Biography

Matthew Wood has been a practicing herbalist since 1982. In a period when many authors and lecturers are merely "arm chair herbalists" who offer theories and opinions based on book learning, and others have turned to the exotic traditions of India or China, he has been an active practitioner of traditional Western herbalism. He has helped tens of thousands of clients over the years, with many difficult health problems. While Matthew believes in the virtue of many other healing modalities, he has always been inspired to learn, preserve, and practice the tradition of herbal medicine descending to us from our European, Anglo-American, and Native American heritage. He is a member of the American Herbalists Guild (registered herbalist) and has earned his Masters of Science degree from the Scottish School of Herbal Medicine (accredited by the University of Wales). In 1992 Matthew moved to a little farm in Minnetrista, thirty-five minutes west of downtown Minneapolis. The seventeen acres consisted of fields, woods, swamps, prairies, and herb gardens. He called it "Sunnyfield Herb Farm" after the road out front. In 2003 a careless 'guest' burned down the guest house and Matthew thought it prudent to move. In 2006 he removed to a beautiful oak woods about ten miles away, in Maple Plain. In 2010 he moved to land in Wisconsin. He still calls his business "Sunnyfield Herb Farm." A friend continues to live on the old farm. Matthew has lectured in all parts of the United States, from Georgia to Maine, New York to California, and Santa Fe to Sperryville, Virginia. He has also taught in Canada, Scotland, England, France, and Australia. He is known throughout the world as an excellent teacher of herbal medicine. He is also the author of six acclaimed books on herbal medicine, published by North Atlantic Books, in Berkeley, CA: Seven Herbs, Plants as Teachers (1987) Vitalism, The History of Herbalism, Homeopathy, and Flower Essences, originally entitled The Magical Staff (1993) The Book of Herbal Wisdom (1998) The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism (2004) The Earthwise Herbal, A Complete Guide to Old World Medicinal Plants (2008) The Earthwise Herbal, A Complete Guide to New World Medicinal Plants (2009)