Happy New Year and Call for Volunteers!

Happy New Year Herbalists! I am so thrilled about growing this chapter in the coming year. There has been much talk about how this might happen and we very much want more ideas about how YOU think our chapter can thrive! Here are some things we will be working on this year!

Hopi Tobacco Leaf

Meetings! One of the best ways to keep a community alive is through regular meetings. While we do wish to have a few AHG NM meetings throughout the year, we also wish to nourish those meetings which are already active!

The Herbal Circle, run by Connie Henry has graciously welcomed AHG to their monthly meetings! I love this gathering because it is so laid back and everyone can share equally! It's great for plant enthusiasts of all ages, levels and interest.  This is the kind of thing I personally want to foster in AHG NM and so I am happy to have the Herbal Circle welcome us in! The next Herbal Circle is going to be Sunday, February 9th. Check out the events page for more info.

We also REALLY hope to get an annual event going. Efforts towards that have fizzled out a little bit but I plan to bring them back... look to Herb Day maybe... ;)

More blog participation! We are a community of herbalists and I want to hear all of your voices! Already, the facebook page is becoming more active and discussion is commencing, but I would also like to hear more from your perspectives. If any of you are writers, or have written anything on herbal medicine/health, we would LOVE to post it here for all to see!

We also want to start advertising, gently on this site. We want to reserve this for local businesses and practices(though we may affiliate with Mountain Rose Herbs). All advertising fees will go to the chapter. Let us know if you're interested in advertising your herbal or related business with us. I believe that as traffic increases here, it will be totally worth it!!!

As a member, you get discounted advertising on the blog page.
At the moment, a ribbon on the blog page is only $5 a month!!
For AHG members and Supportive Non-Members, it's only $3 a month!!
(Prices are subject to change as blog traffic increases)
This ribbon can be a photo, designed by you, linking to your place or website of business.

*Business websites must be appropriate, herbal related and approved by blog moderators before posting.
*You must be a NM resident, selling or practicing out of NM.

Please email us with "advertising" in the subject line if interested in placing an ad.

100% of funds received go directly to supporting our local chapter!

Member packet! We are working on getting the updated list of members from AHG on a regular basis. What we would very much like to do, is send a welcome packet to all members and supportive non-members. This will include coupons, a membership card and other goodies. This is still in development and if you would like to help in this initiative, please let us know.

Newsletter! I have been wanting to make a community herbal newsletter(even possibly publication) since forever! lol! I imagine herbal articles, herb of the month, calender of events, business highlights, herbalists interviews, etc. All run by the community, put together by a group of herbal volunteers and hosted by AHG NM. It's a vision, but I would like to see it bare fruit. Let me know if you're interested in this and we'll talk more about it at the next meeting. :)

Volunteering! There is only so much myself and Beverly can do, even if we do have superpowers! I definitely want interested parties to contact us about the Newsletter idea but in addition to that, we are currently looking for volunteers for the following...

City Representatives-
This is a pretty important position and really necessary if we wish to grow as a chapter and support the whole State of New Mexico. Currently we are operating almost solely in Albuquerque. We are looking for representatives for ALL of the cities in NM, that way we can build a wider network of events, practitioners, students and mentors. You must be willing to be active in the herbal community in your area, including hosting meetings and keeping in contact with the other officers and city reps of AHG NM.

Facebook moderators- 
We would like a couple of interested people, who are active on facebook to help us moderate the group page. This would entail checking for spam, approving members, making sure everyone stays respectful to one another AND keeping the page interesting by posting herbal pictures, links, articles and starting discussions. If this sounds like you, let us know!

Event and Classes Researcher-
This individual(s) would help us gather monthly information on herbal/health related events, classes and workshops to be posted on facebook, via AHG NM email and listed on this blogsite. One of the most helpful things we can do as a chapter is consolidate events for our community. I definitely need help with this!

Blog Author-
This individual will help keep the blog up to date and posted on facebook, etc. Most importantly the events page, mentor page and approving blog postings of members. Familiarity of blogger is highly valued.

Tablers-
On occasion, we like to show up at events and farmers markets to spread the word. These folks would be sitting under a shaded umbrella, talking about the chapter and handing out information. It's really a lot of fun and you can bring your personal business cards to the table! This is a pretty simple volunteer position but it's super helpful!

We would really prefer that our volunteers be either a AHG member or SNM. Volunteers will be highlighted on the blogpage and elseware, including website, services offered, etc. I am also working on gathering some coupons for volunteers as well, not to mention it's a great thing to put on an herbal resume! Please email us at greenchilechapter.ahg@gmail.com with "Volunteer" in the subject line if you are interested in any of these positions and tell us why you would be great at it! Thank you!

