An Herbal Safari is an opportunity to recognize helpful plants wherever you live. Think of our farm, Bull Brook Keep, as a green lab where you can see, touch and examine helpful herbs, shrubs and trees — many of which probably grow in your own backyard.
I’m Sylvia Burgos Toftness, your safari guide and fellow explorer. My husband Dave and I own and manage Bull Brook Keep – 72 rolling and rocky acres in beautiful northern Wisconsin. For nearly 15 years we moved our herd of beef cattle to fresh fields of grass every day. It was a lot of work, but it was well worth it. The herd was grass-fed and grass-finished. This regenerative practice promoted healthy, contented cows, and produced delicious beef without the use of grain, hormones or sub-clinical antibiotics. Rotational grazing also encouraged amazing plant diversity in the pastures.
The variety of plants shifts with the seasons: tree bark in winter, buds in spring, flowers as the weather warms, and berries in late summer. And in fall, we’ll examine and collect helpful roots. Yup, every Herbal Safari offers a fresh look at the helpful plants around us.
These plant explorations are a logical extension of our grass-fed-grass-fed beef farming, and the pasture walks we enjoyed with hundreds of visitors every year.
Throughout the growing season, we moved our cattle from field to field several times a week depending on the height, density, and condition of the forage. This practice encouraged a wide diversity of wild herbs and grasses. So many of these plants have been used by diverse cultures for hundreds of years for food and remedy. Photo by Aethan Hart
An Herbal Safari is:
- A 3-hour walk over pastures, shady areas, wet brook bank
- Pastures tend to be bumpy and uneven, and walks will include rough terrain and slight climbs
- A close look at the helpful/medicinal plants of the season
- A brief printed guide
- A review of “at risk” plants and why that matters
- A look at holistic medicinal herbalism vs “natural” remedies
- A demo out in the field or indoors
- A look at some helpful books, websites, and learning opportunities
- A cup of tea/coffee, a muffin, and conversation
The Next Step: Making Remedies
Herbal Safaris let you meet plants where they grow. The next tasks are to harvest and prepare them. Enjoy Herbal Safari Remedy-Making Level 1: four hours of hands-on experience making tinctures, teas, infused oils and powders.
Remedy-Making Level 2: four hours of hands-on making salves, lip balms, and creams.
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