BC Medicinal Plant & Seed Project

The BC Medicinal Plant & Seed Project will explore the current medicinal herb and seed production in BC, connect with current and potential medicinal herb farmers and engage with health practitioners to understand their medicinal herb needs. The goal is to then develop and implement a strategy to grow the existing medicinal herb network in BC and to strengthen links between farmers/growers and health practitioners.

The Medicinal Plant & Seed Project is a capacity building and networking project that aims to:

  • Raise awareness about the expanding market for medicinal plant production
  • Increase production of medicinal herbs within BC through knowledge sharing and capacity building activities
  • Create seed banks for important medicinal varieties
  • Connect producers with practitioners and other end users

If you are interested in being involved as either a grower or practitioner, please sign up below

Get Involved

If you are interested in being involved as either a grower or practitioner, please sign up here.

Past Events

Hosted at Abundance Community Farm, this hands-on workshop guided participants in harvesting mature medicinal roots, including Marshmallow, Echinacea, Elecampane, Valerian, and more. Led by Rupert Adams, the event marked the decommissioning of a long-standing medicinal plant and seed garden, offering attendees the chance to learn about medicinal plants, harvesting techniques, and future growing opportunities. Participants took home three-year-old roots for replanting or medicine-making. The workshop operated on a sliding-scale fee to ensure accessibility.

Northwest Medicinal Plant & Seed Field Day (September 29th): This event, hosted at Lost Farm in Smithers, focused on connecting with growers and practitioners in the northwest region of BC. It included a tour of medicinal herb production at Wild West Herb Co, presentations on the project and Indigenous plant knowledge by Tiffany Traverse, and cleaning seeds of herbs and rare beans with the mobile seed cleaning trailer.

Virtual Field Day, September 25, 2024: This online event encouraged participants to give input into the variety trial that took place in 2024 and envision future variety trials. With the information we gathered, a survey was created to have growers sign up for the trial in 2025.

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Virtual Field Day July 30, 2024: This online event facilitated broader engagement, offering a recap of the Salt Spring Island field day, presentations on the project, and breakout room discussions. Key topics included:

    • With feedback from both growers and practitioners, identifying desirable crops for future trials.
    • Discussing needed resources and support for growing and procuring medicinal plants.
    • Exploring potential barriers and opportunities for the local medicinal herb market.
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Salt Spring Island Field Day (July 4th): This inaugural event offered participants a tour of a medicinal garden, presentations by experts, and opportunities to learn about growing and using medicinal herbs. The event was recorded to be shared at a virtual field day, extending its reach to a wider audience.

Reports

Medicinal Seed Project Report Doc