North Country Herbalist Guild

2026 schedule is hot off the presses. Mark your calendar!

Our 30th Anniversary Celebration is coming soon!! On December 10th, join Jessie Belden and the NCHG for a night of connection and discussion around the many facets of being an herbalist in today’s world. There are an infinite amount of paths available to you as an herbalist. What are some current challenges, pitfalls, triumphs and most importantly, herbal allies we can encounter on our journey? Gratefully, the plants are our guides and support us to illuminate our way forward as we walk this path of flowers together.

Jessie Belden is a mother, herbalist, and farmer currently living in western Wisconsin. She has been a student of the plants all her life, but formally for the last nearly two decades. Jessie has followed her herbal calling down the paths of herbal product maker, clinician, brick-and-mortar apothecary owner, teacher, and most unsuccessfully, herb grower! All while mothering her 4 wild children along the way. Ultimately, dancing with the plants along her unique herbal path has been one of the greatest joys of her life. The evening will include a presentation, silent auction of tons of great herbal goodies and classes as well as snacks and drinks. The Silent auction will be held from 6-9pm with the presentation from 7-8:30pm. This event will be held at the New City Church in south Minneapolis.

Please join us for the next NCHG meeting this Wednesday, Sept 10th at 6:30pm. The meeting will feature a talk about Ayurveda & Fenugreek by Nalini Mehta.

In this presentation, she will discuss how in Ayurveda, fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), or methi, is a key medicinal plant used for its warming and nourishing properties to balance doshas. It is particularly prized for its ability to improve digestion, support women's health, and regulate metabolic functions. We will learn how to incorporate fenugreek in our diet while sipping on fenugreek tea and sampling some fenugreek Indian flat bread.

Nalini started teaching Ayurvedic cooking 22 years ago. She began her career as a culinary instructor at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Food and Health in NYC and later started her own company, Route to India LLC where she now offers cooking classes rooted in Ayurveda. She also makes a fun, crunchy, good-for-you ayurvedic snack, YOGA POPS made from water lily seeds available at Kowolskis, Wedge, Lakewinds Co Ops and select Target stores around the country. Nalini has been a speaker at a range of institutions including San Francisco Asian Art Museum, Rubin Museum of Art, Princeton University, and the United Nations. Nalini was the recipient of the James Beard Foundation Women In Culinary Leadership Grant program which brought her to Minneapolis first in 2017. Currently she is also in the process of building a yoga retreat and culinary school in Maple Plain, MN which should be open later this Fall. Check out these articles on her work in the media: https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-brands-bring-the-ancient-tradition-of-ayurveda-to-store-shelves/600273429?refresh=true and https://www.voyageminnesota.com/interview/hidden-gems-meet-nalini-mehta-of-route-to-india-llc/
https://makeitmsp.org/food-ag/profile-nalini-mehta Website: www.routetoindia.com.

6:30 pm - 7:00 pm Tea & Social, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm Meeting
Location: New City Center - 3104 16th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55407

Join us on Saturday, August 9th at 10:30am at The Lamb Shoppe & Wellness Center for a guided walk through our vibrant medicinal gardens and wild spaces. Explore a rich variety of cultivated herbs, native plants, wild edibles, and healing flowers growing right on the farm. We’ll talk plants, share stories, and connect with the land—one leaf at a time. Whether you’re a plant lover, a curious beginner, or a seasoned herbalist, you’ll come away inspired by nature’s abundance and wisdom. Herbal teas will be provided!

Find out more about Connie Karstens and The Lamb Shoppe & Wellness Center at www.lambshoppe.com

Location: Lamb Shoppe & Wellness Center, 61231 Highway 7 W Hutchinson MN 55350

Lamb Shoppe & Wellness Center | Health and Wellness | Hutchinson, Minnesota Since 1996, the Shoppe features grass-fed meats raised on the farm which includes lamb, beef, chicken, eggs, and turkeys. Nowadays, the Shoppe also carries local products & gifts, organic foods, non-toxic makeup, personal care goods, bulk medicinal herbs & teas and educational material on healthy li...

Looking forward to our June meeting this week with Chick of the Woods! Tree identification with a fun(gi) twist! We'll learn fun (and sometimes silly) tips and tricks to identifying trees native to the metro area using bark, twigs, leaves, and diseases. While we won't be focusing on mushroom identification, we will mention which mushrooms like to grow with the trees we are discussing.

This event is already full, with a waitlist, but we're excited there was so much interest! We will plan to have more events like this in the future and may explore ways to have a larger group or multiple groups to allow for more attendees. Check out Chick of the Woods' website for future learning opportunities too - see her bio below:

Jaime Rockney, known as “Chick of the Woods,” is a foraging educator with a deep passion for the forest and fungi. Since discovering her love for foraging in 2008, she has been on a mission to inspire others to appreciate the wonders of nature. In 2019, she founded Chick of the Woods Foraging, LLC, and shortly after turned her passion into a full-time career, teaching others about wild mushrooms, berries, plants, and trees. Jaime is an active member of the Minnesota Mycological Society, Wisconsin Mycological Society, and the North American Mycological Association and holds three certifications for mushroom identification and sales. Through her classes and events, she empowers others to forage with confidence while fostering a deep respect for the forest’s rich biodiversity. Learn more about Jaime and her classes on Facebook (), Instagram (.of.the.woods), or her website at www.chickofthewoods.com
Website: www.chickofthewoods.com