About the Montana Herb Gathering

The Montana Herb Gathering is an annual event bringing together herbalists, wildcrafters, manufacturers, farmers, students and other herbal enthusiasts from across Montana and around our bioregion. We are dedicated to teaching and learning about, raising awareness of and sharing love for medicinal plants.

History

In 1997, Rebecca Wittenberg invited a group of herbalists in Missoula and Bozeman including Elaine Sheff, Robyn Klein, Bronwyn Troutman, and Sunny Mavor, to meet at her home in the Bitterroot to compare notes, discuss clinical cases and socialize. The event was fun and inspiring that everyone agreed they should try to get together again...

Meanwhile, Bronwyn was talking with Lynn Montgomery and Michael "Skeeter" Pilarski about forming a Montana gathering along the same celebratory lines as the ones Skeeter had been hosting in Washington for decades. As the plan began to materialize it became clear how well the informal herbalists' guild would fit in with an outdoor, overnight, educational gathering. Susanna MacDougall made her land available, a date was set, and the first Montana Herb Gathering was born.

1998

The first gathering was like a fair on Susanna's beautiful land. The herbal marketplace was in full swing, as were the African drums and dancers. We had door prizes, with everyone getting at least one thing, and our Saturday night meal was a pot luck for which everyone cooked. Though most teachers and students camped under the stars, we provided a covered classroom tent for Dr. Rustem Medora.

1999

Greg and Mary Tilford contributed considerable momentum to the second year's gathering, helping to bring the United Plant Savers and the Montana Herb Gathering together for a joint effort. We were very excited to count Rosemary Gladstar and James Green among our teachers. Stephen Buhner and Trishuwa brought their portable lodge, starting our tradition of hosting sweats. Absolute Vision provided delicious gourmet vegetarian cuisine. High winds blew away the tent being used by the meditation class, but everyone saved the food tent! The venerable design of the tipi, however, weathered the wind without a problem.

2000

By the third year, the MHG left the Bitterroot and landed at the Methodist Camp on the shores of Flathead Lake. Tom Elpel and Roger Wicke joined us for the first time, and Alma Snell won everyone's hearts with her tales of traditional Crow medicine.

Though we were sad to see Sue Wall-MacLane leave as registrar, we were happy to have Kirk Norby ably fill her shoes.

We had swimming and canoeing and Jessica Datta and her family led Nordic sweats. The 2000 event also marked the first Botanical Ball, complete with herbal piñatas! (The papier-mâché was so sturdy that it took several direct direct hits from Jim "Strongman" Flocchini to finally burst the piñatas and reveal their contents.)

2001

2001 found us at the lake again, with Aimee McQuilken taking a leadership role and organizing work study. Curley Youpee joined us, and Mark took over the sweat. Mandy Hallos donated her time to our first website.

2002

In 2002, we brought the gathering back to the Missoula area and the Lubrecht Experimental Forest where we had the pleasure of Jeannie Norby's cooking. Our teacher lineup was exciting as always, featuring first-time visits from Michael Moore, Terry Willard, Ryan Drum and Feather Jones. Helen Burnside joined our staff, and we were pleased to welcome Jenniphyr Reich-Sterling, whose excellent organizational work was a real asset to the gathering. Bastyr became our first official academic sponsor. 2003

We're excited to have Richo Cech return, who was last with us in 1998. Also, for the first time this year we will be taping lectures!

2007

The 7th Montana Herb Gathering was a fantastic success. Michael Pilarski, Kris Hill and Katrina Farnum took over the organizational reigns with superb gusto. Thank you to all who attended and worked so hard to get this bird off the ground again. Re-awakening our Herbal Spirits after a four year nap was well worth the wait. Our presenters had a blast as well as the attendees. Huge thanks to Michael Moore and the South West School of Botanical Medicine for producing so many top notch herbalists, ten of our 20 presenters were graduates of SWSBM. Darry Sterns was our head chef who managed the outdoor kitchen and work study students superbly. Presenters included Paul Bergner, the Flocchini family, Mo O'Brien, Jo Powell, Karyn Schwartz, Christopher Scipio and Adam Seller just to name a few. Thanks to Alice for renting her beautiful event space to us, Montanagua Moss Creek Sanctuary, everyone loved the Bath House! One of the best treats was the essential oil demonstration by Lori Parr- Campbell (Lavender Lori) of Purple Beacon Essential oils, from Missoula. Before the Botanical Ball on Saturday night the kids who had been spending time in the Fun Zone, prepared an herbal skit for the enjoyment of the adults.

2008

Hyalite Youth Camp, Gallatin National Forest No Plant Left Behind The 8th Montana Herb Gathering was again a smashing success. Thank you to all of our volunteers and presenters. Presenters for 2008 included: Terry Willard, Paul Bergner, Brendan Kelly, Greta de la Montagne, Lisa Ganora, Michael Pilarski, Erico Schleicher and Robyn Klein to name a few. Thanks to Shane Doyle for the off site Sweat Lodge, everyone who went came back refreshed, clean and pink. The winner of the Botanical Ball this year was a gentleman who dressed as Compost!!!! 2008 had a few firsts, like the Monday all day Intensive classes, and it was the very first time the event has been held East of the Continental Divide. We left no plant behind with classes on, the Clinical Interview, Herb walk and a herb hike with Kris Hill, Herbal chemistry, Pregnancy plants, Native plant restoration and herbs for children. Thanks goes out to the Meatskin Pirate Jubilee Jugband for the Saturday night entertainment that was enjoyed by all, tremendously. Thanks to Rebecca Linden for making the fantastic quilt that was raffled off and won by Alena Floccini, congratulations!! The food was Fabulous, big thanks to Steve Kuntz of Call Steven Catering and the huge donation from Organic Valley, we love cheese, orange juice, lunch meat and butter. Oh yeah, the kid skit on Sat night was a perfect herbal rendition of the Three Billy Goats Gruff. Drink that you mean ol' Troll. Thanks Mikayla and staff of the Fun Zone. It was so great to see everyone enjoying herbalism and friends.

If you have photos from any of our gatherings, we would love to see them. Please send us your images so we can display them on this site. Send us your memories too.

2009

wow what a year, MHG hosted guests from around the globe.  At the last minute, the camp we had secured, told us they had double booked and we were out of a site.  Thanks to one of our Board members, Jennephyr Reiche-Sterling, we had a place to set up shop.  Thank you and your family for hosting our group last minute.  Having our event at Mill Coulee Creek was wonderful, near Sun River MT,

Thanks to all of our generous food sponsors, especially Organic Valley for all of the yummy donations, as well as to local and national vendors.

Our event was scaled back dramatically, both by teachers/presenters as well as attendants, thanks for understanding folks.

Look out, 2010 will be amazing.