Healcrest Introduces CSA for the Fall/Winter Season!

Community Supported Agriculture allows farmers to remain financially sustainable while connecting members to the bounty of seasonal, local food. Members buy a share of the year’s harvest at the beginning of the season and receive weekly boxes of in-season produce. Healcrest Farm is building upon the CSA model to offer herbal medicines and healing products on a monthly schedule. Our Community Supported Apothecary invites you to explore medicinal plants, learning as you heal. Register Here

How does it work?
CSA membership is a great way to build a home supply of herbal medicines, learn more about how to use local plants, and explore new ways of being in control of our own health.

Each month for six months you’ll receive organically grown herbs and artisanal herbal products. Our CSA gives you the opportunity to try medicinal natural healing products you’ve been curious about and gain knowledge as you learn how your body heals. You’ll be able to pick your share up each month, warming you through the winter, and meeting with the women who grow and make all the products.

What is in a share?

Each share supplies you with seasonally appropriate medicines and products. Some herbal preparations you can expect to receive this season from October to March are:
~ Herbal Honeys
~ Nourishing Tea Blends
~Infused Healing Oils
~Salves
~ Elixirs: general well being & immune boosting
~Tea Pops!
~ …And More

You will receive educational information every month about the plants included in your share products, and suggestions on how to use them.

Why Join?
When you purchase a share, it helps support the work we do revitalizing the land, growing and processing the herbs into useful natural medicines that nourish the body and enhance vitality. In return, you will receive a variety of herbs that support good health and the health of the environment, while also preserving the agricultural character of our wonderful community.

Join Up Here!

AUGUST::Classes and Volunteer Days at the Farm

Sundays in August Join us At the Farm for Volunteer Days 11-4pm, followed by Farm Tours 4-5pm

August 6th, Wednesday 6pm – The Mighty Sourdough Starters
Learn how to make sourdough bread, crepes, tortillas, and pancakes with sourdough starters. Half a cup of Austrian Sourdough is complementary, so bring a jar with you! 1.5-2 hours (rain date: August 20th) Healcrest Urban Farm is located in Garfield at the intersection of Hillcrest and Pacific. Street Parking is available. Cost of each show, tell, and taste session is 25$ per person. Please register one week ahead of each workshop at http://www.healcresturbanfarm.com/events.html. Classes will be cancelled if enrollment is below eight participants. Contact Natalya at pinchuknatalya@gmail.com or 804-319-7377 if you have any
questions about the workshops.

August 11th, Monday 6pm – Old-Style Pickles, Salsas, Hot Sauces and Chutneys
Venture into the endless possibilities of flavor and learn how to stock up your fridge with delicious condiments and compliments to your everyday staples while the farmer’s markets are still bustling with delicious veggies. 1.5-2 hours (rain date: August 18th) Healcrest Urban Farm is located in Garfield at the intersection of Hillcrest and Pacific. Street Parking is available. Cost of each show, tell, and taste session is 25$ per person. Please register one week ahead of each workshop at http://www.healcresturbanfarm.com/events. Classes will be cancelled if enrollment is below eight participants. Contact Natalya at pinchuknatalya@gmail.com or 804-319-7377 if you have any questions about the workshops.

Sunday August 17, 10-12, Medicine Making, Tinctures and Elixirs.  

We will discuss the advantages to making tinctures and even more delicious elixirs using herbs that you can grow, wild harvest, or buy.  We’ll take a talk around the garden to learn about harvesting and processing techniques, how to make the best extractions from different plants and of course, do the entire process!  Everyone will leave with a sample. Please register in advance at http://www.healcresturbanfarm.com/events so we can have enough supplies for everyone. Contact Michelle at 615-804-0064 or healcresturbanfarm@gmail.com with question about registration.

Sunday August 31, 10-12, Farm Tour, Late Summer Apothecary.  

As asters take over our fields and gardens, come learn to identify the common plants of the late summer and how to look for what coming ahead.  We’ll talk about identification, sustainable growing and harvesting practices, and the medicinal properties of many herbs. Contact Michelle at 615-804-0064 or info@healcresturbanfarm.com with question about registration. RSVP at http://www.healcresturbanfarm.com/events

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

JULY :: Classes & Events at the Farm

On a small hill in Garfield, Healcrest Urban Farm is bursting with the colorful flowers of herbs in the height of summer! Our working, urban, organically run farm hosts a variety of events. Contact Michelle for booking at 615 804 0064.

Volunteering on the Farm!

Every Sunday from 11­4 join us for a volunteer day! We’ll be busy harvesting flowers, weeding, and working in our berry patch this month. Farm Tour at starts at 4pm, free for Garfield residents.

Classes & Workshops

In July we have 5 classes scheduled­ three Fermentation Classes with Natalya and two Herb Classes with Michelle! Fermentation classes will not run with fewer than 8 participants, so please register early at http://www.healcresturbanfarm.com/events.html

Salve Making Class! Monday July 7, 6­8 pm ($20)

From blooming garden to a wonderful finished product! Learn abut the therapeutic properties of different herbs and why you would chose them for your oil. We will talk
about many plants in the gardens and how to harvest them. Then we’ll harvest our own
roots and flowers to infuse our oils, discuss different techniques and turn your finished infused oils into a salve. Participants will leave with samples of products made in class. (Please register in advance so we can have enough supplies on hand)

Sauerkraut and Kimchi – Wednesday July 9, 6­8 pm ($25)

During this show, tell, an taste you will learn the foundations of making sauerkraut and kimchi. There is no one way of doing it. Come and explore the exciting possibilities that variations offer for our breakfast, lunch, and dinner plate.

