Nettle Myths You Should Stop Believing

52 Years of Building Herbal Community | Michael "Skeeter" Pilarski

In this episode of Herbalists After Hours, we spend time with Michael "Skeeter" Pilarski on his two-acre medicinal agroforestry property in the Methow valley (north-central Washington) — a place that started as a bare field and is now a thriving, self-mulching, multi-story forest of over 10,000 trees and shrubs. The conversation moves from plant walks and wildcrafting to community building, ceremony, music, and the long arc of a life lived in radical service to the earth and the people on it. We talk about what it means to start things — gatherings, organizations, movements — and keep starting them for over five decades. We hear about the Okanagan Barter Fair, now in its 52nd year, and how barter economies and gift economies point toward something the modern world has largely forgotten. We explore how community gatherings serve not just joy and connection, but the exchange of practical knowledge that keeps movements alive. And Skeeter shares his vision for medicinal forestry as one of the most important climate solutions available to us right now. There's also a tour of the land itself, where you get to see Skeeter in his true element. Michael "Skeeter" Pilarski is an herbalist, wildcrafter, seed grower, agroforestry practitioner, and one of the most prolific community organizers in the history of the American herbal and permaculture movements. He is the founder of Friends of the Trees Society (1978), the Global Earth Repair Foundation, the Okanagan Barter Fair (1974), the Northwest Herbal Fair (1996), and dozens of other gatherings and organizations spanning herbalism, permaculture, ecological restoration, and earth repair. He has been planting, teaching, and organizing for over fifty years. Thank you to Xavier de la Forêt for filming! WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hETON-IdM-U] Don't miss a thing! Join our herbal community newsletter at FolkMethodology.com [http://www.folkmethodology.com/] LINKS & RESOURCES Connect with Skeeter Friends of the Trees Society | https://friendsofthetrees.net/ [https://friendsofthetrees.net/] Global Earth Repair Foundation | https://globalearthrepairfoundation.org/ [https://globalearthrepairfoundation.org/] Skeeter's YouTube channel | https://www.youtube.com/@friendsofthetreessociety8540 [https://www.youtube.com/@friendsofthetreessociety8540] EPISODE MENTIONS Okanagan Barter Fair (Tonasket, WA) | https://okanoganfamilyfaire.net/ [https://okanoganfamilyfaire.net/] Northwest Herbal Fair | https://www.nwherbalfair.com/ [https://www.nwherbalfair.com/] Fairy and Human Relations Congress | https://fairycongress.com/ [https://fairycongress.com/] Tilth | https://tilthalliance.org/ [https://tilthalliance.org/] Singing Alive | https://singingalive.org/ [https://singingalive.org/] Great Lakes Herb Faire | https://www.greatlakesherbfaire.org/ [https://www.greatlakesherbfaire.org/] Torin Frost and Lauren Santi | https://www.youtube.com/@torinfrostofficial [https://www.youtube.com/@torinfrostofficial] Dope ah meaN (hip hop group, Twisp, WA) | https://methowvalleynews.com/2024/07/25/rap-duo-dope-ah-mean-builds-momentum/ [https://methowvalleynews.com/2024/07/25/rap-duo-dope-ah-mean-builds-momentum/] The Man of the Trees by Richard St. Barb Baker Back to Eden by Jethro Kloss Permaculture: A Designers' Manual by Bill Mollison Folk Methodology is a creative herbal studio exploring the wisdom, culture, and lived experience of herbalists. Through conversations, classes, and media, Mason and Rosalee are here to share and uplift the grassroots herbal community. The small print This content is for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health regimen.

