Who leads the workshop?

Clinical herbalist and homeopath Melita Mollohan leads the session and shares clinical and practical guidance.

Is the elixir provided?

You’ll make an elderberry elixir during class and take it home in your own jar.

Are children allowed?

Families are welcome but check age suitability on booking; dosage guidance includes adult and child references.

How much do the homeopathic blends cost?

Melita’s signature blends are offered for $10 each, payable by cash or Venmo.

Is prior herbal experience required?

No—this is designed for beginners and experienced home apothecarists alike.

Where is the meeting point?

Specific meeting details are provided on booking confirmation; the program takes place in the Arthurdale Heritage community.

Handmade Elderberry Elixir in Arthurdale: Immune-Boosting Herbal Workshop with Melita Mollohan | Workshop | Cooking Class

Arthurdale, West Virginia sits on the western edge of the Allegheny Plateau, and here a hands-on herbal workshop turns seasonal wild plants into practical remedies. At "Herbs to Boost Your Immune System," clinical herbalist and homeopath Melita Mollohan leads small groups through making an elderberry elixir, exploring homeopathic blends, and assembling eight easy recipes you can reproduce at home. The class meets in the Arthurdale Heritage community (Arthurdale, West Virginia), a place with living New Deal history and a patchwork of native hardwoods, roadside elder, and medicinal understory plants that make the landscape itself part of the lesson.

The workshop balances practical preparation with clear medical context. You’ll make the elixir that Melita sells at her clinic, receive her 20-plus page e-book "Boost Your Immune System," and learn dosage guidelines for adults and children. Melita also discusses head cold and flu homeopathic blends available for purchase ($10 cash or Venmo per blend), and often leaves students with small, unexpected extras. Instruction covers immune system basics, when to see a doctor, preventive nutrition, five key immunomodulating herbs, and homeopathic options to ease symptoms if you do fall ill.

What makes this experience special is its local focus: demonstrations use plants that grow on the Appalachian foothills around Arthurdale, so you learn remedies suited to this climate and flora. Group sizes run from four to thirty, creating a classroom energy that suits hands‑on making while still allowing individual questions. The session is accessible to beginners; no prior herbal training is required, but Melita’s clinical perspective keeps the conversation grounded and safety‑minded.

Visitors appreciate the workshop as both a practical skill session and a way to connect with regional culture. Arthurdale itself carries historical weight as one of the first New Deal homesteads, and local heritage programming complements plant lore with social history. Bring a notebook, a small jar for your take‑home elixir, and an appetite for tasting simple, restorative recipes. If you’re traveling from nearby towns, plan for an afternoon—this is a hands‑on course best enjoyed without rushing.

Expect a mix of demonstration, hands-on preparation, and Q&A; Melita provides a dosage reference for adults and children, sources for reliable herbs, and concrete steps for prevention and early treatment. The class often concludes with time to bottle and label your elixir and to swap sourcing tips. Come prepared with questions about medications and allergies so Melita can tailor advice to your health needs.

Whether you’re a curious first‑timer or someone looking to expand a home apothecary, this workshop translates local plants into usable medicine and introduces ethical harvesting and dosages. It’s a rare, practical way to learn from an experienced clinician in a place where landscape and history inform every jar you make.

About Arthurdale Heritage, Inc.

Arthurdale Heritage, Inc. preserves and shares the cultural history of Arthurdale, West Virginia through public programs, hands-on workshops, and community events. The organization hosts a range of experiences that connect visitors and residents with Appalachian traditions, including weaving, relief printing, herbalism, creative writing, folk music, and historical lectures.

Programs include classroom-style workshops such as Tiny Tapestry: Weaving for Beginners and Mug Rug Weaving, which teach basic loom techniques and let participants take home finished pieces. Art-focused offerings include a Relief Printing Workshop led by Meish Claus and Ekphrastic Writing: A Creative Writing Workshop with Jessie Van Eerden, both designed for practical skill development and artistic exploration. Music and storytelling are central to the calendar with events like Folk Music of the Southern Coalfields featuring Chris Haddox, and an outdoor theatrical performance of Shakespeare’s MACBETH by the Rusted Mechanicals troupe.

Educational talks and literary programming further highlight local history and practice. Making History with Christina Fisanick guides researchers and writers in using primary sources for family history and narrative work. Taste of Arthurdale presents historical perspectives on food in Appalachia, led by historian Katharine Donnelly. The Poetics of Gratitude workshop and Herbal Mixer build community through shared creative and practical activities.

Arthurdale Heritage, Inc. programs are delivered by named instructors and guest presenters and take place in Arthurdale, West Virginia. The organization focuses on accessible, place-based learning and cultural preservation, offering scheduled workshops and events that invite participation from local communities and visitors alike. Program details and schedules are posted regularly.