Backyard Herbalism

This 4-week course will introduce you to herbal allies you can find growing in your backyard. We will learn basic botany skills for plant identification, how to harvest and store the herbs, how to assess the quality of herbal materials, and various preparations and recipes for safely using these plants in your daily life.

Student learning outcomes for the course:

  • Foundational Safety & Quality: Demonstrate the ability to identify, source, and assess the quality of raw herbal materials using both ethical harvesting standards and the Organoleptic Method (sensory evaluation).

  • Botanical Identification: Apply basic botany skills to accurately identify common medicinal "weeds" and wild plants (such as Nettle, Dandelion, Plantain, and Hawthorn) in their natural habitats.

  • Water-Based Extractions: Master the preparation and therapeutic application of water-based remedies, including tisanes, infusions, and fomentations, for daily nourishment and acute care.

  • Topical & Alcohol-Based Preparations: Formulate intermediate herbal preparations, including poultices, tinctures, and cordials, understanding the specific shelf-life and solubility benefits of different menstruums (solvents).

  • Apothecary Management: Organize and maintain a functional home apothecary by selecting essential equipment and implementing proper storage techniques to preserve the potency of herbal medicine.

Training Offered:

Thursdays, June 4th - June 25th, 2026 from 6pm to 8pm

Location:

Corning Community College Health Education Center
Room: HEC 111
132 Denison Parkway East, Corning, NY 14830

Cost: $195.00 per person

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For More Information

Cancellations with less than 3 days notice or failure to attend (No Shows) the first day of class will not qualify for a refund or reduction of charges.

Students may cancel 3 days or more prior to the day of class and receive a full refund. We solidify dates with instructors 3 days prior to the start of the class (or reschedule/cancel) and it is dependent upon enrollment. Cancellations with less than 3 days notice can not be refunded). Notification maybe done by phone to the Office of Workforce Education (607-936-5501) or email to ilearn@corning-cc.edu

Email ilearn@corning-cc.edu or call 607-936-5501 for more information on upcoming dates or opportunities for your corporate training needs!

SUNY Corning Community College is committed to ensuring equal access to students with disabilities. If you believe that you will need accommodations while taking this course, please contact Accessibility Services by phone 607-962-9262 or email Accessibility@corning-cc.edu to begin the process of requesting accommodations. We strive to coordinate accommodations in a timely manner, but some accommodations may not be available when you need them if you do not give timely notice.

Instructor: Jamie VanNess

A close-up outdoor portrait of a person wearing rectangular glasses and small hoop earrings, with hair pulled back, dressed in a light-colored button-up shirt with a floral pattern. The background shows leafy green plants with clustered buds.Jamie VanNess is an herbal consultant and educator who enjoys working with people to    help them craft happier and healthier lives. She strongly believes that how we connect      to and interact with the world around us is essential to our health and well-being. Our state of health is largely rooted in the mental and physical routines of our daily lives, and only through the honest examination of these habits can we walk the path of balanced health and well-being. 

Jamie holds a BA in Community and Human Services from SUNY Empire State College and a Master’s Degree in Herbal Medicine from the American College of Healthcare Sciences. She has spent the last 20 years studying under various herbalists such as Susan Weed (Wise Woman Tradition), 7Song (the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine), Rosalee De La Foret (Learning Herbs, Herbmentor), and Evan Sylliaasen (The Northwest School of Aromatic Medicine). These different traditions and perspectives have resulted in a solid foundation of herbal knowledge that honors both the logical brain and the intuitive heart. Jamie has used this knowledge through the years mostly to support her immediate family and friends but has felt the call of a higher purpose to branch out and support her community as well. She hopes to accomplish this goal by offering her services as a one-on-one consultant and as an educator. 

To quote one of her favorite teachers, Rosalee De La Foret, “The world needs more herbalists!” and she can’t agree more.