Kids Tent 2025
For Ages 5 and Up
It may be that the kids at the Faire have more fun even than the rest of us. The Great Lakes Herb Faire provides an inspiring learning environment for our next generation of herbalists. Many of the kids have been coming since the beginning (10 years now!!) and we are blessed to watch them grow and others have come for some years and have moved on to teach the younger ones!! Others come for the first time and find the atmosphere welcoming with a weekend full of activities of herbal lore and knowledge.
Space is limited! Register early as the kids tent fills up fast.
Space is limited! Register early as the kids tent fills up fast.
Kids Tent Class Descriptions
For teacher bios, scroll down
with For Kids ages 5-12 (scroll down for the tweens/teens classes)
Sweet Trade: An herbal treasure hunt for the pirate in us all
with Leslie Alexander
Imagine it … it’s 2025 and our pirate ship is about to set sail for uncharted waters. As we begin to pack for our journey, we realize that we're missing important supplies necessary to reach our journey. Whether young or old, big or small, please come and join me on this treasure hunt adventure. We’ll work in teams so come prepared to bring all hands to the deck
Build a Twigloo!
with Deanne Bednar
Come create a "stick tipi structure" with wood and rope! To make a "twigloo": ...lean sticks together, tie them up, decorate with nature things, climb in them and Enjoy! We hope to gather sticks & nature things from the woods, and enjoy seeing & hanging out in the Twigloos during the Faire!
Sleepytime Potions & Sweet Dream Notions
with Tricia Bellew
Come explore the magickal art of rest and relaxation.
Through the use of herbal teas, aromatherapy, talismans, stories, and melodies, we will discover the many tools that we can use to prepare our mind, body, and spirit for our nightly journey to the Land of Nod.
Painting with Plants
with Kristine Brown
Plants give us so much: food, clothing, shelter, and even color! Come explore the colorful side of plants and use them to paint a picture. We'll make some nature plant paints and then share them with each other to paint with.
Drums/Chants for Mother Earth
with Janice Prelesnik
Participants will learn simple earth-based chants and simple drum rhythms to accompany the chants. Drums will be provided, but bring your own if you have one. Come to drum! Come to chant! Come to drum and chant! Or come and listen! No musical experience is necessary.
Plant Power Potions for Mini Herbalists!
with Ashley Meek
Join the Great Lakes Herb Faire story telling turtle (Herbie) for a story about ethical foraging and a song about the honorable harvest. Then out for a hike to identify flowers, trees, and plants. We will taste some, learn some of their traditional medicinal uses and energetic vibrational super powers! Each child will take home their own plant power potions (essences) to help support confidence, calm, love, strength, etc., with the help of the amazing plants all around us!
From Seed to Skin
with Briana Wiles
Have you ever wanted to see a flower go from a seed all the way into a magical potion bottle? Well, you’re in luck! In this class, we will be taking a few little calendula seeds on a journey to become your own potted plant that you can take home to create your own herbal-infused potion with! Join us as we learn all about the healing properties of Calendula, as well as the process of making an infused medicinal oil from its flowers. Participants will be able to bring home their own bottle of infused oil that is filled with the spark of imagination and is also soothing to the skin.
Sweet Trade: An herbal treasure hunt for the pirate in us all
with Leslie Alexander
Imagine it … it’s 2025 and our pirate ship is about to set sail for uncharted waters. As we begin to pack for our journey, we realize that we're missing important supplies necessary to reach our journey. Whether young or old, big or small, please come and join me on this treasure hunt adventure. We’ll work in teams so come prepared to bring all hands to the deck
Build a Twigloo!
with Deanne Bednar
Come create a "stick tipi structure" with wood and rope! To make a "twigloo": ...lean sticks together, tie them up, decorate with nature things, climb in them and Enjoy! We hope to gather sticks & nature things from the woods, and enjoy seeing & hanging out in the Twigloos during the Faire!
Sleepytime Potions & Sweet Dream Notions
with Tricia Bellew
Come explore the magickal art of rest and relaxation.
Through the use of herbal teas, aromatherapy, talismans, stories, and melodies, we will discover the many tools that we can use to prepare our mind, body, and spirit for our nightly journey to the Land of Nod.
Painting with Plants
with Kristine Brown
Plants give us so much: food, clothing, shelter, and even color! Come explore the colorful side of plants and use them to paint a picture. We'll make some nature plant paints and then share them with each other to paint with.
Drums/Chants for Mother Earth
with Janice Prelesnik
Participants will learn simple earth-based chants and simple drum rhythms to accompany the chants. Drums will be provided, but bring your own if you have one. Come to drum! Come to chant! Come to drum and chant! Or come and listen! No musical experience is necessary.
