Meet Our 2026 Herbal Interns

Jurney, Connie, Clara, Jennifer

At the Lamb Shoppe & Wellness Center, our Herbal Internship Program is more than just an educational experience—it’s a journey of connection, growth, and empowerment. Each year, we welcome a group of passionate learners who are eager to deepen their relationship with the healing plants around them. Whether they’re blending teas, tending herb gardens, or sharing their own stories of transformation, our interns bring heart and purpose to everything they do.

Herbalism is not something that is learned overnight. It grows slowly through observation, experience, and relationship. Our internship program creates space for that process to unfold. Throughout the season, interns immerse themselves in the daily life of herbal medicine—harvesting herbs, exploring plant identification, learning traditional uses, discussing modern research, and gaining confidence in practical herbal preparations.

Interns also gain hands-on experience helping with herbal product creation, wildcrafting, herbal gardening, educational projects, and supporting our Home Herbalist community. Through monthly educational sessions and real-world experience at the farm and wellness center, interns have the opportunity to deepen both their practical skills and their understanding of the wider world of herbal medicine.

More importantly, they begin to see the world differently: noticing the plants beneath their feet, the cycles of nature, and the incredible ways people have partnered with herbs for generations.

This year’s interns each come with their own stories, experiences, and favorite herbs—but they all share a common curiosity and desire to keep learning.

Jennifer Eckstein

I’m fairly new to the herbal healing world, though I’ve been surrounded by it for over a decade. After living in major cities most of my life, country life became my norm almost 12 years ago when I married a farmer. Here, nature certainly has a platform to speak to us—from the bog to the grove floor to the wide-open fields. After taking Home Herbalist Level 1, Connie gave me a new understanding of what naturally occurs in our yard and the potential opportunities waiting to sprout.

Through the course and the summer herbal walks, I’ve come to appreciate the unique properties and potential of herbs for each individual person. While I don’t have one favorite herb, some of the most reached-for herbs in our house are Solomon’s seal, oak bark, elderberry, burdock, and Tulsi for daily tea. And with kids running around and multiple construction projects happening, yarrow is never far away! Yarrow has stopped our bleeding cut fingers or opened scabs, dried up our fevers and soothed our sunburns!!!

There are so many layers to the world, and I feel fortunate to be given this moment in time to study, encounter, experience, and relate with the beauty of an Intelligence of Love weaving it all together for good.

I’d invite others to simply dive in: one plant walk, one herb you taste, one walk through the garden, one drive to the country to breathe fresh air…sometimes one domino tipped over is all it takes to open up a whole new way of seeing the world that you are a part of.

Jurney & Jennifer

Jurney Dammann

Hi, I’m Jurney! I’m excited to be one of the herbal interns this year!

I was part of last year’s Become a Home Herbalist Level 1 class and recently completed Level 2 earlier this year. Both classes left me inspired and eager to continue learning.

The natural world has always held my interest, and after going through some health struggles of my own, I found myself with a new appreciation for the world around me. That appreciation continues to grow and blossom, and each day I am inspired to keep learning about the medicine and healing that surrounds us.

One of my favorite herbs, especially during the springtime, is Stinging Nettle. When I first learned all that Stinging Nettle has to offer, I was amazed! Not only does Stinging Nettle offer medicinal properties, but it can also be used as food—with the correct preparation. Stinging Nettle has such a wide variety of uses and has become one of my go-to herbs.

A little bit of advice from me to you: as you begin your journey into the world of herbal medicine, you’ll quickly discover there is a lot to learn and an overwhelming amount of information available. While that is wonderful, it can also feel intimidating at times. My advice? Start with what’s in your own backyard.