Grow Your Medicine

2026 Seed to Bottle Workshop Series

In the name of reciprocity,

if we are called to use the plants, it is essential that we know how to grow them.

This course spans three months, from late January to early April, as we witness together the transition of winter into spring, a critical time for seed germination and plant growth.

With low-cost and easy to learn techniques, we will dive into the basics of seed germination, home + community herb gardening, seed-to-bottle herb business logistics, and land stewardship.

This offer is for you if you…

Use herbal medicine and you are curious about how herbs are grown
Are a seasoned urban agriculturalist and want to incorporate more herbs into your garden
Are a garden-loving hippy and want to reduce the carbon footprint of your medicine
Are a secret or wanna-be herb-nerd and want to immerse yourself in a plant-centered community

If you sign up, our intention is for you to leave with…

Excitement to start your own medicine garden, or integrate more herbs into your existing garden
Knowledge of how to germinate plant medicine
Confidence navigating garden design and planning
Connection and wonder to the natural world

What you will Gain

Technical Skills

Familiarity with 12+ medicinal plants and how to cultivate them
Understand how to unlock multi-cycle germination
Common urban farming techniques
Greenhouse flow and organization
How to choose medicinal crops for your needs
Greater botanical vocabulary
Garden design principles
Harvest and processing techniques

Social-Emotional Bonus'

A first-hand understanding of the growth and development of plants from winter into spring
Ecological history of the Sunset Neighborhood
Deeper awareness of Earth’s seasonal rhythms
A strong sense of grass-roots community
Community potlucks each week

How we Gather

We will gather six times for 4.5 hour in-person every two weeks for gardening sessions of learning and practice, which will follow the steps of germination, cultivation, maintenance and harvest of medicinal plants in San Francisco, CA (27 hr total).

We will be hosted by Far Out West Community Garden, located on Judah St between 43rd and 44th Avenues. (GPS to 1399 43rd Ave and walk around the corner) in the Sunset District of San Francisco, CA (unceded land of the Ramaytush Ohlone Nation).

The workdays will immerse you in the wonder and awe of plants and shift the way you interact with plants as food, medicine and a part of the urban landscape.

In the middle of each workday we will pause for 45 minutes to enjoy a potluck lunch brought together by the strength of community.

Join us Far Out West!

You Receive

Six, half day hands-on gardening workshops at Far Out West Community Garden
2+ ounces of locally grown, group made tinctures (alcohol based or alcohol free, based on the group’s choice)
A copy of Deeply Rooted: Medicinal Plant Cultivation in Techropolis
Access to a private online platform to share slide deck visual aids, invites from the group, recipes, resources and more.
6 lunch potlucks, with the expectation to bring food for the group one time

Saturdays

January 31

February 14 & 28

March 14 & 28

April 11

Investment

Pay from the Heart

Your investment in this work will be distributed among program costs, leadership, and include donations to support the work of Far Out West Community Garden and local indigenous land-back efforts.

By all of us contributing what we can afford, we will create the world we want to live in. Thank you for choosing a price that works well for you as well as so people of different economic backgrounds are able to join the workday series and learn the art and skills of seed to bottle herbalism.

Payment plans are available

The program is available as 3 or 6 month installments. Please reach out if you would like to set this up, send me an email at brw.herbalist at gmail dot com.

Early Whale: $699 (ends Jan 9)

Gray Whale: $849

Blue Whale: $1100

Again, to set up a payment plan, please reach out to me via email: brw.herbalist at gmail dot com.

Or, apply to our work-trade program here for a low-cost ticket by 1/4/26. We have 1 low-cost spot (Orca $150) and will reach out for interviews via email the week of Jan 5-9 2026.

Sorry, no refunds after the course has started. Please reach out if your financial circumstance changes.

