Hi there,

I'm formally reaching out on the blossoming edge of Beltane to ask for help.

As you know, Locust Light has been without a home for a few years now. I love teaching herbal classes anywhere and everywhere, but the real magic happens in the garden, when plants and people come together.

The garden is where relationships grow, where friendships grow, where belonging takes root.

I long to invite you into a garden again. I dream of sitting in Circle at Beltane, gathering flowers and sharing and singing. I can see us gardening and harvesting herbs and making medicine right in the garden. I see friendships growing among the herbs as people chat and weed and get to be their silly, free selves.

Over the years, many people have said "I have land you can grow on!" and the generosity behind that is truly humbling. I appreciate those offers so, so deeply. But there are two catches here:

1. I've started so many farms in my 20s. It's a huge investment to start a farm/garden on a new piece of land. After leaving the recent garden, I promised myself that I wouldn't do it again until it was a long-term situation.
2. I don't just need land -- I need land that students can come onto, on weeknights and Saturdays. And there needs to be some sort of climate-controlled structure.

I've come to the conclusion that, due to the way John and I have spent our careers thus far (learning to farm/be an herbalist and developing the skills needed to manage land well) we are not going to be able to find land via the usual methods.

But we've also spent the past decades developing relationships and enmeshing ourselves in a web of community. And so, I'm drawing upon the biggest resource I have: that community.

I'm sending out a proposal to our people: we are here, we are ready, and we are seeking land to steward. Please, pass it along the mycelial network. Let the land who wants us know we're ready. Let's build it together.

There are more details about what we're seeking below.

Thank you for being part of the community that holds us. I appreciate you deeply.

with gratitude and hope,

Amanda

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The Land Proposal

We’re reaching out to our community because we’re looking for a connection to someone who may:

• own land suitable for farming
• be open to selling or long-term leasing
• or know someone who does
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We’re open to creative arrangements, including:

• Purchasing with financing (e.g., USDA farm loans)
• Lease-to-own agreements
• Long-term land partnerships with aligned landowners

what we’re looking for:

• 3–10 acres of arable, full-sun land (property could be larger)
• Suitable for a small herbal farm and teaching garden
• Ability to add infrastructure if needed
• Ability to host herbalism classes on the property
• Ability to live on the property
• Available for purchase or long-term lease (30+ years)
• Farm-friendly setting (e.g., supportive zoning or Right to Farm protections)
• Within 15 miles of Frenchtown, NJ (Hunterdon County or Bucks County; not south of New Hope)

We are committed to stewarding land responsibly for the long term.

FAQ

Doesn’t John already have a farm?​
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John leases the land on which he runs his business, Tinicum CSA. He plans to continue leasing that land through his career. We are not able to live on that property, and Amanda isn’t able to run Locust Light on that property.

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Don’t you currently live on a farm?

Yes, we do currently rent our home that is on a family farm. However, Amanda cannot run her business on that land.

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​How can I help?

We would be so grateful if you:

• Know of available land
• Know someone who might be open to selling or leasing
• Or can share this with others
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Even a small lead or introduction could make a big difference. Please feel free to reach out or pass this along.

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How to help:

1. ​You can share this link with friends. ​
2. Or pass around this file: Land Proposal.pdf​
3. Let me know if you have any connection, inkling, or idea! Truly, any small connection might make a big difference.

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Meadow Medicine at Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve

Learn the medicinal qualities of our beloved full-sun herbaceous perennials, i.e. the meadow plants!

In this class, we'll go deep with eight "meadow herbs," studying their medicinal qualities, including how they are harvested and used. You'll learn the process by which basic herbal preparations are made, how to grow these precious perennials in your garden, and how they support their local ecosystem.

Herbalist Amanda Crooke will guide you in the herbal qualities of the herbs, and Santino from BHWP will teach you about cultivating these plants and their ecosystem relationships.

What's included

• Each class will include all materials necessary for our study.
• Participants will also go home with eight plants, one of each of the species discussed in the class.
• You will take home one herbal preparation from each class (tea, oxymel, oil, and salve).

Itinerary

Meadow Medicine is a 4-Part Series, held on Wednesday nights, 6:00-8:00pm

• May 13th
• May 20th
• May 27th
• June 3rd

register here

​Crafting Herbal Mocktails at Grounds for Sculpture​

Learn to craft delicious herbal mocktails (non-alcoholic cocktails) with oxymels, simple syrups, hydrosols, and more! You’ll make your own tasty oxymel (a mixture of honey and vinegar) and receive delicious mocktail recipes to take home, all while sipping delicious mocktails.
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This class is so fun, I'm teaching it three times:

​Saturday, May 23, 1:00-3:00 PM​

​Saturday, June 20th, 1:00-3:00 PM​

​Saturday, July 25th, 1:00-3:00 PM​

Herb Day -- tomorrow!

​Herb Day is a full day of FREE herbalism classes taught by some really wonderful herbalists. The full day runs from 9:00am-5:00pm.

I’ll be teaching Herbs for Kids at 2:00pm. We’ll cover:

• Herbal support for common childhood ailments
• How to use herbs safely with kids (i.e. dosing)
• Safe herbs for kids
• and most importantly — many creative ideas for getting herbs into their squirmy, fussy bodies (i.e. compliance)

Note: everything I teach in this class will also be helpful for getting uninterested friends and family members to take herbs.

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