a haphazard resume...

well, initially let me say that I really do feel that what I've written and what I teach says more about me and what I do than a list of events and quotes, but, to put an end to my stubbornness about credentialism,  here is such a list...

events/schools I've taught at...
The International Herb Symposium (norton, massachusetts)
The Great Lakes Herb Faire (chelsea, michigan)
The Good Medicine Confluence (durango, colorado)
Traditions in Western Herbalism Conference (cloudcroft, new mexico)
The Herbal Resurgence Conference (mormon lake, arizona)
The Herbfolk Gathering (mormon lake, arizona)

Herbfeast (westport, ireland)

Mountain Rose Herbs Rootstalk Festival  (salem, oregon)
Mountain Rose Herbs Free Herbalism Project  (eugene, oregon)
The American Herbalists Guild Symposium (seven springs, pennsylvania)

Alberta Herb Gathering (alberta, canada)
Traditional Roots Conference (portland, oregon)
Michigan Integrative Medicine Conference (novi, michigan)
The MidAmerica Herbal Symposium (winona, minnesota)
United Plant Savers Planting the Future Conference (oxford, mi & la farge, wi)

Columbines School of Botanical Studies (eugene, oregon)

Vital Ways School of Traditional Western Herbalism (portland, oregon)
Eclectic School of Herbal Medicine (lowgap, north carolina)

Lake Superior Herbalist Guild Holistic Immunity Weekend (duluth, minnesota)

North Country Herbalist Guild Foundation Herbcraft (minneapolis, minnesota)
Ocean Springs Herb Festival (ocean springs, mississippi)

Oakland University's EarthDay Expo (rochester, michigan)
The Detroit Bioneers Conference (detroit, michigan)
University of Michigan's Matthai Botanical Gardens HerbFest (ann arbor, michigan)
The Toledo Botanical Gardens (toledo, ohio)
The Wise and Wild Conference (traverse city, michigan)
Grass Roots: Herbal Healing for Everyone (traverse city, michigan)
Yule Love It Lavender Farm's LavenderFest (leonard, michigan)
Tollgate Center Michigan State University Master Gardener Extention (novi, michigan)
Michigan State University Master Gardener Conference (lapeer, michigan)
Oakland County Master Gardener Conference (pontiac, michigan)
Green Street Fair (plymouth, michigan)
 

published writings...
www.herbcraft.org (obviously...)

the practicing herbalist (margi flint; contributor to the 3rd edition)

the 2010 herbal almanac (published by Llewellyn)

plant healer magazine
the herbal journal (published by zoe hawes; united kingdom)
the canadian journal of herbal medicine

  (professional journal of the ontario herbalists association)
ecologic upland hills ecological awareness center
healing garden journal
friends of joe pye


some kind words...
Christopher Hedley
herbalist & renewer of the humoural temperamant system in western herbalism
"With people like jim I know the future of herbal medicine is safe."

Rosemary Gladstar

herbalist and radiant light of north american herbalism
"...a marvelous teacher, very insightful, brilliant, deep and in tune with the plants from the heart. A very perfect combination."

Matthew Wood

herbalist and author of The Book of Herbal Wisdom, The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism & The Earthwise Herbal (Books I & II)
"jim mcdonald is one of the outstanding herbal teachers of the "second generation" of the Herbal Renaissance. He is one of the people who "got the message" from the variety of elders that worked so hard to bring herbalism back from oblivion. jim studied with many of us, mastered our knowledge, and added to the ongoing body of knowledge with his own insights. All true teachers of our art have to be practitioners, not just speakers, and jim has been skilled herbal practitioner for over a decade. And finally, good teachers, in order to convey lessons to their students, not only have to be learned in theory and practice, but entertainers – and jim qualifies there. He is a fun speaker to listen to as he conveys the age-old and newly discovered truths of our art. And finally, he is not a divisive figure (not that we have any of them in our ranks, let's keep it that way) but always positive and contributing to the forward evolution of the herbal way."

Amanda Jones

herbalist, midwife; mi

"...you are spreading the love of plants, as well as the respect thereof. I just wanted to thank you for nurturing the seed that was planted within me. Your classes and approaches to plants are wonderful, you let the plants themselves act as the teachers. They are the best teachers, so much more than any book. Continue to spread that love."

