Community Herbal Intensive

The Community Herbal Intensive 1 - Getting Grounded is a 9-month comprehensive course designed to ground participants in the concepts of community herbalism.

CHI 2 - Getting Rooted is a 12-month program that focuses on developing assessment skills while exploring heritage, genetics, and tradition.

Three Learning Options

ONE: Self-Study Only = $299

The 9-month course includes monthly online lessons for self study with webinars, ebooks, and handouts covering all of the topics listed below with ideas for making herbal products at home, plant identification activities, and other suggested activities.

TWO: Online Live = $625

This option includes everything in the self-study course PLUS monthly webinars, and live monthly online Q&A sessions starting in March, with quizzes to help you hone your herbal memory.

THREE: Hands-On = $1255

Add the hands-on sessions to put these ideas into practice with in-person learning. Two locations will be available in Ohio, Columbus and NE Ohio areas. Get hands-on experience with four herbal technique workshops and two field trips to practice identification and foraging techniques. Payment plans are available, see below.

The Trillium Center strives to improve community health through herbalism, gardening, and connecting with nature. CHI 1 starts in March with identification of late winter twigs and barks used as food and medicine. Then on to spring greens, through summer flowers and berries, ending with the deep nourishment offered by autumn roots. Monthly topics cover the how, when, which, and why to use herbs, weeds, and wild plants. Scroll down for more info on CHI 2. 

Activities in CHI 1

The 6 in-person sessions are 5-hours long, 2 field trips + 4 herbal technique workshops (schedule will post for each location soon).

A prerecorded webinar summarizes the monthly readings.

The monthly live online Q&A sessions give participants an opportunity to ask questions about reading materials, plant studies, and suggested activities.

Basic Botany and Bioregional Herbalism

  • visit wild places in the region to learn about accessible herbs

  • learn to identify common plants 

  • learn patterns to help you identify plants in other areas

  • learn ethical and sustainable foraging and wildcrafting techniques

Basic Anatomy and Physiology for Herbalists
  • this is not a replacement for medical information but a starting point for learning how herbs interact with organ systems and tissues
  • emphasis on herbal actions because they are more reliable on predicting outcomes than focusing on medical uses

Weekly Plant Studies

Study a different plant each week using the discussion board to share info about:

  • the historical uses of plants and trees

  • common uses

  • scientific findings

  • typical doses

  • herbal techniques for medicine making and wild food processing

  • warnings, interactions, and contraindications

From Field to Apothecary

  • preservation methods

  • ethics and safety of wild crafting

  • wild crafting, foraging, and garbling

  • herbal techniques: powders, oils, salves, tinctures, syrups, cordials, compresses, washes, and more


Develop a project proposal in CHI 1 for health and healing and get guidance in CHI 2.

  • planning for personal, family or community projects

  • how to include plants safely and appropriately

  • get guidance on dosing, contraindications, and herb/drug/supplement interactions

Payment plans

A 5-month payment plan is available until November 15, a 4-month payment plan is available until December 15, a 3-month plan is available until January 15, and a 2-month plan is available until February 15. Last day to sign up is March 1. Payment plans have small fees to cover extra transaction fees. Pay in full to avoid fees. Contact me to set up a plan, or sign up on the website.

Sign Up!

Choose one of four options to join the Community Herbal Intensive.

Payment plans are available. Details below.

A group identifying plannts

Columbus, Ohio

Take the CHI in the Columbus area with two local field trips to practice identifying plants and four herbal technique workshops.

NE Ohio

Take the CHI in NE Ohio. We will be visiting multiple areas to cross pollinate and see different ecosystems.

Online Live Sessions

Virtual Learning

Access the same materials and join the live sessions from wherever you are.

learn at your own pace

Self-Study

Get access to all of the online materials for two years, so you can learn from wherever you are without a schedule.

Community Herbal Intensive 2

Did you know about level 2? It's about Getting Rooted in the herbal tradition.

Meet Your Herbal Guide

Systems for Understanding and Using Herbs
  • intro to traditional systems plus conventional uses
  • differentiation between allopathic and naturopathic and traditional use
  • herbal safety

Leah Wolfe, MPH is the archetypal herbalist. You know the one, who lives at the edge of town with all the weird plants. Leah travels all over the U.S learning about healing plants from many teachers. In 2013, Leah started the Trillium Center, an educational project for natural arts offering in-person and online experiences in herbalism, foraging, homesteading, folk arts, and disaster preparedness. Leah has a background in health research, public health, and an obsession with herbs, art, and culture. Get in touch, get involved, set up a consultation, or organize a class or outing online or in your area.