fundamentals of community herbalism
guided study
Important note:
As of January 2026, we’ve updated the format of Guided Fundamentals of Community Herbalism. The new structure moves at a more spacious pace, with dedicated Integration Weeks built into each month to support deeper learning and skill-building. We hope this rhythm better accommodates different learning styles and creates more meaningful opportunities for connection and exchange among students and faculty. The tuition has also been reduced. You’ll find the full details below.
Our Fundamentals of Community Herbalism: Guided Study program offers a unique opportunity to learn alongside a group of dedicated peers. With a set start and end date, this program requires weekly engagement, keeping you connected to the material and to your fellow students. Together, we’ll move through the curriculum step by step, sharing the experience of learning as a cohesive group.
You’ll benefit from real-time guidance and connection with our Terra Sylva instructors, who will facilitate live sessions to deepen your understanding and practice your skills. These Zoom sessions complement approximately 4 hours of video lessons per week and 3–4 hours of assignments and self-study, with a break from new lessons every 4 weeks to allow for integration and catch-up. This structure is designed to provide a balance of flexibility and accountability as you grow your skills in community herbalism.
To foster an intimate and interactive learning environment, this course features an application and admissions process. While we can’t accept everyone who applies, we carefully select a cohort of students whose interests and goals align with our curriculum, ensuring a group dynamic that fosters collaboration and mutual growth.
THE FUNDAMENTALS OF COMMUNITY HERBALISM Guided Study ONLINE PROGRAM INCLUDES:
150 instructor-led hours (videos + live sessions)
Weekly pre-recorded video lessons (approx. 4 hours/week)
Regular video conferences for discussion, small-group exercises, and Q&A
Homework assignments including “Herb of the Month” immersions
Peer-to-peer engagement with students and faculty via online forums
Ongoing embodied herbal practices
Mini-apothecary of herb samples
60+ detailed printable plant monographs
285-hour Foundations of Community Herbalism Certificate upon completion of all requirements
Essential info
Dates: February 23rd - December 9th, 2026
Tuition: $1,900 for the full year
$250 deposit (non-refundable)
Payment plans available
Format: Weekly video lessons (with integration breaks) + Monthly live sessions & study halls
Certificate (285 hours) awarded upon completion of all assignments, final exam, and active participation in live sessions
DETAILS
Dates: Our 2026 online Fundamentals of Community Herbalism Guided Study program runs from February 23rd to December 9th.
Format: a 285-hour program, consisting of approximately 150 hours of instructor-led education delivered through recorded video classes and live Zoom sessions, supported by approximately 135 hours of readings, homework, study hall, and hands-on practice.
The 2026 program includes the same full curriculum as previous years (all videos, readings, assignments, and plant studies are unchanged), but follows a revised learning rhythm designed to better support integration and skill-building within a smaller cohort.
Instead of releasing new course material every single week, the program follows a four-week block structure:
Weeks 1–3: New recorded video lessons, handouts, readings, etc. are released each week
Week 4: Integration Week — no new lessons
During Integration Weeks, students are encouraged to review material, practice skills, catch up on coursework, and consolidate their learning. Optional peer-led study hall sessions on Zoom are offered (and encouraged) during these weeks (without instructors present).
Separate from Integration Weeks, every four weeks students meet live with one or more instructors on Zoom for review, practice, discussion, and synthesis, or for an occasional guest teaching session.
Two full break weeks are interspersed during the school year. These are true breaks, with no classes or study expectations. (Integration Weeks are considered active parts of the curriculum, not breaks.) Breaks fall on the weeks of June 1st and August 24th.
Because Integration Weeks are built into the year, the program runs slightly longer than in previous years, concluding in mid-December rather than early November.
Students who meet attendance and participation requirements will receive a certificate affirming successful completion of our 285-hour Fundamentals of Community Herbalism training program.
Faculty & Support: Our core faculty—Jen Stovall, Dave Meesters, and Janet Kent—are actively involved throughout the program. Faculty review assignments, offer guidance, and facilitate live Zoom sessions. The smaller cohort size allows for a more individualized and responsive learning environment.