Plant Power Potions for Mini Herbalists!
with Ashley Meek
Join the Great Lakes Herb Faire story telling turtle (Herbie) for a story about ethical foraging and a song about the honorable harvest. Then out for a hike to identify flowers, trees, and plants. We will taste some, learn some of their traditional medicinal uses and energetic vibrational super powers! Each child will take home their own plant power potions (essences) to help support confidence, calm, love, strength, etc., with the help of the amazing plants all around us!
From Seed to Skin
with Briana Wiles
Have you ever wanted to see a flower go from a seed all the way into a magical potion bottle? Well, you’re in luck! In this class, we will be taking a few little calendula seeds on a journey to become your own potted plant that you can take home to create your own herbal-infused potion with! Join us as we learn all about the healing properties of Calendula, as well as the process of making an infused medicinal oil from its flowers. Participants will be able to bring home their own bottle of infused oil that is filled with the spark of imagination and is also soothing to the skin.
Tween/Teen Class Descriptions
Build a Twigloo!
with Deanne Bednar
Come create a "stick tipi structure" with wood and rope! To make a "twigloo": ...lean sticks together, tie them up, decorate with nature things, climb in them and Enjoy! We hope to gather sticks & nature things from the woods, and enjoy seeing & hanging out in the Twigloos during the Faire!
Herblore Plant Walk: The Folkloric Use of Plants
with Rebecca Beyer
Come explore the folk medicinal, magical and functional uses of plants from the perspective of ethnobotany! Cordage, dye, and cures all live within the bark and leaves of the plant world and their historical uses are often still relevant today, or at least provide us with a deeper knowing of how earlier peoples related to the plant world.
BANG, SNIFF, GRAB-The Story of your Senses at Night (teens/tweens only)
with Coyote and Lexer from Texer
Get ready to enjoy the mysteries of the darkness when sensory awareness is heightened and storytelling can be most impactful. Many folks fear the darkness due to an insecurity in their own abilities to sense what is happening without vision. This evening's activity will prove them wrong. We will encourage students to step out of their comfort zone, connect to their awareness of the other four senses and explore the beauty of the nighttime. Depending upon the weather, there are 5 different potential sense activities that would be performed this evening engaging the uses of sound, touch, or smell. We will provide a safe environment where limiting the student's vision, they will be asked to ‘find their way’ to the ‘end’ either via listening, smelling, or touching.
Sacred Order of Survival (teens/tweens only)
with Coyote and Lexer from Texer
This intensive will focus on the last fundamental in the Sacred Order of Survival: Food. Using Native American philosophies, non-traditional methods and the materials that nature provides, students are challenged to learn necessary outdoor & primitive skills, accomplish collective tasks, & meet the physical demands made on them by Mother Earth.
The Art of Slime: A Sensory Dive into Demulcents
with Mel Kastings
Get ready to explore the slippery, soothing world of demulcent herbs in this interactive 1.5-hour class! Demulcents are known for their unique slime factor, offering comfort and support for irritated tissues. But what does that really feel and taste like? Through guided tastings of herbal preparations and a blind tea sensory experience, you'll discover the textures, flavors, and actions that make these herbs so special. We’ll discuss how demulcents work, their traditional and contemporary uses, and how to choose the right one for specific situations. We will also discuss and taste some of our non-slimy demulcents. By the end of the class, you’ll have an embodied understanding of demulcency and how to incorporate these soothing allies into your herbal toolkit.
Come prepared to sip, taste, and get in touch with the world of herbal slime!
*This class is dedicated to Stephany Hofflet and I will be sharing some of her recipes with the class.
Wound Warriors: Case Studies w/Yarrow & other Vulnerary Herbs
with Stacey Quade
Come explore some of our favorite herbal "Wound Warriors" as we review stories and case studies featuring the healing properties of Yarrow, along with related discussion centered around other common herbs and their applications for wound healing, too. If you are into first aid, survival skills, or just being there to lend a helping hand with some powerful plant knowledge when you or someone you love needs it most, then this class is for you - we promise it won't be too gruesome!
with Deanne Bednar
Come create a "stick tipi structure" with wood and rope! To make a "twigloo": ...lean sticks together, tie them up, decorate with nature things, climb in them and Enjoy! We hope to gather sticks & nature things from the woods, and enjoy seeing & hanging out in the Twigloos during the Faire!
Herblore Plant Walk: The Folkloric Use of Plants
with Rebecca Beyer
Come explore the folk medicinal, magical and functional uses of plants from the perspective of ethnobotany! Cordage, dye, and cures all live within the bark and leaves of the plant world and their historical uses are often still relevant today, or at least provide us with a deeper knowing of how earlier peoples related to the plant world.