Michael Moore

herbalist/southwest school of botanical medicine
"An intelligent, adventurous Michigan country herbalist who offers many classes and online articles on herballing, gathering and preparing in general."

Rosalee de la Foret
herbalist/education director at learningherbs & herbmentor.com
"jim is one of my favorite herbalists to learn from. He has a rare gift of sharing his unique herbal insights through wonderful analogies and his eclectic wit. Spending time with jim means a lot of laughing as well as gaining insights into the plant world you don't hear anywhere else."

Lauren Stauber
herbalist/nutritionist/medicine maker
"...way too much fun!  This seems to be the norm when learning about plants and herbalism from jim mcdonald, who merges brilliance and goofiness like no other."
 

David Winston

herbalist and author of adaptogens
"jim is always interested in learning the uses of little-known or underutilized herbs. He has wonderful articles (look under the heading of seeds and stems) on Purple Loosestrife, New England Aster, Apple, Mullein, Calamus plus recipes, herbal insights and a nice collection of herbal folklore from around the net."

Kiva Rose

Animá Medicine Woman & Practicing Herbalist
"jim mcdonald is one of the most intuitive, adept and intelligent herbalists alive today. His compassion, insight and connection to the herbs are trademarks of his work and provide inspiration to aspiring healers everywhere. What is perhaps most remarkable about jim is his ability to see clearly into the authentic nature of each plant, and to then match them to the people who most need them. He serves his clients, students and peers with authenticity, humility and openness that is astonishing in an age of commercialized healing and industrial medicine and makes him an invaluable role model for all of us. jim has influenced my herbal understandings and practice more than any other single practitioner or author and I am profoundly grateful for his vital contribution to traditional western herbalism. Beyond this, his emphasis on working with whole plants, respectful relationship with the land, sustainable harvesting and bioregional herbs is a gift to the earth and the plants themselves.

He does write some positively awful puns, and seems to enjoy them, but don’t let that distract you from the genius of his work with the plants. After all, crows are rather prone to odd tangents and overtly obvious humor; just pay him with a shiny thing and some tobacco and let him get to work."

Caryn Simon

herbalist, doula, weaver, united plant savers sanctuary steward & all around creatrix

"jim is a playful, beautiful, plant loving individual
he does consultations
and has a cat named chicken little" "

Leah & Chloe of Rising Appalachia

singers and strummers and pluckers and fiddlers and percussers of the herbalists
"you pretty much kick ass!!!!!!!!"

Rebecca McTrouble

herbalist & really freakin' good medicine maker at King's Road Apothecary 

"(jim is an) amazing writer, teacher and all around great herbalist, who distills complicated information down to its essence really *really* well. Be sure to check out his monographs, recordings and plant walk videos, and if you ever come across one of his classes in your 'hood you should definitely go."

John Gallagher

founder of learningherbs & herbmentor.com, herbalist & acupuncturist

"jim mcdonald is well known as "the herb walk guy." This may be because his plant walks at the International Herb Symposium and other national conferences are legendary. If you go on a 2 hour walk with Jim, you'll be lucky to cover 4 plants. He believes in taking his students on an in depth tour of each herb, rather than dizzying participants with two dozen species...  He has a unique way of teaching people how to connect with plants, and how to learn herbal properties."
 

Karen Landis

maumee valley herb society

"a very interesting speaker, one you can listen to for several hours without realizing how much time has passed. We hope to have him speak to us again."

Darcey Blue French
herbalist/owner of blue turtle botanicals
"a great michigan herbalist and all around nice guy"

Richard McDonald

herbalist & owner of desert bloom herbs in silver city, nm
"an inspired innovative Michigan herbalist. (If you) wish to find a really great local teacher, (jim) will be one of your greatest assets."

Leslie Williams

herbalist, writer; ohio
"jim has a great spirit, enthusiasm and solid knowledge."

Iris Underwood

owner of yule love it lavender farm, leonard, mi

"Our guests loved you, again."

"a physician and have been to some Alternative Medicine conferences"

"I think what you do is OK or even perhaps good."
(ok, yeah... I think that one is weird, too.  It came in an email after a talk a did for a gardening group.  Oddly, I think it was meant to be a compliment.  The diction of it is so... unusual that I thought I'd add it so other people can enjoy trying to interpret it.  I didn't include the person's name, but that is how she identified herself in the email.)