learn and create
Our workshops are a view of each season with an observation of medicinal plants using your senses. Each workshop starts with a garden walk to explore the variety of plants growing at Phytofarm and a sensory and visual sensation in the drying room. They contain discussions to excite your mind, tastes to stimulate your palate with a variety of edible plants from the garden and the Phytofarm pantry. Homemade crackers, medicinal hummus, nut cheeses, meadow plant pestos, fermented condiments, local goat cheese, plant-based chutneys, mini muffins, inulin rich beverage and seasonal tisanes. Food provided at the workshops will accommodate any special dietary requirements – vegan, vegetarian or gluten intolerant.
The workshops will inspire you to create your own medicinal plant garden, – on a farm, in a suburban garden or a courtyard garden using containers or vertical displays. Discover how to engage with plants to keep you well as we move around the sun. These workshops are a holistic view of “prevention is better than cure” and an observation of accessible local plants, the ones that very likely grow around you, but you just have not introduced yourself.
the workshops
Elements of Fragrance:
28-29 September with Jill Mulvaney from Alembics
A weekend Masterclass in Fragrance at Phytofarm Herbal Learning Centre, 166 Okuti Valley Road, Little River, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand.
Taught over two days, these workshops are hands-on and immersive learning experiences engaging all your senses. Come for a single day or join us for the weekend at a discounted rate ($275 one day, $500 for two).
Description:
Join us for a deep dive into aroma as we explore the many ways to create fragrance—from traditional perfume accords and ancient attars, to building perfumes in the still (composite essential oils and gin blends).
Jill Mulvaney from The Alembics Lab leads a small group through a comprehensive range of plant extraction and distillation techniques using seasonal organic botanicals. (Suitable for both beginners and experienced distillers).
**When you sign up for these in-person workshops, you will also receive a complimentary online Foundation Distillation Course of your choice (valued at $175). All our online courses come with lifetime access, so you can refer back to them whenever you need, making them a great learning resource. Feel free to explore your online course before or after your workshop with us.
Saturday 28th September
DAY ONE—Accords, attars and essential oils
- Create a perfume in the still—using a copper column still, we will distil a selection of seasonal botanicals taken from our environment to create a ‘perfume of place’. (Combo steam/hydro distillation).
- Includes plant selection, harvesting, packing the still, when to stop, correct collection, bottling and storage.
- Eau de parfum—learn to create perfume accords using the traditional pyramid structure. We will create our own eau de parfum utilizing resins, lichens, seasonal aromatic fruits and flowers while our combo distillation progresses.
- Break for Lunch
- Guided walk in the garden, and tour of the herbal drying room.
- Perfume oils—learn how to capture elusive scents, based on the ancient method of distilling attars (or ittars).
- Using a 3L alquitar, we will steam distil seasonal botanicals into an aromatic base oil, layering scent to create unique aromatic perfume oils.
Sunday 29th September
DAY TWO—Gin, quintessences and aromatised wine
- Create a gin based on the principles of perfumery. How to build well-balanced botanical blends by layering base, middle and top notes to create complex and delicious bespoke gins.
- Using the 3L copper alquitar, we distil a vapour-infused gin reflecting the season and surrounds of Phytofarm. Jill will take you through the distillation process from start-to-finish.
- Using our single vapour-distilled quintessences, practice your blending skills and make your own 30ml shot for a pre-lunch G&T.
- Break for Lunch
- How to distil aromatic spirits for aperitifs, cocktails or for use as the basis for perfume and tincture.
- Using the 3L alquitar, we distil wine steeped with botanicals, creating an aromatised eau de vie. Includes set up, how to calculate yeilds, measure fractions and take cuts.
- Finish the day with an botanical cocktail.
All botanicals and resources are provided at the beginning of each day, as well as a delicious, seasonal lunch from the Phytofarm kitchen garden.
- Make your famiy plant medicine gifts this Christmas! This workshop will focus on edible plants that grow in both our medicinal plots and wild plants from the meadow. It will highlight how medicinal plants offer you nutritionally dense food.Spring Workshop Programme: Explore
- A spring garden walk and exploration of edible plants that tempt us.
- Drying room experience and blending a tisane chosen from aromatic plants.
- A discussion on edible plants and how and why these plants provide the vital nutrients we need.
- Make and take home products with recipes: tisane, meadow plant pesto, culinary vinegar, herbal salt and a culinary cooking powder blend.
Sunday 8th December: 10am – 2pm
Workshops that are booked can be cancelled three days prior to receive a full refund. After this time no refunds will be given but an alternative date can be booked for a 50% discount.
Other times for workshops and garden tours can be negotiated. Please contact Valmai to discuss. Group Specials: Please contact us to discuss any special requests or topics of interest. If you live outside the Canterbury area workshop days can be blocked together to limit travel costs.
