Herbal Pharmacy with Betzy Bancroft

Nestled within the embrace of the Sage Mountain forest, immerse yourself in a weekend of discovery, skill-building, and deep connection to the plant world. Each day is carefully crafted to move you from theory to practice — building your understanding of herbal extraction while your hands are busy making medicine. Engage in garden and forest walks led by an experienced herbalist, hands-on preparation of tinctures, oils, and salves, nourishing meals crafted from local ingredients, and time in the living landscape of the sanctuary.

Nourish your body and your practice: Throughout the weekend, indulge in vegetarian, gluten-free meals prepared from locally sourced ingredients — included in your tuition from Friday dinner through Sunday lunch.

Restore in our serene sanctuary: Camp under the canopy of towering trees and find respite between sessions in the tranquil embrace of the forest. Rustic cabin lodging is also available.

Leave with a pharmacy you made yourself: Every preparation crafted over the weekend — tinctures, infused oils, healing salves — is yours to take home, along with the knowledge and confidence to keep making them.

Reserve your place today: Spaces are limited for this intimate, hands-on intensive. Register by June 10th for the early bird rate of $445 — a $50 savings off standard tuition of $495. Scholarships are available. Primitive camping is included in your tuition. Private cabins with shared restroom and shower facilities are available for an additional fee on a first-come, first-served basis. Several local inns offer student rates for those wishing for private off-site lodging.

Weekend Schedule: The weekend begins informally on Friday evening and ends Sunday afternoon. Tuition includes vegetarian, gluten-free meals served Friday dinner through Sunday lunch.

Friday

• 3-6 pm Check-in
• 6 pm Dinner
• 7-9pm Class: Solubility

Saturday

• 8 am Breakfast
• 9 am – 12:30 pm Class: Harvesting and Preparation
• 12:30 -2 Lunch
• 2-4:30 pm Class: Extractions
• 4:30-6 pm Break (enjoy the trails, library, gardens, pond)
• 6-7:30 Dinner
• 7:30-9: Class: Infused Oils

Sunday

• 8 am Breakfast
• 9 am – 12:30 pm Class: Oils and Fats
• 12:30-1:30 pm Lunch
• 1:30-3:00 pm Class: Harvesting

  MEET YOUR GUIDE:

Betzy Bancroft, RH(AHG)

Plants started growing into Betzy like fungal hyphae grows into roots early in her life, giving her a deep appreciation for their magic and gifts. She’s lived next door to Sage Mountain for the last 20 years, where she spends a lot of happy hours in the forest. Betzy’s currently writing a book on preparing and administering herbal remedies to be published by Chelsea Green in early 2026.

In 1987 she began formal study at Herbal Therapeutics School of Botanical Medicine (now David Winston’s Center for Herbal Studies) and went on to teach herbal pharmacy, field botany and other subjects as an assistant instructor at the school. Lucky to be in the only class of David’s that continued for 3 years, Betzy went on to complete two graduate courses in clinical herbalism at the school as well. During this time she worked as staff herbalist and general manager at Herbalist & Alchemist, David’s herbal products company.

Still an avid student, she has taught classes in herbal medicine, wild edible plants and the medicinal uses of food throughout the Northeast for over three decades, including many herbal and agricultural conferences. Betzy also teaches at the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism and occasionally the ROOTS School. At VCIH she is also a clinical practitioner and mentor in the students’ clinic.

For many years Betzy served as the office manager for United Plant Savers, the non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of native medicinal plants and their habitats. She is currently a member of UpS’s Advisory Board, and actively advocates for forest conservation especially locally.

Admittedly more of a forager than a gardener, Betzy loves to cook nourishing food, make ferments, knit warm things, plant chestnut trees and pursue various other creative endeavors. Plants are truly her friends, and she feels ever inspired by the natural world—all its varied beings and the amazing interconnections and beauty that make up the great web of life. Betzy loves to share the herbal wisdom she feels very blessed to have learned.