Broad Wing Farm in Berks County rooted in wellness

Not far from Pottstown, down a little gravel lane near Morgantown lies Broad Wing Farm. This summer through fall, the farm has opened itself up to monthly visitors who have an interest in herbal remedies. Enrollees of its Rooted Home Herbalism class are in the process of partaking in a seven-month series that centers on hands-on learning in the field, forest and garden.

“We harvest and taste, mix up medicines and study with plants that are growing within and around our outdoor classroom,” says Annie Hasz, one of the guides of the class, along with Shannon Muldoon.

The class offers an intimate gathering of plants and people who wish to incorporate their love of herbs and wild plants into their kitchen, daily life, and care of themselves and their families. It’s a chance to get intimate with the plants that grow, bloom, fruit and root all around us.

“It’s intended for those who love plants and want to gain fluency with the local flora, both the native species and the wild weedy ones,” Hasz says.

Each morning of class begins with an herbal tea tasting and the day typically includes a plant walk, where participants get to meet a whole cast of garden-growing and wild plants. They also partake in a medicine-making session that includes a demonstration and take-home recipes for experimentation. Students also get to go home with herbal products that are made, including a salve, a tincture, a flower essence and fire cider.

There is also an invitation to harvest from Broad Wing’s bountiful gardens and fields for participants’ own apothecaries so that they can put their new herbal knowledge to good use at home.

“At each month’s class we will share what’s available for harvest, which could include holy basil, chamomile, and lemongrass in the summer and roots of dandelion, and elecampane in the fall,” Hasz said, adding the monthly classes run through October.

Refreshing treats are also enjoyed by students that aim to celebrate the herbal bounty of the season, such as chamomile and hibiscus popsicles in June, blueberry-rose cordial and rose-hip jelly in July and reishi-chocolate truffles in August.

Leading up to offering her herbalism class, Hasz has a history that centers on a deep relationship with plants. From 2013 through 2021, she and her husband, Sean Bonsall, were focused on vegetable farming with organic practices and raising livestock to serve the community. For years, participants of their CSA were welcome to come to the farm weekly for pick-up.

Now through herbs, Hasz has a different motivation to share the bounty of what the grounds of the farm have to offer. Her occasional newsletter informs the community about pop-up plant walks and other opportunities for the general public and even homeschooling groups to pay the farm a visit.

“Welcoming people onto the land and into our garden to meet and taste plants nourishes me on a deep level,” Hasz says.

For more information and to sign up for Broad Wing Farm’s newsletter, visit www.broadwingfarm.net/rooted-home-herbalism.html. While the current 7-month herbalism series is full, the newsletter will keep you informed of pop-up plant walks and other educational opportunities at the farm.

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