An Herbal Safari is about hands-on learning, empowerment, and fun. Each 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. We bred and raised beef cattle for 15 years. Throughout the warm months, we moved our herd to fresh fields of grass every day. It was a lot of work, but it was well worth the effort because it helped make the herd healthy and strong. This regenerative practice promoted contented cows, and produced delicious beef without using grain, hormones or sub-clinical antibiotics. Rotational grazing also encouraged amazing plant diversity in the pastures.
The variety of plants ready for harvesting 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 also examine and collect helpful roots. Yup, every Herbal Safari offers a fresh look at the helpful plants around us.
An Herbal Safari is:
- A four-hour event to introduce you to the many helpful plants, shrubs and trees growing across the farm, and in your own backyard!
- A review of “at risk” plants and why that matters
- A look at holistic medicinal herbalism, and how it includes diet, exercise and attitude about life
- A look at some helpful books, websites, and learning opportunities
- A cup of tea/coffee, a muffin, and conversation
For updates/info