ALAMOSA – As winter sets in and people begin to focus more closely on their health and wellness, SLV Apothecary is offering a series of workshops in November and December devoted to herbal medicine.  

As co-owner Cari Conari describes the series, each class is designed to equip people who may have little to no prior experience in the area but are interested in incorporating essential oils, teas and roots in their self-care routine.  

These workshops are just more evidence that the people at SLV Apothecary have a deep commitment to their community and to “empowering individuals to embrace natural remedies and take control of their health journey.” 

A total of six classes are included in the series, starting on Saturday, Nov. 19, from 1 to 3 p.m. with a free workshop on “Essential Oils: The Basics”.  

Taught by Donna of Young Living, participants will learn how to use essential oils in their self-care routine and how to properly dilute for personal use, cleansing, skin care and more 

On Sunday, Nov. 24, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., an “Incense Workshop” with Nikki of Soulscape Healing will be offered. The fee for the class is $30 to cover the cost of supplies that are provided to participants.  

In this class, people will learn to make “ancient plant magic” as Nikki guides participants through making their own custom incense from local herbs, which they can then take home and enjoy.  

Later that same afternoon on Sunday, Nov. 24, from 3 to 5 p.m., there’s a workshop on Tincture Making: the basics with Dove Herbal Consulting. This class also has a cost of $30 to cover the supplies used in class.  

Participants will learn the Simpler Method, a basic, intuitive method to making medicine for the home medicine cabinet from commonly used herbs. 

On Sunday, Dec. 1, from 1 to 3 p.m., Conari, co-owner of SLV Apothecary, will be teaching a class on Tea Making.  

Conari, whose teas are well known throughout the Valley, will teach participants how to use herb blends to make their own custom winter teas to aid with the common cold, lung and gut health and mood enhancement for the home apothecary. The fee for the class is $30, again to cover the supplies and materials. 

On Sunday, Dec. 15, from 1 to 3 p.m., Conari will be teaching another Tea Making workshop but, this time, with an emphasis on roots.   

Participants will learn how to brew custom winter teas with a focus on roots such as marshmallow, dandelion and lovage. Cost is $30.  

Later that same afternoon on Sunday, Dec. 15, from 3 to 5 p.m., participants will learn about making Salve with Dove Herbal Consulting, including how to combine oils, herbs and wax to create natural healing skin care. 

Instead of paying for each class individually, participants can also take the entire series for $100. 

To register, people are asked to either come by the shop or RSVP with name and number attending the workshop via email at slvapothecary@gmail.com  

In speaking with the Valley Courier, Conari emphasized that scholarships are available. Anyone interested in exploring that further should reach out at the email listed above.  

SLV Apothecary offers a curated selection of herbs, local produce, and holistic wellness products sourced directly from the San Luis Valley. The shop is located at 1617 State Ave. Call 719-496-6114, for more information.