Volunteer squad · Healing from the Ground Up
Medicinal Herb Squad
Grow medicinal herbs at Veterans Healing Farm in Mills River, North Carolina. Then help turn them into tinctures, teas, balms, and salves for veterans and volunteers. No experience needed.
The work
What the Medicinal Herb Squad does
Squad members grow medicinal plants in the farm's herb beds, harvest them, and help make the herbal products we give away. You don't need to know anything about herbs to start.
What you'll grow and make
You'll grow the herbs, then help make the finished products for our veterans and volunteers. Each summer, Rebecca also teaches free workshops for members.
- When
- Fridays, 10am to 2pm. Check the event calendar or call (828) 595-6111 first.
- Who
- Veterans, families, caregivers, and anyone who wants to help. No experience needed.
- Led by
- Rebecca Vann, Director of Plant Medicine
2026 Year-End Report (opens in a new tab)
Meet the director
Meet our Director of Plant Medicine
Rebecca Vann is the Director of Plant Medicine at the Veterans Healing Farm, where she oversees the organic herb and flower farm and leads volunteers through the full cycle of plant medicine, from seed to service. Medicinal crops are grown, harvested, and made into herbal medicines for the Veteran community and the farm’s free apothecary, and Rebecca develops and teaches the programs and workshops that bring people into that work hands-on.
Rebecca brings over 25 years as an herbalist and educator to the farm, along with a background in Ayurveda, biodynamic agriculture, clinical herbalism, and flower essence therapy. She also teaches at the Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine (opens in a new tab), where she invites first-year students to volunteer at the farm and mentors graduates as they build confidence in their own practice. As the founder and steward of Aurum Apotheca (opens in a new tab), a Frankincense-forward apothecary and distillery in Western North Carolina, she distills hydrosols and crafts elixirs and botanical skincare by hand in small batches. She believes herbalism is a lifelong path, and that the deepest wisdom often begins with simply listening to the plants.
On the calendar
Upcoming Herb Squad dates
Squad days and herb workshops for the next few months, from the farm calendar.
Join us
Join the Medicinal Herb Squad
Sign up on the volunteer page, then email the squad at the address shown here.