Classes

Field & Classroom

Online

Introduction to Marine Herbalism (Seaweeds for Health and Healing) Zoom Class
Jan
5

Introduction to Marine Herbalism (Seaweeds for Health and Healing) Zoom Class

Seaweeds have traditionally been important plants for food and healing among coastal people throughout the world and are still critical superfoods for the times in which we live today. With profound and unique healing abilities and superlative nutrient diversity and density, seaweeds may be critical in sustaining human health and supporting detoxification at a time when we are most vulnerable to nutrient deficiencies and toxicity in our foodstream and environment. Whether a foodie, herb student, clinician, or phycophile (seaweed lover) this class (and the Seaweed Meet and Greet class) will support students in finding their own unique ways of engaging with these magical macroalgae in their everyday lives.

Register here.

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2025 Seaweed Field Excursions
May
1
to Aug 1

2025 Seaweed Field Excursions

The 2025 Seaweed Field Excursion (WA) Schedule will be announced by March 2025.

Sign up for our newsletter to receive class announcements and updates.

Interested in organizing a Field Excursion in Washington or Oregon? Contact Kristy: kristy@mermaid-botanicals.com

Marine Herbalism: Seaweeds for Health and Healing class recording is currently available for purchase here.

The ocean is an elemental body that connects continents and people throughout the world; we realize more of our interconnectedness when we step into the ocean and sense how the same water that is touching us has also touched far-away lands and far-away people. The ocean is the source and origin of life, yet a place that holds many mysteries for us land dwellers. Seaweeds link us back to these origins, connect us to other places in the world, and open the doorway to this underwater world that is so familiar and yet so unknown.

The Seaweed Field Excursion is a unique opportunity to deepen your connection to the ocean and its amazing, healing macroalgae in the field.

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An Introduction to Seaweeds
Oct
15

An Introduction to Seaweeds

Curious about seaweeds and their incredible potential for health and flavor? Whether you're an herbalist, foodie, eco-conscious enthusiast, or simply fascinated by the mysteries of the sea, this is your chance to learn how to harness the power of these nutrient-rich and medicinal wonders!

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Seaweeds in the Herbal Kitchen @ NW Herbal Fair
Aug
16
to Aug 18

Seaweeds in the Herbal Kitchen @ NW Herbal Fair

This class will center around practical uses of seaweeds in the herbal kitchen via several demos. We will cover:

seaweed extraction techniques

integrating seaweeds as medicinal foods

ideas and recipes for experimenting with seaweeds in the herbal kitchen

combining seaweeds with herbs

external applications of seaweeds

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Seaweed Field Excursion
Jul
21

Seaweed Field Excursion

The ocean is an elemental body that connects continents and people throughout the world; we realize more of our interconnectedness when we step into the ocean and sense how the same water that is touching us has also touched far-away lands and far-away people. The ocean is the source and origin of life, yet a place that holds many mysteries for us land dwellers. Seaweeds link us back to these origins, connect us to other places in the world, and open the doorway to this underwater world that is so familiar and yet so unknown.

The Seaweed Field Excursion is a unique opportunity to deepen your connection to the ocean and its amazing, healing macroalgae in the field.

Register here.

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Seaweed Field Excursion
Jul
6

Seaweed Field Excursion

Simply working with seaweeds as food or understanding how they live and grow in our coastal environments can open a doorway for learning and connection: engaging with and starting to understand seaweeds in the context of their uses as food and medicine and how they live and grow in our coastal environments can teach us a lot about our origins and the primal resources that we still rely on to thrive.

The Seaweed Field Excursion is a unique opportunity to deepen your connection to the ocean and its amazing, healing macroalgae in the field.

Register here.

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Seaweed Field Excursion
Jun
23

Seaweed Field Excursion

The ocean is an elemental body that connects continents and people throughout the world; we realize more of our interconnectedness when we step into the ocean and sense how the same water that is touching us has also touched far-away lands and far-away people. The ocean is the source and origin of life, yet a place that holds many mysteries for us land dwellers. Seaweeds link us back to these origins, connect us to other places in the world, and open the doorway to this underwater world that is so familiar and yet so unknown.

