Fall Medicinal Plant Workshop with Professor Emeritus Jim Adams of USC School of Pharmacy

 
The workshop will be held at Euterpe Farms, bordering the Ventura River Preserve. The morning outing from 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. will be a slow-paced walk identifying and discussing local medicinal plants. It will involve stopping for discussion for periods of time. A lightweight campstool could be useful for those who are uncomfortable standing for periods of time.

After a half-hour lunch break, the afternoon hands-on session from 12:30 to 3:00 p.m. will take place in the shade of two live oaks. The focus will be on preparing seasonal edible and medicinal products for winter health from wild foraged plant material. Plant preparations onsite may include, among others:

• Yerba Santa tea and steam inhalation
• Acorn dish
• Wild California buckwheat pancakes
• Gordolobo tea
• Datura hand soak
• Black sage foot soak
• Black walnuts
• Prickly Pear fruits (“tunas”)

At 3:00 p.m. Dr. Adams and his co-authors will sign copies of their book. After the workshop, participants will receive by email a complete list of all plants that are identified and/or utilized as well as recipes and other notes. 

 

ABOUT JAMES ADAMS, PH.D:

Dr. Adams brings to Ojai a wealth of scientific knowledge and field experience as well as a singular perspective on herbal medicine. As he tells it, “My family came to Virginia in 1635 and has always survived by using American Indian healing. On the frontier, there were no doctors. American Indian healing was better than European medicine anyway. I continue this tradition.”

Now retired from active teaching and enjoying his new status as Professor Emeritus, Dr. Adams taught pharmacy students, medical students, doctors and other healthcare professionals for over 30 years at USC while researching the natural pharmaceutical compounds in native plants. He has over 200 publications.

Running parallel with his academic career, Dr. Adams has worked with the Chumash people of the San Fernando Valley since 1998 and studied Chumash healing with Cecilia Garcia for almost 15 years. They wrote a book and 30 journal articles together. Jim is now the carrier of the healing knowledge passed to him by his teacher.

 
Dr. Adams is the co-author, with Michelle Wong and Enrique Villaseñor, of the fourth edition of the groundbreaking book, Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West: Cultural and Scientific Basis for Their Use. The cultural portion is based on the teachings of Cecilia Garcia and the scientific portion on Dr. Adams’ laboratory studies. It can be purchased beforehand at that link and will also be available for purchase and signing at the event.

“Humans have used plant medicines ever since humans came into existence, about 200,000 years ago,” Dr. Adams explains in Healing with Medicinal Plants. “That means that our ancestors experienced an intense natural selection. Those who responded to plant medicines survived and passed their genes on. We are the products of this natural selection. Our bodies are designed to respond to plant medicines.”

 
Please note: This workshop will go on RAIN OR SHINE with the exception of a heavy downpour in the morning and/or a 100% chance of heavy rain that day. No dogs or smoking, please.

The cost for the Fall Medicinal Plant Workshop is $85, including all materials for preparing plant medicines. A limited number of scholarships for pharmacy, medical, and herbal medicine students are available.

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