In addition to recorded and live course instruction, students receive:
More than 60 detailed plant monographs
Handouts, readings, and practical assignments
A mini-apothecary of herb samples to taste, smell, and experience alongside plant studies
Class dates: Live Zoom sessions with teachers will be held on the following dates: March 4, April 1, April 29, May 27, July 1, July 29, September 2, September 30, October 28, November 18 (note that this session occurs one week earlier than usual), and December 9, 2026.
Optional peer-led study hall sessions on Zoom are offered during integration weeks (without instructors present), allowing students to review material together and surface questions for upcoming faculty sessions. Study hall falls on these dates: March 18, April 15, May 13, June 17, July 15, August 12, September 16, October 14, and November 11, 2026.
Tuition: Tuition for the online guided Fundamentals of Community Herbalism Program is $1900, which includes a $250 non-refundable deposit. If you would like to arrange a payment plan, we can discuss options after you are accepted into the program.
Additional costs: two required textbooks, medicine making supplies. (Kitchen scale and measuring cup required for medicine making.)
Bioregional Intensives: For our students interested in hands-on learning, there is an in-person field trip component that can be added to the online program. You can find more information about the Bioregional Intensives here.
Accessibility: While an online program does allow us to include people who cannot relocate for herb school, it does limit accessibility in other ways. Students will need access to reliable internet and a laptop, desktop computer or tablet to view video classes and course materials. The device and the internet bandwidth must allow full video-conferencing capability.
Enrollment is closed for 2026. Apply in the Fall for 2027 or consider our self-paced option.
FUNDAMENTALS OF COMMUNITY HERBALISM: GUIDED STUDY VS. SELF-PACED
How Do I Choose?
Both versions of the program have the same curriculum.
Both are solid foundations for understanding plant medicine as well as basic anatomy and physiology. Both provide the skills necessary to make high quality herbal medicine and provide foundational herbal care.
Both include community forums, space for asking questions, assignments that encourage embodied practice, and interaction with the Terra Sylva faculty.
Both versions share our socially engaged, practical, and inspired approach to herbal medicine.
Both versions give you the chance to attend in-person Bioregional Intensives.
Both versions of the course award a certificate to students who meet the requirements.
Both versions of the course prepare qualifying graduates for our Advanced Community Herbalism program.
The Guided Study Fundamental of Community Herbalism program is a good match for you if:
You want to be part of a cohort who learns the course material together and who gets to know each other along the way.
You want a more immersive learning experience.
You want to practice the skills you are learning with your fellow students as you are learning them.
You like the accountability of meeting with other students and instructors regularly to stay focused and immersed in school.
You benefit from a more structured learning experience.
You want to be prioritized in attending our Bioregional Intensives.
You want more interaction with the Terra Sylva faculty, including more individual feedback on your assignments.
You want to be sure to finish the course in 8 months, so that you can participate in Advanced Community Herbalism the following year.
The Self-paced version of the Fundamentals of Community Herbalism program is a good match for you if:
You need or would like a more flexible schedule for school.
You want to move at your own pace through the material.
Bi-weekly zoom meetings are not an option for you.
You are self-disciplined and do not need the more immersive container to move through the course.
You prefer a less structured educational experience.
The lower cost is appealing.
BOTH OF OUR FUNDAMENTALS PROGRAMS ARE FOR YOU IF:
You want to learn an in-depth, systematic approach to holistic herbalism.
You have been studying herbs on your own or have attended a more general course but lack a cohesive system to apply your knowledge. OR you are beginning your herbal studies and want to start with a strong, comprehensive foundation.
You want practical skills for caring for yourself and your community.
You want to learn to make consistent, high quality plant medicine.
You want to learn embodied practices for working with plants.
You want to learn an approach to health that emphasizes collective responsibility and connection.
You are interested in the ways societal forces impact individual health, including various forms of oppression and their intersections.
You want to learn in an environment informed by feminist values and is not gender-essentialist.
You have reliable internet access.