The Seaweed Field Excursion is a unique opportunity to deepen your connection to the ocean and its amazing, healing macroalgae in the field.

Register through Island Rec starting May 1.

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Seaweed Field Excursion
May
26

Seaweed Field Excursion

This Excursion is Sold-Out. Unfortunately, there is no waitlist. Please join us for one of the other Field Excursions, or we will see you on the Peninsula for next year’s class!

Seaweeds are amazing, unique food sources, unlike any of the land plants that we know. They offer us an exceptional palette of flavors and nutrients, and, what's more, they can even offer us inspiration for new ways of inhabiting our lives. Seaweeds have evolved—through several clever mechanisms—to embody the seemingly contradictory traits of being both strong and flexible simultaneously as they must maintain integrity while being moved by the waves and the tides.

The Seaweed Field Excursion is a unique opportunity to deepen your connection to the ocean and its amazing, healing macroalgae in the field.

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Marine Herbalism: Seaweeds for Health and Healing (Online Class)
May
5

Marine Herbalism: Seaweeds for Health and Healing (Online Class)

Seaweeds have traditionally been important plants for food and healing among coastal people throughout the world and are still critical superfoods for the times in which we live today. With profound and unique healing abilities and superlative nutrient diversity and density, seaweeds may be critical in sustaining human health and supporting detoxification at a time when we are most vulnerable to nutrient deficiencies and toxicity in our foodstream and environment. Whether a foodie, herb student, clinician, or phycophile (seaweed lover) this class will support students in finding their own unique ways of engaging with these magical macroalgae in their everyday lives.

This class is an updated version of previous Seaweeds for Health and Healing classes featuring new information from Kristy’s research for her book, Marine Herbalism.

Register here.

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Free Online Class: Top 10 Ways to Make Seaweeds a Part of Your Life
Apr
16

Free Online Class: Top 10 Ways to Make Seaweeds a Part of Your Life

In this free introductory class, students will learn:

  • everyday uses of seaweeds

  • my favorite types of seaweeds and how to use them

  • optimal ways for working with seaweeds as food and medicine

  • ideas and recipes for experimenting with seaweeds in your home kitchen

  • topical home uses of seaweeds

  • inspiration for playing with seaweeds in the herbal kitchen

Register here.

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Seaweed Field Excursion
Jul
5

Seaweed Field Excursion

The ocean is an elemental body that connects continents and people throughout the world; we realize more of our interconnectedness when we step into the ocean and sense how the same water that is touching us has also touched far-away lands and far-away people. The ocean is the source and origin of life, yet a place that holds many mysteries for us land dwellers. Seaweeds link us back to these origins, connect us to other places in the world, and open the doorway to this underwater world that is so familiar and yet so unknown.

Seaweeds are amazing, unique food sources, unlike any of the land plants that we know. They offer us an exceptional palette of flavors and nutrients, and, what's more, they can even offer us inspiration for new ways of inhabiting our lives. Seaweeds have evolved—through several clever mechanisms—to embody the seemingly contradictory traits of being both strong and flexible simultaneously as they must maintain integrity while being moved by the waves and the tides.

The Seaweed Field Excursion is a unique opportunity to deepen your connection to the ocean and its amazing, healing plants in the field. This 2.5-hour adventure will cover:

types of local seaweeds

harvesting and drying techniques

tides and times of year for harvesting seaweed varieties

sustainable harvesting practices

healing properties

micronutrients

iodine and thyroid health

external uses of seaweeds

pollution issues

Kelp lemonade demo

Mermaid Botanicals t-shirt raffle

Participants will take home a jar of kelp pickles that we make in class.

Note we will not be harvesting in this class. For harvesting, join us on San Juan Island.

There will be no seaweed artwork making in this class. For seaweed artwork, join us on Orcas or San Juan.

Register through Dandelion Botanicals.

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Seaweed Field Excursion
Jul
3

Seaweed Field Excursion

The ocean is an elemental body that connects continents and people throughout the world; we realize more of our interconnectedness when we step into the ocean and sense how the same water that is touching us has also touched far-away lands and far-away people. The ocean is the source and origin of life, yet a place that holds many mysteries for us land dwellers. Seaweeds link us back to these origins, connect us to other places in the world, and open the doorway to this underwater world that is so familiar and yet so unknown.

