at Whole Foods, Earth Fare etc. I found it here. 

    Do you have any health issues? They can help you find plants that will give you the nourishment you need to heal. I always leave feeling better than I did before I got there. The farm is beautiful and rejuvenating. 

    Please visit and help support this precious family farm. We are so fortunate to have them here!

    Denise BeynonClass of 2022

    This is a life changing class! If you’re into living healthy this is a must! And you go home with projects to start your own apothecary ❤️

    Tim WalkerClass of 2023

    I’ve been using the first edition of the book since January 2023. I am a member of the Whole Living Class at Forrest Green Farm. This book is enormously helpful and is one of the three “go to” books I use for reference material as I create my own formulas to support my family. Krista and Sky are great teachers, and this book demonstrates their commitment to the herbal way of life. I have learned more than I expected… and the class still runs through October. If you live in central Virginia and want to explore, learn and get hands-on with herbs and gardening, get the book… and enroll in the class. Simple as that.

    Brenda GaudetClass of 2023

    Awesome class! Everyone needs to take it! Life changing!

    Jennifer MasonClass of 2015

    I have always struggled with plants, except for herbs since they seem to like my neglect.  When I saw the Whole Living class description, I thought maybe I’d learn what to do with herbs and maybe get some pointers on other things.  Boy was I unprepared for the amount of amazing things I learned!  It was a spectacular experience that has changed the way I interact with my land and food in general.  I now feel very confident not only in my yard, but in my kitchen.  I can’t thank Krista enough for everything she’s taught me!

    Jean HowardClass of 2016

    After trying to get some herbal education on-line, it just wasn't working.  I just didn't get it.  I heard about Forrest Green Farm's Whole Living Classes and knew immediately it was what I needed.  I had to travel 3 hours each way to attend class, but it was worth the journey.  I only missed one!  Special Place, Special Classes, Special People! The Herbs speak to you there, and I learned so much about Natural Living also.

    Patricia HigginsClass of 2013

    I have taken both Whole Living 1 and 2 as well as the Herbarium Class, the Mushroom Log Class, and have had several other reasons to visit wonderful Forrest Green Farm.  As a health care professional (NP-C), this experience has been eye-opening and life changing, for others in my family as well as for me.  As an instructor of community health nursing, many of my students have even visited the farm with me to learn about the activities and offerings there.

    With Krista's considerable wisdom and guidance, I now have my own medicinal and culinary herb garden to enjoy and to produce many of the good medicines and other crafts discovered through her classes. 

    Jeff DionClass of 2016

    It's very easy to get wrapped up in the fast paced life around us, and not pay any attention to our health.  I came to Forrest Green and the Whole Living class after visiting several doctors about severe health issues.  The doctors had no diagnosis but were happy prescribe plenty of meds.  Knowing there must be another way, I took the Whole Living class to diagnose and treat myself, through natural remedies.  I gained twice as much knowledge and know-how than I expected and walked away with lifelong resources and friends.  One year after starting the class I have found more day to day energy, less symptoms, and more inner peace than I have had for several years - and am on track to be fully healed!