Fermented Beverages – Monday July 14, 6­8 pm ($25)

This show, tell, and taste session will introduce you to the making of lightly fermented natural sodas with water kefir grains, fermented syrups to be mixed with sparkling water, and a variety of alcoholic meads.

Herbal Sleep Aids – Monday July 21, 6­8 pm ($10)

Trouble getting to sleep? Staying asleep? Bothered by sleep apnea? Or is it impossible to wake up?

Learn about different herbal approaches for addressing difficulties falling asleep all and trouble waking up. Walk through the gardens to identify common sleep aid plants and discuss how to grow and process them.

The Easy and Fun Milk Fermentations – Wednesday July 30, 6­8 pm ($25)

This session will cover the making of cultured and non­cultured butters, milk kefir,
okroshka (eastern European cold soup with milk kefir) and clabbering raw milk to make a
simple but delicious farmer’s cheese. Yum!

Herb Classes and Walks with Michelle

Join us this summer at Healcrest Urban Farm for herbal education with certified Herbalist Michelle Soto!

Register here http://www.healcresturbanfarm.com/events.html

Herbal Energetics Class

at Healcrest Urban Farm
Thursday, May 29 from 6-8 pm

We’re going to learn about recognizing the six tissue states in the body and the corresponding categories of herbs. I’m pulling knowledge from Ayurvedic medicine as well as Southern US Folk Herbalism. Hopefully you’ll leave knowing more about specific indications and what herbs will work well for your constitution and body type.

We’ll spend the first hour tasting plants from the garden and recognizing the movement within our bodies and the second talking about the different energetic systems across the world.

It’s a Weed Walk! This Sunday MAY 18th – 3 to 5PM

Healcrest is hosting herb walks and classes with Michelle!

We’re kicking off our season:
this Sunday MAY 18th – 3 to 5PM
It’s a Weed Walk!
to learn about the plants poppin out NOW that its spring!

We’re going to walk and talk about what’s growing now and what it looks like. Curious about how to harvest burdock to get the most out of it? Or simply want to know what burdock is and looks like? We’ll talk about medicinal uses, cultivation techniques, wildcrafting habits, and whatever you want. There’s going to be a number of these kinds of classes this year where we can visit the same plants in different seasons and growing stages and identify and use them is a variety of ways.

the walk and talk is $10 and our rain date’s set for may 20, 4-6.

Register Here let us know if you have any questions, 615-804-0064 thanks! and happy spring,

The Art of Luscious – a workshop of aphrodisiac truffles, and bellydance

Kick off your weekend with social dancing and soulful delights. We welcome you to come dance, relax, eat, greet, and enjoy.

Come to Healcrest for an experience of your senses! Delight in the aromas of the herb gardens, the soundscape of the urban wilderness, taste the terroir, and sway with the flora.

Join Michelle Soto for Adaptodisiac Truffles! Adaptogens- help your body respond to stress! Aphrodisiacs- increase sexual desire!

Together we will formulate the truffle your body needs most! Truffles are all VEGAN, SUGAR FREE, and absolutely delicious. Everyone will have opportunities to sample and take home these yummy treats.

Follow your senses from taste buds to belly with some community style bellydance. Join Dana Launius for a basic lesson, delight in your body and enjoy some open dancing. You’re invited to an evening of earthly enjoyment.

Join us JUL 27th, SAT 7pm-10pm at Healcrest Urban Farm 5200 Hillcrest St. Garfield, PA. Register at http://www.healcresturbanfarm.com/classes.html or contact healcresturbanfarm@gmail.com. Cost: $15

The Healing Moon CSA Share

More info on the TheHealingMoon Herbal CSA.

A share would consist of:

1. 3 herbal teas (different each time)
   1. Everyday Tea, Rising Up at Dawn, Internally Healthy, Goddess Tea, Gentle High Vitamin, BabyHeal, Pure Rasberry, Coconut Chai Herbal, HealFast
2. 2 herbal extracts (non-alchoholic tinctures)
   1. PureGinger, FeverReducer, AllergenEase, Anti-Rheumatic, StressDown, WomanWarrior
3. 3 (3oz) single herb packets with usage info
4. 2 healing salves
   1. Deep Winter Healing Salve, Childrens Vapor Rub, Vegan Belly Balm, Vegan LipBalm, BlackPaw Anti-fungal Salve
5. Fresh Herbs when in season
   1. basil, rosemary, lemon balm, rasberry leaf, blackberry leaf, motherwort, mugwort, comfrey, nettles

All would be contained in a plantable box (either tree or flower seeds) that you can soak and plant in your yard, garden etc.

3 pick-up dates (either at Healcrest or potentially E.Liberty F arm Market)

Mondays:

May 28th, July 30th, September 24th, 2012

Donating to Healcrest to get your Herbal CSA Subscription:

Donate $65 per month for 3 months…………………………… (Made before May 1st, before July 1st and before September 1st

Donate $174 for total cost………………Made before May 1st (10% discount rate)

Donate $180 total cost…………………..Made after May 1st
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=CH9B9P43VAEHS