Work Trade Program - Eclectic School of Herbal Medicine

ESHM Work Trade Program

Quality herbal education, especially at the clinical level, can be difficult to access for people with limited or fixed incomes. While we offer scholarships, we are not able to meet the full demand. In response, ESHM is expanding our accessibility options through a new work trade program.

Work trade, the exchange of service for service, allows students to support our campus while we support their education. This program is rooted in mutual aid and shared care. It reflects our belief that education and land stewardship can grow together through relationship and responsibility.

ESHM, in partnership with Spring Mountain Wellness, operates a 500 acre botanical sanctuary in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains. The land requires ongoing care. Trails need clearing, gardens need tending, and buildings need maintenance. Students who are willing and able to contribute meaningful labor can earn their herbal education through this work, without paying tuition.

This program is one way we are working to widen access while staying aligned with our values of community, reciprocity, and care.

How It Works

The ESHM work trade program is structured to balance meaningful labor, study time, and rest. Students contribute consistent, hands-on work that supports the care of the land and facilities, while earning credit toward their herbal education. This is a steady, predictable arrangement designed to support learning without burnout.

Program details:

Work value: $20 per hour
Lodging value: $500 per month
Schedule: 20 hours per week
Four-hour shifts, five days a week
Net weekly credit toward tuition: $275
(after lodging)

Students live on the land in simple cabins and share access to a communal showerhouse. You are responsible for providing your own food, toiletries and anything else you need outside of housing. Daily work is supervised by Mr. Lonnie. Study time happens outside of work hours, creating a rhythm of morning labor and afternoon learning that supports both physical engagement and focused study.

What You Can Earn

Program	Tuition	Weeks at Wellspring
Foundational	$2,000	7–8 weeks
Community	$1,450	5–6 weeks
Clinical	$1,365	5 weeks
Practicum	$3,900	14–15 weeks

Full pathway: 31–34 weeks earns you complete training from Foundational through Practicum.

That’s about 8 months of living on a mountain, working with your hands, and earning your herbal education. No debt. No loans. Just labor and learning.

The Work

This work is physically demanding and takes place outdoors. It involves regular movement, lifting, and sustained activity, and it continues in a range of weather conditions. Participants should be comfortable working outside and caring for land and infrastructure as part of their daily routine.

Examples of tasks you will be asked to perform:

Trails

Clearing overgrown paths
Erosion control
Bridge repair
Signage and mapping

Gardens

Bed preparation and planting
Weeding and harvesting
Composting
Season extension structures

Facilities

Cabin maintenance and cleaning
Firewood processing
Groundskeeping
Painting and minor repairs

Land Stewardship

Invasive species removal
Wildcraft area management
Planting medicinals
Seed saving

What You Get

Cabin housing on 500 acres of protected land
Access to shared kitchen and showerhouse facilities
Clear supervision and structure for your work
Dedicated time and space for study
A pathway into clinical herbalism that does not require personal wealth

Our Expectations for Work Trade Participants

The work trade program is built around steady participation, clear communication, and a shared commitment to both work and study. Participants are expected to commit to their full term, arrive on time for scheduled work, and take responsibility for balancing physical labor with their educational commitments. Consistency and follow-through matter here and build a foundation of mutual trust.

Participants should arrive prepared for regular physical work, able to communicate clearly about needs and limits, and willing to show up as a dependable member of a land-based community.

This program tends to work well for people who:

Current have more time than money
Enjoy physical, hands-on work
Are comfortable with simple living and shared spaces
Want a direct relationship with the land their medicine comes from
Are willing to trade a year of focused effort for long-term skills and direction

This program may not be a good fit for people who:

Need urban amenities or frequent access to city infrastructure
Are unable to engage in regular physical labor
Have difficulty showing up on time or meeting ongoing commitments

How to Apply

Work trade positions are available to students accepted into ESHM programs.

The application process is as follows:

Complete the ESHM Programs Application and indicate the program or programs you are applying for. This application will also assess readiness for a work/trade arrangement
Complete an interview with ESHM
Submit a formal request for a work trade arrangement
Interview with Land managers
Coordinate your residency dates at Wellspring
Arrive prepared to participate in both work and study

Work trade positions are limited by season and supervision capacity. Summer and fall typically offer the greatest availability. Winter placements are available but more limited.