Seaweeds are amazing, unique food sources, unlike any of the land plants that we know. They offer us an exceptional palette of flavors and nutrients, and, what's more, they can even offer us inspiration for new ways of inhabiting our lives. Seaweeds have evolved—through several clever mechanisms—to embody the seemingly contradictory traits of being both strong and flexible simultaneously as they must maintain integrity while being moved by the waves and the tides.

The Seaweed Field Excursion is a unique opportunity to deepen your connection to the ocean and its amazing, healing plants in the field. This 2.5-hour adventure will cover:

types of local seaweeds

harvesting and drying techniques

tides and times of year for harvesting seaweed varieties

sustainable harvesting practices

healing properties

micronutrients

iodine and thyroid health

external uses of seaweeds

pollution issues

Seaweed harvesting, seaweed artwork, kelp lemonade, Mermaid Botanicals t-shirt raffle.

Note we will not be making kelp pickles in this class. For kelp pickle making, join us on Orcas or Whidbey Island.

Register through Island Rec.

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Seaweed Field Excursion
Jun
18

Seaweed Field Excursion

The ocean is an elemental body that connects continents and people throughout the world; we realize more of our interconnectedness when we step into the ocean and sense how the same water that is touching us has also touched far-away lands and far-away people. The ocean is the source and origin of life, yet a place that holds many mysteries for us land dwellers. Seaweeds link us back to these origins, connect us to other places in the world, and open the doorway to this underwater world that is so familiar and yet so unknown.

Seaweeds are amazing, unique food sources, unlike any of the land plants that we know. They offer us an exceptional palette of flavors and nutrients, and, what's more, they can even offer us inspiration for new ways of inhabiting our lives. Seaweeds have evolved—through several clever mechanisms—to embody the seemingly contradictory traits of being both strong and flexible simultaneously as they must maintain integrity while being moved by the waves and the tides.

The Seaweed Field Excursion is a unique opportunity to deepen your connection to the ocean and its amazing, healing plants in the field. This 3-hour adventure will cover:

types of local seaweeds

harvesting and drying techniques

tides and times of year for harvesting seaweed varieties

sustainable harvesting practices

healing properties

micronutrients

iodine and thyroid health

external uses of seaweeds

pollution issues

seaweed artwork

Participants will take home a jar of kelp pickles that we make in class!

One lucky participant will take home a Mermaid Botanicals bullwhip kelp t-shirt in our kelp lemonade raffle.

Note: There will be no seaweed harvesting in this class other than for artwork. For seaweed harvesting, join us in the San Juan Island class.

Early Bird discount registration through June 1, 2023. Register here.

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Unlocking the Mysteries of Wild Carrot: Conscious Contraception
May
21

Unlocking the Mysteries of Wild Carrot: Conscious Contraception

Wild carrot seed (Daucas carota) has been used for centuries by women to prevent pregnancy. Join us as we uncover the mysteries of this lost tradition, of knowing our bodies and our cycles and working consciously with plants for contraception. 

Kristy will talk about her personal journey working with wild carrot for contraception over the past decade.

In this class, students will gain:

  • a deeper understanding of their bodies and their cycles

  • when it is appropriate to work with wild carrot and when it is not

  • a sense of autonomy over their individual process around contraception and fertility

  • a new, more intimate connection to a familiar backyard plant

Call Living Earth Herbs to register: 360-734-3207

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Seaweed Field Excursion
May
20

Seaweed Field Excursion

The ocean is an elemental body that connects continents and people throughout the world; we realize more of our interconnectedness when we step into the ocean and sense how the same water that is touching us has also touched far-away lands and far-away people. The ocean is the source and origin of life, yet a place that holds many mysteries for us land dwellers. Seaweeds link us back to these origins, connect us to other places in the world, and open the doorway to this underwater world that is so familiar and yet so unknown.

Seaweeds are amazing, unique food sources, unlike any of the land plants that we know. They offer us an exceptional palette of flavors and nutrients, and, what's more, they can even offer us inspiration for new ways of inhabiting our lives. Seaweeds have evolved—through several clever mechanisms—to embody the seemingly contradictory traits of being both strong and flexible simultaneously as they must maintain integrity while being moved by the waves and the tides.

