Make and Take: Healing Oils & Salves at Crabtree Farms, Chattanooga

Crabtree Farms — Chattanooga’s community farm at 1000 E 30th Street — hosts an evening workshop called Make and Take: Healing Oils & Salves, led by herbalist Melonie Sherman. In this intimate two-hour class you’ll learn the basics of herbal salves, hands-on formulation, and practical uses for plant-based skin remedies. The meeting point is Crabtree Farms of Chattanooga, 1000 E 30th Street, a working urban farm that sets the scene with beds of medicinal herbs and demonstration gardens just a block from the Tennessee River valley.

The workshop places process over mystique. Melonie walks the group through herb selection, infused oils, beeswax ratios and application methods, then guides each participant as they craft a personalized salve to take home. All ingredients and materials are provided, so you can focus on scent, texture and purpose rather than sourcing containers. With a maximum of 20 people the setting is hands-on and conversational — expect easy-to-follow demos, recipes to repeat at home, and practical tips for integrating herbal remedies into everyday first aid and skincare.

What makes this a standout in Chattanooga’s outdoor-recreation scene is its blend of urban agriculture and applied herbalism. Instead of a lecture, you get a tactile experience amid living plantings: rosemary, calendula, lavender and other topical herbs commonly grown in the farm’s beds. That living connection—seeing the plants, smelling fresh infusions, and leaving with a crafted product—turns a simple class into a gateway for deeper seasonal gardening and self-care practices.

The facilitator’s background sharpens the learning. Melonie Sherman brings decades of nonprofit leadership and a recent certification in herbalism; her aesthetic training at Aveda Institute adds a practical skincare sensibility. Expect clear instructions, safety notes on allergies and basic storage guidance so your salve lasts through Tennessee summers and cooler months.

This workshop suits beginners and makers curious about plant medicine. It’s evening-friendly, accessible by car from downtown Chattanooga, and a pleasant stop for travelers looking to pair outdoor exploration with hands-on learning. Refunds are allowed up to seven days before the event with a small fee, and questions can be directed to Chloe Watts at 423-493-9155 or [email protected].

Whether you’re a local wanting to deepen garden-to-jar skills or a visitor seeking a lasting, handmade souvenir, this session offers real-world herbal craft in an urban-farm setting — small group instruction, practical takeaways, and the sensory satisfaction of making something useful from plants.

Arrive a few minutes early to check in at the farm’s office on E 30th Street; parking is typically available on-site or on the street. The class is a low-impact, sensory evening that connects plant identification with practical craft, making it a particularly rewarding stop for travelers who want a quiet, hands-on introduction to herbal wellness.