The Winter Apothecary

Join herbalist and horticulturist Mackenzie Laurin at Quietude for an immersive, hands-on apothecary formulation workshop. You’ll learn practical skills for building a cold-season home first-aid kit, rooted in ancient herbal tradition. Over three hours- with a short lunch break to rest and reset- we’ll go over three foundational methods of herbal formulation.

Beginning with the simple, but powerful, herbal infusion (tea, tisane, decoction), we’ll discuss how to balance flavour and function, then go over preparation techniques that preserve beneficial plant constituents. From there, we’ll prepare a traditional oxymel, combining vinegar, honey, and herbs, to create a potent, shelf-stable remedy. We’ll end the class by making a tincture, going over extraction principles, medicinal ratios, and straining. Throughout the class, we’ll focus on proper sanitization techniques and best practices for long-term storage and use.

By the end of this workshop, you’ll leave with three handmade preparations, a clear understanding of how each method works,…