BANG, SNIFF, GRAB-The Story of your Senses at Night (teens/tweens only)
with Coyote and Lexer from Texer
Get ready to enjoy the mysteries of the darkness when sensory awareness is heightened and storytelling can be most impactful. Many folks fear the darkness due to an insecurity in their own abilities to sense what is happening without vision. This evening's activity will prove them wrong. We will encourage students to step out of their comfort zone, connect to their awareness of the other four senses and explore the beauty of the nighttime. Depending upon the weather, there are 5 different potential sense activities that would be performed this evening engaging the uses of sound, touch, or smell. We will provide a safe environment where limiting the student's vision, they will be asked to ‘find their way’ to the ‘end’ either via listening, smelling, or touching.
Sacred Order of Survival (teens/tweens only)
with Coyote and Lexer from Texer
This intensive will focus on the last fundamental in the Sacred Order of Survival: Food. Using Native American philosophies, non-traditional methods and the materials that nature provides, students are challenged to learn necessary outdoor & primitive skills, accomplish collective tasks, & meet the physical demands made on them by Mother Earth.
The Art of Slime: A Sensory Dive into Demulcents
with Mel Kastings
Get ready to explore the slippery, soothing world of demulcent herbs in this interactive 1.5-hour class! Demulcents are known for their unique slime factor, offering comfort and support for irritated tissues. But what does that really feel and taste like? Through guided tastings of herbal preparations and a blind tea sensory experience, you'll discover the textures, flavors, and actions that make these herbs so special. We’ll discuss how demulcents work, their traditional and contemporary uses, and how to choose the right one for specific situations. We will also discuss and taste some of our non-slimy demulcents. By the end of the class, you’ll have an embodied understanding of demulcency and how to incorporate these soothing allies into your herbal toolkit.
Come prepared to sip, taste, and get in touch with the world of herbal slime!
*This class is dedicated to Stephany Hofflet and I will be sharing some of her recipes with the class.
Wound Warriors: Case Studies w/Yarrow & other Vulnerary Herbs
with Stacey Quade
Come explore some of our favorite herbal "Wound Warriors" as we review stories and case studies featuring the healing properties of Yarrow, along with related discussion centered around other common herbs and their applications for wound healing, too. If you are into first aid, survival skills, or just being there to lend a helping hand with some powerful plant knowledge when you or someone you love needs it most, then this class is for you - we promise it won't be too gruesome!
For Teacher Bios, scroll below the slide show...
Kid's Tent Teachers
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My name’s Leslie Alexander and I’m interested in practicalities. I enjoy bending ideas and shaping protocols to make them accessible and interesting. I think that this is most apparent in my clinical work, the mentoring I do and the Round Tables we teach. I work holistically, with an interest in many aspects of the mouth. In my clinical practice, I enjoy working with others to sustain well-being, to address chronic conditions and acute health related challenges. I’m very interested in maritime medicinals and I enjoy making cyanotypes (sun prints) as well as weaving. I like food, kitchen medicine, talk, laughter and oh, I’ve a very cute dog!
https://leslie-alexander.net/ |
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Deanne Bednar says, "I have been sharing natural building skills since taking my first course with the Cob Cottage Company in 1996 (after retiring from Middle School Art & Sustainable Future teaching) and since then I have overseen many interns & volunteers on various projects. From 2003 to the present, have coordinated and taught at the Strawbale Studio, was part of the teaching team for the Natural Cottage Project which provides 2 week start-to-finish building workshops and have been a co-teacher for 10 day workshops with the Cob Cottage Company. I have also made many presentations at Bioneers Detroit, Earth Day Events, Re-skilling Conferences, Colleges and other educational venues. Illustrator of several books on natural building: The Hand-Sculpted House, The Natural Plaster Book and the Cobber’s Companion. I LOVE to forage for materials!!"
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Tricia Bellew is a Traditional Naturopath, a folksy family herbalist, an intuitive Reiki practitioner, and a magickal mama to two beautiful wildflowers. She is passionate about helping others to craft their own inspired healing rituals, fueled by the glowing embers of empowered self-care. A believer that we were all born to live a life of vibrant energy, Tricia is dedicated to helping the sacred healing arts that she has studied, to take root once more, by planting seeds of knowledge within her community.
