Bio:
Tanya Bucci, M.A. is an avid forager, nature lover, outdoor adventurer, and researcher that specializes in intestinal parasites, healthy living, sustainability, medicinal herbs, and wild edible plants.  Tanya enjoys learning primitive skills and getting back to basics.  Tanya also appreciates observing the mathematics that are reflected in the creation and design of nature.    
 
Introduction to Medicinal Herbs by Tanya Bucci
This presentation will cover the basics of using plants for health and healing.  Over two dozen medicinal herbs will be discussed.  This will include common culinary herbs like parsley, cilantro, and oregano that can be easily grown in your backyard garden, as well as wild medicinal plants including burdock, yellow dock, and goldenrod that can be found growing throughout the region.  The medicinal actions of the herbs (e.g., immune boosting, detoxification, liver support, stress relief, etc.), along with the various ailments that each herb is best suited will be examined.   This presentation will include an introduction to foraging (a.k.a. wild-crafting).  A handout on how each of the covered herbs can be used – that is, whether as food, tea infusions, decoctions, tinctures, salves, poultices, syrups, and/or infused oils – will be provided. 

Introduction to Making Tinctures (Demonstration) by Tanya Bucci
Making your own tinctures is easy, economical, and empowering.  During this demonstration, the steps for making tinctures from fresh and dried plant material will be explained.  Both the folk method and the more precise weights and measures method will be demonstrated.  Equipment, record-keeping, labeling and more will be covered.  Making other homemade products with herbs like syrups, salves, and oils will be briefly discussed as well.  Attendees will be provided an informational handout about where to find herbs, necessary (and recommended) equipment, useful books, etc. 

Local Wild, Edible & Medicinal Plants by the Season
Tuesdays, September 3rd – 24th, 6-8:30 p.m., GC Northern Outreach CenterThis course will cover how to identify, harvest, and prepare local wild edible and medicinal plants by focusing on what is available by season: spring, summer, and fall. Common poisonous plants and proper foraging practices will also be discussed. Students are encouraged to bring their note pads and any books on wild plants, foraging, herbalism, etc.
The course is being instructed by local resident, Tanya Bucci, a graduate of University of Pittsburgh. She is a Certified Nutritionist with a master’s degree in research methodology.