New River Community and Technical College will offer “Backyard Medicine Chest,” an upcoming community education class led by herbalist and educator Bette Angle of Grassy Creek Farm. The class is open to the public and is designed for anyone interested in learning more about the potential uses of common plants and weeds found in their own backyard.

The class will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 29, from 5 to 8 p.m. at New River CTC’s Nicholas County Campus, located at 6101 Webster Road in Summersville. The cost is $25, with an additional $10 fee paid directly to the instructor at the time of the class for take-home materials.

During the hands-on class, participants will explore 13 common backyard plants and learn how they have traditionally been used to create a variety of herbal preparations for everyday household needs. Topics will include compresses, salves, tinctures, electuaries and other preparations. Participants will learn to cure bee stings, stop minor bleeding, soothe an upset stomach, and recognize the potential of plants and weeds that grow freely in the backyard. Participants will be able to take home materials created during the class.

Angle brings decades of herbal knowledge and experience to the classroom. She first became interested in herbal teas in her twenties after discovering she could not take certain pharmaceutical medications. Mentored by renowned author Dr. Judy Griffin, Angle now cultivates more than 100 herbs at Grassy Creek Farm in Leivasy, West Virginia.

A WVU-certified Master Gardener, Angle also holds a Master of Business Administration degree. She has shared her knowledge through her long-running column, “Bette’s Beds,” in the Nicholas Chronicle and other regional publications.

Those interested in attending “Backyard Medicine Chest” can register by contacting Gloria Kincaid at 304-793-6101 or email gkincaid@newriver.edu or complete the Workforce Education Form today.

New River Community and Technical College serves ten counties in southeast and south-central
West Virginia: Braxton, Fayette, Greenbrier, Mercer, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Raleigh,
Summers and Webster. The College provides accessible, affordable quality education and
workforce programs to meet the needs of the region it serves.

Media Contact
Tori Taylor
Interim Associate Vice President of External Affairs
ttaylor@newriver.edu
304-929-5476