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Rebecca Beyer is the woman behind the Blood and Spicebush School of Old Craft. She lives in the mountains of Western North Carolina, where she teaches traditional witchcraft, foraging, primitive skills and Appalachian folk medicine and magic. She has a BS in Plant and Soil science from the University of Vermont and a Masters in Appalachian Studies and Sustainability, concentrating in Appalachian Ethnobotany at Appalachian State University. She is also a member of the Association of Foragers. She has written multiple books on herbal medicine and the folkloric uses of plants including “Wild Witchcraft”, and “Mountain Magic.”
Blood and Spicebush |
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Kristine Brown, RH(AHG), is helping parents teach their kids about herbalism, one herb at a time. A practicing traditional community herbalist and mother of four children and two stepchildren, two of whom she homeschooled for 11 years, Kristine created the only children’s herbal curriculum that uses all four learning styles (visual, auditory, reading, and kinesthetic). She has taught classes for homeschooled children locally and coordinated numerous herbal conference kids’ camps both locally and nationally. She is the writer and illustrator of the online children’s publication Herbal Roots zine, which she began publishing in 2009, and the creator of several online courses that teach children about botany, drawing, and herbs. Her latest venture in teaching herbalism is her membership offering, Herb Club, which gives kids and parents video lessons, expanded curriculum for preschool through high school, and a member forum for parents and for kids. She is also the author of Herbalism at Home, The Homesteader’s Guide to Growing Herbs, and Nature Anatomy Activities for Kids and Nature Anatomy Guided Journal for Kids books. Teaching others about plants and drawing and sharing her knowledge with children—our future—is her passion.
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Coyote and Lexer from Texer have been guiding Wilderness Expedition trips for a combined total of over 30 years. They both enjoy enhancing their awareness in Mother Nature and sharing their experiences with all those willing to learn. Growth occurs when you step out of your comfort zone and both Coyote and Lexer are always teaching and learning from students of all ages. Coyote is also a Spanish teacher, Varsity Soccer coach, Director of the Horizons-Upward Bound Wilderness program and leadership coordinator at Cranbrook Schools, and Lexer is a Repair Manager for Patagonia and a lead guide for the Horizons-Upward Bound Wilderness program. Miigwetch!
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Mel Kasting is a clinical herbalist and educator. As Clinical Director and Free Clinic Manager at the Eclectic School of Herbal Medicine, she helps clients to get the support they need while guiding students through the rigorous process of preparing for and participating in active clinicals. Through her business, Forest Edge Herbals, she provides mentorship and training in clinical skills and relational health for both emerging and experienced practitioners, helping folks understand how social context, lived experience, and personal biases shape both their own work and their clients' healing processes.
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Ashley Meek is a Forest School Guide, Naturopathic Doctor, Massage and Craniosacral Therapist, Birth Doula and Reiki Practitioner at Mother Nurture Holistic Wellness LLC and Strong Roots Forest School near Grand Rapids, MI. She is passionate about living a life where we nurture our connections to the land and each other, listening to the wisdom of the Earth, living in partnership with nature and in loving community. She practices bodywork and energy therapies as well as naturopathy on a converted school bus on her land located on the Flat River. She also leads forest school classes, foraging and nature art camps, herbal medicine classes for adults and children, sacred circles and ceremonies, and handcrafts nature inspired art and jewelry and apothecary remedies.
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Janice Marsh-Prelesnik is excited to once again lead classes for our amazing kids and teens! As a mother of four, grandmother of four, and home birth midwife (now retired) to hundreds of babies and their families, Janice has spent a lifetime cherishing the next generation. She teaches a year-long herbalism course to K-12 students at the Gull Lake Virtual Partnership, which is a combination of online and in person herbal learning. Janice also leads earth based song circles and practices music as medicine in which she offers music and herb events for people in hospice and memory care.
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Stacey Quade is a Certified Healing Touch Practitioner and Instructor (CHTP/I) and Herbalist living and practicing in Duluth, MN. Stacey Quade, CHTP/I, Herbalist, has maintained a private practice in Healing Touch- energy based therapy and Herbal Medicine since 2002 in Duluth, MN. She is Certified to teach the first two levels of course curriculum through Healing Beyond Borders. Stacey recently retired from 33 years of Occupational therapy at Essentia Health (1988 to 2022). Those years have helped her to hone her skills in the practical application of whole health. Stacey’s herbal experience stems from a lifelong relationship with plants and nature. Structured learning and clinical education began in 2002. She is currently in mentorship with Margi Flint and is completing the coursework for the William Lesassier legacy training for Reading the Body. Her other primary teachers include Matthew Wood, jim mcdonald, and Nicholas Schnell. Stacey teaches classes on a variety of wellness topics, including energetic principles, diet/nutrition and lifestyle basics and herbalism in the Duluth area and surrounding communities. Energy For Life Connection
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