Today we’d like to introduce you to Lorna Trigg.
Lorna, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
was born in South Africa and immigrated to the USA in 1988. My study and use of Herbal and Medicinal plants has been a life long journey, beginning with my grandmother and the local indigenous people of my home country. I learnt to recognize and use medicinal plants in the field from the boy children on the African farms, who know what to use when and as needed while spending days out on the Veld with the cattle. My grandmother taught me the way to cook with healing herbs, and how to create salves, syrups and teas for herbal health.
I have been gifted with numerous teachers, Rosemary Gladstar, Susun Weed, Rosale de la Foret, Mathew Wood, D,coda, Steven Foster, Jim Twofeather, Paz, Moni and the observation of the land.
On immigrating to the USA, I immersed myself in the native and medicinal plants of the area, learning to plant, and harvest for culinary and medicinal use, as well as travelling to Mexico to learn from the healers of the Yucatan.
I now live in Carroll County, a short distance from downtown Eureka Springs, Arkansas, where I have been involved for the last 20 years in restoring a fifteen acre property back to native and medicinal plants. This endeavor is for the purpose of helping others in recognizing plants habitats and cycles. When to harvest and how to use, what I term “Backyard Medicinal’s” , the plants that grow in our respective areas are the ones we want to know and use.
I offer internships under the name Skydancer Apothecary. Interns work along side me in the gardens and the apothecary kitchen making product from the gardens, as well as selling at a Farmers Market. Learning all aspects of the business of “small patch, hand grown seasonal medicinal’s.”
I design custom Retreats for those seeking to expand their knowledge of how to ground and center in nature. My offereings and experiences can include, esctatic dance,
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I have lived in Eureka Springs for 25yrs, in North America for almost 40 yrs, coming from another continent and culture. Learning to live in a culture I was not brought up in, getting to know and learn the plants of the Northern Hemisphere, so essentially beginning again at age 34 was a challenge. Dealing with snow and extreme cold as opposed to the tropics. Gardening with the seasons and not all year round. Driving on the wrong side of the road. Having a accent that was difficult for the American ear to understand.
As a Herbalist, not having the status that is accredited as it is in South Africa.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As a Artist primarily working with plants and clay. The Art of sharing information about plants and their uses, especially those that are our “backyard medicinals”, teaching folks to recognize families in the plant world, understanding Doctrine of Signature (what does the plant look like, body part) how a plant shows us what it can be used for, if we look deeply at its Signatures. The same way indigenous peoples did, before written documentation. Sharing the idea that we are all connected and the value in not standing apart from nature but along side it.
I use clay in the Art Studio to help people express their hidden creativity and share how to be in the process of creation. We use plants for imprints, inspiration and connection. “when you look deep into nature, you find yourself” Albert Einstein.
Most proud of following my bliss and seeing how it impacts others when I share what was handed down through generations to me.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Working with me, I offer internships that are based on a work trade if taking classes for a fee is not viable. Working directly with planting, weeding, harvesting and making Herbal Remedies is a valuable way to learn.
Collaboration is offered during any Retreats that I offer for larger groups, there are always ways to share others knowledge in a profound and meaningful way that resonates with our basic outline of “Getting to know yourself through working in and with the natural world”.
Support by visiting with me at Farmers Market of here at Fire Om Earth where I house a Apothecary as part of my working Clay Studio.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fireomearth.com or www.skydancerapothecary.com
- Instagram: sky.dancerapothecary
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lorna.trigg
