Biography
Kristine is a life long illustrator and lover of plants. She grew up outdoors in the woods and spent most of her free time reading books or drawing. Her herbal journey began with the birth of her first child over 2 decades ago. With the birth of her third and fourth children, she began on another journey with homeschooling which led her to create a monthly publication for children, Herbal Roots zine. This online zine combines her love of plants and illustration in a fun easy-to-learn format which has been in around for over 10 years now.
Living in the midwest, Kristine found it impossible to find a local teacher to study with so she began her herbal journey through books and experience. Over the years she traveled to conferences to learn from other herbalists who inspired her including Rosemary Gladstar, Kathleen Maier, Isla Burgess, Leslie Alexander, Leslie Williams, Matt Wood and jim mcdonald. Most of her education has been self led, though she did choose to work through Rosemary Gladstar’s home correspondence course. Kristine also chose to mentor with herbalists Leslie Alexander and Leslie Williams for several years while rounding out her education and clinical experience before applying (and being accepted) as a professional member of the American Herbalist Guild. Though she is now a registered herbalist, Kristine believes that learning is never over and continues to seek out educational opportunities whenever possible.
Kristine has a well rounded practice that includes seeing clients, offering free workshops at her local library, teaching classes in her home and gardens, and making hand made goat milk soap, using milk from her own goat herd. She also travels around the country teaching classes at conferences such as the Great Lakes Herb Faire, Montana Herb Gathering, Traditions in Western Herbalism, Midwest Women’s Herbal Conference and Women’s Health Naturally! Expo to adults and children on herbalism and botanical drawing. Kristine ran the Midwest Women’s Herbal Conference Kid Camp for 4 years and will be heading up the kid’s camp at Green Gathering in Washington the summer of 2018.
In addition to her own publication Herbal Roots zine, Kristine has written and illustrated for various herbal and natural living publications and websites including The Essential Herbal, Natural Herbal Living Magazine, Little Acorn Learning, Rhythm of the Home, The Crone’s Gazette, Wisconsin Healer, LearningHerbs.com and Plant Healer Magazine.
Kristine spends her free time walking in the woods with her dog, sketching plants, observing and talking to the plants in her garden, and hanging out with her goats. She is on a mission to show everyone they have the ability to draw, if they only take the time to practice and is passionate about teaching herbalism to children as they are our future.