Join the Course

Week 1

Course Orientation
Discussion of Seeds
Garden Site Selection
Honoring Brigid's Day

Week 3

Garden Planning
Garden Design Activity
Medicine Making Methods
Flower Essence Meditation

Week 5

Multi-year cycles
Seasonal Cycles
Garden Maintenance
Medicine Making
Materia Medica Presentations

Week 2

Greenhouse Management
How to Pot Up
Garden Bed Prep
Common Weeds

Week 4

Planting Out
Garden Pests
Asexual Propagation
Honoring Spring
Materia Medica Presentations

Week 6

Harvest Methods
Tincture Pressing
Materia Medica Presentations
Closing Circle

Additional Topics

at Far Out West

Community Garden

Ecological-Social History of The Sunset District
Water Catchment Systems with DJ, Executive Director of Westside Water Resources

Meet Your Instructors

Bonnie Rose (they/she) ⏐ herbalist & educator

Georgia (she/her) ⏐ artist & land steward

Doug "DJ" (he/him) ⏐ land steward

Bonnie Rose Weaver is an energetic herbalist, educator and artist from San Francisco, CA. Their practice of herbalism is rooted in community accessibility and includes clinical, outdoor and group consultations.

Bonnie Rose learned medicinal plant cultivation through work at Herb Pharm, study at The Chinese Medicinal Herb Farm and The Blue Otter School, admiring plants, founding 1849 Medicine Garden and The Medicine Garden at Alemany Farm.

Bonnie Rose's book, Deeply Rooted: Medicinal Plant Cultivation in Techtropolis was published in 2016.

Georgia Hodges is a local artist and co-steward of the Far Out West Community Garden. Living and working in the Outer Sunset District of San Francisco for the last 25 years has defined and expanded her art practice and stewardship of the garden. Georgia grew up on a farm in Vermont, where her family raises apples.

At Far Out West Community Garden, we are dedicated to cultivating a deep, collective connection with the Earth’s natural cycles and cultivating a deeper awareness of the interconnectedness of all living things. We grow vegetables and native dune plants, maintain a compost, catch rainwater, recharge the aquifer and educate and build community through our outdoor film series and workshops.

Doug Jacuzzi is an architect and master builder in San Francisco with a strong
sustainability focus. He founded the Far Out West Community Garden in 2013.

In 2021, he started Westside Water Resources, a non-profit centered on groundwater recharge, and he has successfully implemented water reclamation projects in the
San Francisco Bay Area, including the Far Out West Water Reclamation project.

He currently holds the position of Chair for the Community Advisory Committee with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.

How to Sign Up

Step 1

Choose which Pay-from-the-Heart option is best for you at this time and complete payment. (Reach out about a payment plan if you need).

Step 2

You’ll get a confirmation email immediately upon payment. Bonnie Rose will follow up with more information about how to access the class resources in Mid January.

Step 3

Mark you calendar for all the dates we will gather: 10am - 2:30pm, 1/31, 2/14, 2/28, 3/14, 3/28, 4/11 in 2026.

Step 4

Join us in-person at Far Out West Community Garden on Saturday January 31, 2026.

FAQ's

How are growing herbs different from growing vegetables?

Great question! That’s what this series is all about! Essentially, vegetables are often more “cultivated” or manicured and pampered. Herbs tend to be of a wild quality. This is one of the main concepts of this course. Curious to learn more? Join us for this fun learning opportunity!

Can my kid join?

This course is best for people who can sustain their attention for up to 45 minutes. For this reason, we welcome adults and teens with a genuine interest in this topic and ask all other folks to join us for another offering. See Bonnie Rose’s upcoming events calendar here.

Do you offer payment plans?

Yes! You're welcome to choose a single payment or a payment plan of 3 or 6 months for any price point. Please email me if you would like to set up a payment plan.

More about Workdays at Far Out West Community Garden

Who are the workdays for?

These hands-on, in-the-dirt work days are for the tactile learner with the desire to learn the skill of medicinal plant cultivation and herbal medicine, in real life. People of diverse backgrounds, cultures, genders, ages, income levels and abilities are welcome. Home gardeners and herbalists are encouraged to enroll, however no prior experience is necessary. We welcome everyone from age 15 - 115 who are curious about the art of medicinal plant cultivation.

Do I need to bring anything for in person workdays?

Not really, if you’re someone who likes to take notes you can bring a small notebook or plan a place to take notes on your phone or other device.

And we are in SF after all, so it's usually wise to pack an extra layer, wear sunblock and have a sun hat (or beanie, or both!) in your bag just in case (from an herbalists perspective :P)

We will have all the tools and supplies you need for our in person gatherings, and if you have a favorite pair of garden gloves or other small tools, you're welcome to bring those too.

Is Far Out West Community Garden ADA accessible?

Sadly, it is not.

Got more questions?

Email me at brw.herbalist at gmail dot com!