Herbalism for Self-Healing & Personal Growth | Lottie Spady

In this episode of Herbalists After Hours, we sit down with Lottie Spady of Earthseed Detroit for a conversation about what it looks like to follow an herbalist's path — not the polished version, but the real one. We talk about the long arc of building something over sixteen years, from a blog post about dryer balls to keynote speaker, tarot collaborator, and community builder in the historic Black town of Idlewild, Michigan. There's a thread throughout about learning to trust the unfolding — how herbalism has a way of showing up personally, not just professionally, and how the relationship with plants can quietly fine-tune the relationship with yourself. We also get into what it means to welcome new people into the herbal world, how informal spaces and hands-on experiences lower the barrier in ways that books and videos can't, and what community-building looks like when it's rooted in collaboration rather than competition. And then there's the wasp nest. Lottie Spady is an herbalist, educator, and the founder of Earthseed Detroit, a platform she describes as an umbrella for all the creative and healing work she does. Her work weaves together herbalism, intuitive collage, botanical illustration, and community education. She is also a collaborator on the Lineages of Change tarot deck and a co-founder of The Hive, a worker-owned co-op in development in Idlewild, Michigan. Thank you to Emilie Thomas-Anderson for being behind the cameras! WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRlOGVDS4x4] Don't miss a thing! Join our herbal community newsletter at FolkMethodology.com [http://www.folkmethodology.com/] LINKS & RESOURCES Connect with Lottie https://www.earthseeddetroit.com/ [https://www.earthseeddetroit.com/] https://www.instagram.com/earthseeddetroit/ [https://www.instagram.com/earthseeddetroit/] https://www.tiktok.com/@earthseeddetroit [https://www.tiktok.com/@earthseeddetroit] EPISODE MENTIONS The Hive, Idlewild Michigan Lloyd Library, Cincinnati | https://www.lloydlibrary.org [https://www.lloydlibrary.org] Lineages of Change Tarot Deck The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler The Little Professor of Piney Woods Generosity of Plants by Rosemary Gladstar Folk Methodology is a creative herbal studio exploring the wisdom, culture, and lived experience of herbalists. Through conversations, classes, and media, Mason and Rosalee are here to share and uplift the grassroots herbal community. The small print This content is for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health regimen.

Nettle Myths You Should Stop Believing

Nettle has a reputation… 🌿 and like many beloved herbs, it's picked up a few myths along the way. In this short episode, we gently untangle some of the most common misunderstandings about this deeply nourishing plant. Whether you're brand new to nettle or already working with it, this is a great place to refine your understanding and deepen your relationship with this powerful ally. Go Deeper with Nettle 🌱 If you're feeling called to take your nettle practice further, Rosalee and Mason created a full experience centered around this incredible plant. Inside The Nettle Immersion, you'll find: * A 100+ minute video class * A 30-day nettle challenge * A 30+ page nettle recipe ebook * Downloadable audio + transcripts * A community space and more 👉 Learn more & enroll | NettleImmersion.com [https://courses.folkmethodology.com/nettle-immersion] Enrollment closes on April 12, 2026.

Herbal Alchemy & The Language of Nature | Sajah Popham

In this episode of Herbalists After Hours, we sit down with Sajah Popham for a conversation that moves between the real-life demands of being an herbalist, the evolution of building something over time, and the quieter forces that shape the path along the way. We talk about burnout, family, and the tension between meaningful work and the day-to-day realities of running a growing herbal business. There's also a thread of mentorship and community woven throughout—how support, generosity, and timing can change everything. And then there's calamus. What starts as a side conversation turns into something much deeper—about finding your voice, speaking what's true, and how working with a plant can shift something internal in a lasting way. It's honest, reflective, and full of those moments that stay with you after the conversation ends. Sajah Popham is an herbalist and educator, and the founder of the School of Evolutionary Herbalism. His work weaves together traditional Western herbalism, spagyric medicine, and a vitalist approach, with an emphasis on how herbalists think and relate to plants. He is also the creator of Natura Sophia Spagyrics and host of The Plant Path podcast. WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbwPH1_lxbo] LINKS & RESOURCES Connect with Sajah EvolutionaryHerbalism.com [https://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com/] NaturaSophiaSpagyrics.com [https://naturasophiaspagyrics.com/] The Plant Path [https://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com/home/plant-path-blog/] EPISODE MENTIONS Rosalee's Coloring Book [https://bookshop.org/a/14029/9798991356763] jim on calamus [https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/benefits-of-calamus-root.html] JOIN THE NETTLE IMMERSION | NettleImmersion.com [https://courses.folkmethodology.com/nettle-immersion] Folk Methodology is a creative herbal studio exploring the wisdom, culture, and lived experience of herbalists. Through conversations, classes, and media, Mason and Rosalee are here to share and uplift the grassroots herbal community. The small print This content is for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health regimen.

Why We Made The Nettle Immersion (and What's Inside)

We're so excited to share something we've been working on behind the scenes… The Nettle Immersion [https://courses.folkmethodology.com/nettle-immersion] What started as a simple 20-minute class turned into something much bigger. Over 100 minutes of video, a 30-day nettle challenge, a 30+ page recipe ebook, a community space, a live call, and more. In this video, we walk you through how it all came together and what you can expect inside the experience. This isn't just about learning nettle… it's about working with it. Inside the Nettle Immersion: * A 100+ minute video class * A 30-day nettle challenge * A 33-page nettle recipe ebook * Optional health survey (before & after) * Community forum + live Zoom call * Quiz + certificate * 20% off Mountain Rose Herbs * Optional micro-sponsorship for Herbalists After Hours Enrollment is open now, but only until April 12. 👉 Learn more and join us | NettleImmersion.com [https://courses.folkmethodology.com/nettle-immersion] We'd love to have you in this with us. ~Rosalee & Mason