You all rock and I love this chapter!!!

Update!

Green and color changing blessings everyone! It seems, though while it's still warm, fall has finally arrived. I know that I personally have been doing a lot of harvesting and medicine making this fall. I am especially excited about the coming Goldenrod bloom, as I enjoy using in in salves for aches and in tincture form for seasonal allergies and immune function.

Solidago canadensis

While you may be taking part in or spectating on some of the conversations on our facebook group, some of you may still be wondering… What's been happening with the chapter? Well...

We have had one general meeting since we began the chapter, and while the turn out was less than what I had hoped, the quality was exceptional. We mainly talked about holding an event next spring (the "conference") and how that could be achieved, but we also got some insight on directions the chapter could go. For instance, the "Supportive Non-Member" was added, so that New Mexican herbalists can support the chapter, even if they have no desire to be a part of the national organization. It was also suggested that we look into what other local chapters are doing throughout the US. I think this is a fine idea, I'm looking into it and will post after I get in contact with our brother/sister chapters.

In the mean time, I would really enjoy hearing from YOU, about what you'd like to see happen locally. As I have stressed before, this chapter only functions by the combination of our resources and our minds. I thought it would be fun to post the national AHG Goals and see what our New Mexico flair would change, add, what they like, dislike, etc… So, here we go!

Primary Goals of the AHG

•  Honor diversity in herbal medicine, ranging from traditional indigenous models of herbalism to modern clinical phytotherapy.

• Establish AHG professional membership as a recognizable standard of competency in botanical medicine.

• Encourage the development of high standards of education that promote well-trained professional practitioners who offer high quality herbal care.

• Promote ecological health and increase awareness of issues surrounding plant sustainability.

• Strengthen the network of support and communication between herbal practitioners nationally and internationally.

• Foster high standards of ethics and integrity in the education and the practice of therapeutic herbalism.

• Promote cooperation between herbal practitioners and other health care providers, integrating herbalism into community health care.

• Serve as a liaison to other professional associations and regulatory agencies.

• Promote research in herbal medicine.

What do you think should be our goals, as a local chapter? 
Please dialogue in the comments section below!

Welcome!

Welcome New Mexico herbalists! 

 

I am beyond excited to have this fantastic resource at our fingertips. This blogspot will provide a means to connect our individual selves with the wider community of herbalists, as well as potential students and clients! Lets go over some of the offerings this blog will have for our community.

Getting heard:

This is a community blog, therefore, the blog posts will be by the herbal community. This is a way for YOU to get your herbal voice heard and your name out there. We want to hear from all NM herbalists about what you love about herbal medicine. We will always be looking for blog posts from you. If you have something you'd like to talk about, email us and if it's appropriate and after editing, we will post it!

What is appropriate?

Anything that is related to herbal medicine/alternative healing, as long as it is not an advertisement or an obvious self promotion. Your name will already be on the post, with a contact link(webpage, email or preferred contact). You can also email us with any questions.

To submit a blog posting or a question related to this, email us with "blog submission" in the subject line.

(please attach any pictures you would like added to the posting along with a note about where you would like them placed)

Examples of blog postings...

*Catnip uses, by so and so
*Reproductive health the herbal way, by so and so
*My thoughts on herb education, by so and so
*Why I love herbal medicine, by so and so
*How herbs saved my life, by so and so

You get the idea. :)

We look forward to hearing your voice!

Advertising:

As a member, you get discounted advertising on the blog page.
At the moment, a ribbon on the blog page is only $5 a month!!
(Prices are subject to change as blog traffic increases)
This ribbon can be a photo, designed by you, linking to your place or website of business.

*You must be a member of the AHG or a SNM to apply.
*Business websites must be appropriate, herbal related and approved by blog moderators before posting.
*You must be a NM resident, selling or practicing out of NM.

Please email us with "advertising" in the subject line if interested in placing an ad.

100% of funds received go directly to supporting our local chapter!

Student Mentor Connection:

There is a tab on the blog designed specifically for students and teachers! This is a mutually beneficial resource, as the instructor can "advertise" their teaching method and the student can pick and choose between NM herbalists, the person and style that is right for them! Check it out here.

Stay connected:

We will be assembling a team of volunteers who will be keeping up to date on upcoming herbal events in the area and posting them here! We also welcome from readers, any word of events!

This is also YOUR blogspot!

We want to make this web space a collective and collaborative piece. This means that we always welcome ideas for improvement, both towards the blog and AHG NM itself!

 ~Blessings,
Your loving herbal secretary.

Please comment below!