Photo by Kelly Hoffman

Photo by Kelly Hoffman

 

Sign up for Richard's newsletter to hear about upcoming classes, workshops, etc.

scroll down for 2026 spring and summer Events, Workshops, and Classes in Herbalism, Field Botany and Plant Identification

Richard is available to teach and/or lecture on a wide variety of topics related to plants and herbal medicine, including the following:

  • Clinical uses of herbal medicines on a wide range of topics

  • Diet and Nutrition

  • Field Botany and medicinal plant walks

  • Organic herb gardening

  • Herbal medicine making

Richard is a faculty member at:

Lectures and Presentations

Richard is available to lecture on a range of topics for a wide variety of audiences, from fellow herbalists to the general public, to physicians and other health care professionals. Some current and past venues include the International Herb Symposium, the Symposium of the American Herbalists Guild, Green Festival, and the Columbia University Stroud Center.

2026 spring and summer Events, Workshops, and Classes in Herbalism, Field Botany and Plant Identification

  • Saturday May 2, Herb Day, Well Sweep Herb Farm, Port Murray, NJ: I'll be teaching again this year (one class and one herb walk).  This is a wonderful (and free) gathering in a beautiful place. Trust me. Go. See https://herbdayahgnj.com/ for details.

  • Saturday June 6: Bog Walk with The Outside Institute, somewhere in the Upper Delaware / Catskills region. This will be half day walk through the unique ecosystem of a peat bog. Save the date and stay tuned; details to come!

  • Saturday June 20 Basha Kill, Wurtsboro NY. We’ll walk some of the trails that border on this precious protected marsh. We’ll look at everything, but a wonderful place for fern diversity and learning some aquatic and wetland plants. Mostly flat, easy walking, some small hills. Bring your kayak or canoe and stay for the evening solstice paddle (see below)! 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; $60 for the day, scholarships available.

  • Saturday June 20 Solstice Evening Paddle at the Basha Kill, Wurtsboro NY – it’s becoming an annual tradition; we’ll celebrate the summer solstice on the water of this local treasure of protected wetlands and getting to know our local aquatic plants. This is a public event, hosted by the Mamakating Environmental Education Center and is free of charge other than a requested $5 donation to MEEC. BYOB: bring your own (non-motorized) boat! Launch time 6:00 PM. Mark your calendar; register directly with MEEC, 845-644-5014.

  • Sunday June 28, Inwood Park, NYC - Inwood is a wonderful park, a corner of rocky, wooded wild left on the northern tip of Manhattan, with large trees and beautiful views of the Hudson. There are a lot of diverse plants to see and study, and I have usually found good edible mushrooms as well. Inwood is part of Lenapehoking, and there was a Native American presence in what is now Inwood Park into the 20th century; it is a strong and beautiful place. Some uphill, semi-steep trail walking involved. $60 for the day; scholarships available. Register at richardmandelbaum.com or email me (see below). 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; $60 for the day, scholarships available.

  • Saturday July 11, Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge, Sussex NJ - A beautiful refuge of fields, forest, and wetlands along the Wallkill, a tributary of the Mahicannituck (Hudson) River, in northern NJ along the NY border. Flat trail walking. $60 for the day; scholarships available. 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM; $60 for the day, scholarships available. Register at richardmandelbaum.com or email me (see below).

  • Saturday July 18, Where Phytochemistry Meets Gaia: Merging Science and Tradition in Herbalism, Transcending Roots Apothecary, Becket, MA – This one-day retreat in the Berkshires has a sliding scale fee starting at $75. Consider arriving the day before to participate in the Seasonal Immersion Day at a discount; you can stay overnight nearby or camp on-site. See the website for more. For more info and to register, go to: https://www.transcendingroots.com/

  • Hold these dates for these two herb gatherings (I’ll be at both), more details to come:

    • July 24-26 Plant Cunning Conference, Cohosh Creek Herb Farm, West Edmeston NY

    • September 13 Herbs to the People, AOOA Farm, Goshen NY

TO REGISTER, contact me by email: nyherbalist@gmail.com (except for the events where it says otherwise in the description). Your place in the course is secured when payment is received (see below). More information will be sent to all registered participants, including: list of what to bring and what to expect, handouts, and detailed directions / google map links to meeting locations. Everyone is expected to arrive 10-15 minutes early; once we are walking off down a trail you may not find us!

Class fee:

The fee is kept low to be as accessible as possible, and is discounted when you sign up for multiple classes.

If you need a scholarship to be able to attend, reach out to me and we will make it happen.

If you are able to pay a higher amount, I will reserve 100% of it for scholarships for people who need it!

Payment can be made by paypal, venmo, check, or cash.

  • Paypal: send payment to nyherbalist@gmail.com

  • Venmo: send payment to @Richard-Mandelbaum-1

Cancellation policy: because I keep these classes small and affordable, I am unable to guarantee a refund for canceling. If I am able to find someone to fill your spot, I can refund you minus a small processing fee, but I can’t make promises and it’s unlikely if you cancel at the last minute.

Some important notes about the classes

  • I limit the class size and most of the classes fill up in advance, so if you’re sure you want to join it is best to let me know as soon as you know.

  • Beginners and more advanced students are both very welcome.

  • We’ll practice skills at field identification including species identification and familiarization with common plant families, amid discussion of plant physiology, plant intelligence, taxonomy, and ecology.

  • We'll weave in information about harvesting, wild food and medicinal uses as a bonus. (In general we will not be foraging as we’ll be in parks.)

  • This class will meet rain or shine. No rain dates unless weather is truly dangerous to drive or be outside in. “There is no bad weather; only bad clothing.”

  • People are responsible for their own transportation to the class locations. I can try to help with carpooling if you let me know, by putting the word out, but I can’t promise anything.