The Seaweed Field Excursion is a unique opportunity to deepen your connection to the ocean and its amazing, healing plants in the field. This 2.5-hour adventure will cover:

types of local seaweeds

harvesting and drying techniques

tides and times of year for harvesting seaweed varieties

sustainable harvesting practices

healing properties

micronutrients

iodine and thyroid health

external uses of seaweeds

pollution issues

Participants will take home a jar of kelp pickles that we make in class.

Call Living Earth Herbs to register: 360-734-3207

View Event →
Zoom Class: Seaweeds for Health and Healing
Jan
31

Zoom Class: Seaweeds for Health and Healing

Seaweeds have traditionally been important plants for food and healing among coastal people throughout the world and are a rich source of diverse nutrients uncommonly available in land plants. Students will experience a thorough introduction to seaweeds, covering internationally available seaweeds as well as some specific to the Pacific Northwest. Learn about:

types of seaweeds

seaweed ecosystems

healing properties

iodine and thyroid health

external uses of seaweeds

pollution issues

This class is an updated version of previous Seaweed classes featuring new data from a study done on our local Salish Sea seaweeds.

Tuesday, January 31, 5-7pm PDT

Register here.

https://www.mermaid-botanicals.com/shop/p/zoom-class-seaweeds-for-health-and-healing

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Zoom Class: Unlocking the Mysteries of Wild Carrot—Conscious Contraception
Jan
22

Zoom Class: Unlocking the Mysteries of Wild Carrot—Conscious Contraception

Wild carrot seed (Daucas carota) has been used for centuries by women to prevent pregnancy. Join us as we uncover the mysteries of this lost tradition, of knowing our bodies and our cycles and working consciously with plants for contraception. 

Kristy will talk about her personal journey working with wild carrot for contraception over the past decade.

In this class, students will gain:

  • a deeper understanding of their bodies and their cycles

  • when it is appropriate to work with wild carrot and when it is not

  • a sense of autonomy over their individual process around contraception and fertility

  • a new, more intimate connection to a familiar backyard plant

Sunday, January 22, 4-6pm PDT

Register here.

https://www.mermaid-botanicals.com/shop/p/empowered-contraception

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Unlocking the Mysteries of Wild Carrot: Conscious Contraception
Oct
23

Unlocking the Mysteries of Wild Carrot: Conscious Contraception

Wild carrot seed (Daucas carota) has been used for centuries by women to prevent pregnancy. Join us as we uncover the mysteries of this lost tradition, of knowing our bodies and our cycles and working consciously with plants for contraception. 

Kristy will talk about her personal journey working with wild carrot for contraception over the past decade.

In this class, students will gain:

  • a deeper understanding of their bodies and their cycles

  • when it is appropriate to work with wild carrot and when it is not

  • a sense of autonomy over their individual process around contraception and fertility

  • a new, more intimate connection to a familiar backyard plant

Call Living Earth Herbs to register: 360-734-3207

View Event →

Thanks again for the amazing class. Everyone left sounding inspired. I truly love how you teach by asking a question and letting folks go out to discover for themselves first and then pulling it together. It was also awesome how you were able to distill down the science around the constituents and medicine in a very understandable way. I can't thank you enough. 

—Kachi Cassinelli, Dandelion Botanicals

Field Excursion Participant

Thank you again for a great class the other day….I really loved how you laid heavy emphasis on the experience that comes with harvesting from the Sea. How that ties into our well being as a whole community and planet….I feel the practice works wonders when embedded into the culture....This link is the link to caring for this wondrous resource.

— J.B., Seaweed
Field Excursion Participant

I spent yesterday afternoon with Kristy Bredin, one of the San Juan Islands’ most beloved marine herbalists. There were 27 of us on her Seaweed Excursion and we learned so much! Kristy’s knowledge of the plants available, within the Salish Sea, is extensive however her approach to explaining how we all affect our surroundings is what truly impressed me. 

—Ellen Kaminsky

Field Excursion Participant