I am busy just now and don't have much spare time. How much time do I have to commit to this course?
You don’t need to commit any time. You can work through these lessons at your leisure, at a time that suits you. Even if all you do is watch some of the herb identification videos and then try to see if you can stop some of them growing around you, then this alone can be a satisfying hobby. You could then begin to try out some of the recipes and read more when you have more time.
No! There isn’t any home-work because this is not a qualification. There aren’t any projects to submit. This course is designed to enrich your life (a bit like taking an informal and enjoyable night-class), rather than to train you or qualify you in something.
Yes, there are a lot of medicinal and edible plants growing in towns and cities and it can be very satisfying when you start to notice these growing around you. Herbs tend to pop up in even the bleakest of places! You may or may not be able to find a clean source of herbs for you to use when you live in a town or city but my Guide to Using Herbs in the City is full of suggestions about where you can start to look for them. I lived in a city when I studied herbal medicine and was able to find and use a lot of herbs. It really improved my experience living there when I started to notice and use these plants.
- I live in the city. Will I still be able to find plants growing there?
Yes, there are a lot of medicinal and edible plants growing in towns and cities and it can be very satisfying when you start to notice these growing around you. Herbs tend to pop up in even the bleakest of places! You may or may not be able to find a clean source of herbs for you to use when you live in a town or city but my Guide to Using Herbs in the City is full of suggestions about where you can start to look for them. I lived in a city when I studied herbal medicine and was able to find and use a lot of herbs. It really improved my experience living there when I started to notice and use these plants. - I don’t want to pick the plants themselves but I do want to learn how to make my own remedies. Is this course still suitable?
Yes you can still learn to make your own remedies even if you don’t have access to or don’t want to use fresh plants. Most of the medicinal recipes in the course can be made using dried herbs which can be bought from a reputable herb supplier (the course includes are recommended supplier list). It can be great to just by a bag of dried herbs and get going on making things right away. You probably already have some culinary herbs in your kitchen that can be used to make remedies. Dried herbs do not work for the wild food recipes though. These need to be made using the fresh plants. - I’m not very good at using technology. Do you need good IT skills to use these courses?
No. As long as you can type in your email address, type in a password and click on a lesson then that is all you need to be able to do. If you’re having problems with any of it then just get in touch and I will try to help you. - It is winter but I’d really like to start this course now. Do I need to wait until the correct season to start to use the course?
No you can get going right away with the recipes for herbal remedies and make them using dried herbs. Winter can be a great time to start because this is the season that people get ill more so it is the time of year when you are most likely to need the remedies! If you don’t have access to the fresh plants then just buy some dried herbs (recommended suppliers are included in this course) and get making the remedies that you need. - I don’t have access to fresh plants and herbs. Can I still use the course?
Yes you can still learn to make your own remedies even if you don’t have access to or don’t want to use fresh plants. Most of the medicinal recipes in the course can be made using dried herbs which can be bought from a reputable herb supplier (the course includes are recommended supplier list). It can be great to just by a bag of dried herbs and get going on making things right away. You probably already have some culinary herbs in your kitchen that can be used to make remedies. Dried herbs do not work for the wild food recipes though. These need to be made using the fresh plants. - Is tutor support available with this course?
Yes, currently I offer seasonal support for these courses. I support each course for 5 weeks (via email, comments on the e-course system and private Face Book group) during each season. There is also a live webinar at the end of each 5 week period of support. Terms & conditions apply to the level of support that I offer (I am only one person after all!) and I reserve the right to change these when necessary. - I am a holistic therapist, health-care professional or similar. Can I earn CPD points for doing your e-course?
Yes this may be possible but the decision lies with your professional association. I am in the process of getting these e-courses approved as CPD by various organisations. Please contact me (info@theherbalhub.com) if you would like me to send information to your professional association. - Is there a lot of reading and theory? I feel too tired to concentrate on this at the end of the day.
The course is a mixture of written documents (these can be read on screen and/or printed), videos and photos. You can just watch the videos. There is more info in the writing documents. I strongly suggest that everyone reads the documents on safety guidelines when foraging and safety guidelines for using herbal medicines. - I don’t like reading from a screen. Can I print off recipes and use them from paper?
Yes. - I am frightened of foraging because I am worried about picking a poisonous plant by mistake. Can this course help me?
Yes. It is good that you are afraid of foraging! Poisonous plants grow right next to edible and medicinal ones. To the untrained eye they can appear very similar so tragic accidents to occur to the fool-hardy. However, if you follow my safety guidelines then these will keep you safe. In these courses I have deliberately written about plants that are easy to identify, many of which you already know but will just not have realised are edible and medicinal. It is much better and safer to teach you 20 things about a common plant that you can easy identify than it is to teach you 1 thing about 20 plants that are hard to identify. - What happens if something goes wrong with the technology? Will someone help me?
Yes, just contact me if you are having a problem and if I can then I will sort it out. If not, then the e-course hosting system offers technical support too so I can refer it on to them. I am usually able to resolve technical issues myself though. - Are the lessons delivered weekly or are they all available for me to look at in one go?
All of the lessons listed on the e-course descriptions are available to use as soon as you enrol in any of these courses. If I decide to add any more lessons and/or updates next year then these will be added while the plants are in season (I can’t film plants when they aren’t there: I have to wait until they are in season to film them!). - Which countries are these courses suitable for?
These courses are written about plants that are common in Ireland and the UK. Most of them will be available in countries with a similar climate e.g. many areas in mainland Europe and some parts of the USA and Canada (if you would like to check if the E-Courses will cover plants in your country then please email me: info@theherbalhub.com with the title ‘E-Courses’). - Do I get a qualification for this course?
No, this is not a professional level course and you will not be qualified to work as a professional consulting herbalist after taking this course. It is a course designed for education and pleasure, to enrich and enhance your life.
You can see more details and FAQs on the Enrolment page of each e-course (make sure you read the section “What this course is not”).
