Railyard Apothecary

Railyard Apothecary Railyard Apothecary is Burlington’s employee-owned herbal apothecary. We offer education, healing space, and access to high quality herbs to our community.

Our mission is to nurture individual, social, and ecological health through herbal medicine. All of our herbs are from organic and/or sustainable sources, either from local farms and forests, or from international organic distributors. By partnering with local farmers, wild-crafters, and educators we hope to serve as a hub for the herbal community in Northern Vermont.

Spring allergies can be a bother for many this time of year, causing discomfort, pain, stress, trouble resting, etc. In ...
03/30/2026

Spring allergies can be a bother for many this time of year, causing discomfort, pain, stress, trouble resting, etc. In this class we'll talk about natural and herbal supports for people's bodies to help find relief.

We'll discuss:
- Causes of allergies from a holistic perspective
- Symptom patterns for different allergy presentations and how understanding these can lead to different allergy interventions
- Diet and lifestyle factors for support
- Topical herbal remedies, including rinses, steams and compresses
- Internal herbal remedies including herbs that support a healthy immune response, that promote healthy mucous membranes and which support natural detoxification pathways of the body

You'll walk away from this class with a better understanding of your body's allergy response and tools you can call on for support.

Wednesday, April 29, 6:30-8pm
In-person at Railyard Apothecary
$30 to attend
Taught by Nick Cavanaugh
Register here: https://www.railyardapothecary.com/store/p730/Herbal_Support_for_Spring_Allergies.html

Nick is a clinical herbalist and one of four co-owners of Railyard Apothecary. His training included a three-year clinical training program at the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism where he graduated in 2016. He's been working at Railyard Apothecary since then.

03/28/2026

Violet is one of our early spring plant friends that will soon be coming up. Do you have some near you? 💚 🌿 🌼

As the seasons change we can support our bodies with gentle herbs to ease the transition.Rather than just focusing on in...
03/27/2026

As the seasons change we can support our bodies with gentle herbs to ease the transition.

Rather than just focusing on individual herbs it can be helpful to think of whole categories by understanding herbal "actions."

Check out the post for the info and let us know if you have any questions! 💚 🌿 🌼

Have you seen some growing yet?  Violet is a common spring flower that grows in Vermont, and is also a great medicinal h...
03/26/2026

Have you seen some growing yet? Violet is a common spring flower that grows in Vermont, and is also a great medicinal herb.

Let us know if you have any questions! 💚 🌿 🪻

This class is an introduction to tinctures where we will be exploring two methods of tincture making: folk and weight to...
03/26/2026

This class is an introduction to tinctures where we will be exploring two methods of tincture making: folk and weight to volume (or ratio). We will cover what tinctures are, how to use them, when they might be useful, and the different ways to make them. You will have the opportunity to taste different kinds of tinctures and practice both folk and ratio methods. This is a great way to be in community with supportive plants and humans, and to grow your tincture making skills in preparation for the warm seasons ahead! Participants will leave with a solid foundation in these two tincture making methods as well as the tinctures they make in this workshop.

Sunday April 26th 11-1pm
In person at Railyard Apothecary
$45 to attend
Taught by Brooke Sambol and Phoebe Paron
Register here: https://www.railyardapothecary.com/store/p729/Tincture_Making%3A_Folk_%26_Ratio_Methods.html

Phoebe is an ecologist, gardener, witch and herbalist in training. For the past five years they have been in a learning phase of their herbalism. Now while continuing learning they are also focusing on medicine making for their Burlington community through interning at Railyard Apothecary and remedy making at home for family and friends as well as sharing their knowledge!

Brooke is a clinical herbalist, herbal product maker, and mentor in the medicine making internship at Railyard Apothecary. She studied herbalism at the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, the California School of Herbal Studies, and from the plants themselves (but learning is a forever thing!). They love supporting people in building healing relationships with plants and look forward to tincture making with you!

03/25/2026

"Herbal actions" are what herbs do in the body. Jessica shares about some specific herbal actions that can be of support during the seasonal transition to springtime.

By learning the herbal actions you can mor eeasily understand what a whole gropu of herbs do.

Let us know if you have any questions!

This class will focus on starting seeds outdoors, container gardening and different approaches to gardening in the groun...
03/21/2026

This class will focus on starting seeds outdoors, container gardening and different approaches to gardening in the ground. We will also explore the idea of weeds, and how we might come to a peaceful relationship with volunteer plants.

Tuesday, April 21st, 6:30-8pm
Online via Zoom
Taught by Jessica Churchill
$30 to attend
Register here: https://www.railyardapothecary.com/store/p722/Planting_Your_Herb_Patch.html

Jessica Churchill believes co-creating with the magic of plant kin builds a better world for all beings. As a folk herbalist she focuses on building reciprocal relationships with the plants, not just utilizing them as commodities. Practically speaking this looks like not only ingesting herbs but also working to slow down to a sustainable pace and spending time in the garden, meadow or forest. While understanding physiological workings of herbs, Jessica’s approach is energetic and spiritual in nature with a goal of building rest and resilience practices in the face of the challenges of living in modern times. Bodies are not intended to move at the pace of capitalism and Jessica works with clients to support the body and create ease and balance in their lives.

03/20/2026

As the seasons change we can learn from nature and adjust our routines and diet to help ease into the season ahead.

More to come about herbs that help this time of year...

Let us know if you have any questions! 🌿💚

As we get closer to the green re-emerging we may feel that stirring within us - a change is ahead and a new energy is co...
03/19/2026

As we get closer to the green re-emerging we may feel that stirring within us - a change is ahead and a new energy is coming.

Our bodies know how to adapt, but we can still support ourselves with changes to our routines and our diets.

Looking to nature we see that the plants that are emerging first are the ones that tend to work well with our bodies for this time of year.

Gratitude for the coming warmth. ☀️ 🌼 🌿

Join Michelle Downing, physical therapist and therapeutic pain specialist and Nick Cavanaugh, clinical herbalist to lear...
03/18/2026

Join Michelle Downing, physical therapist and therapeutic pain specialist and Nick Cavanaugh, clinical herbalist to learn about how to support the body and find relief from pain using mind-body techniques and herbs.

Have you ever stopped to wonder what exactly is happening in our bodies when we feel pain? Pain is a normal human experience, yet it is widely misunderstood. Pain is more about what is happening in our nervous system than what is happening in our tissues! Research shows that when we understand pain better, our relationship to that pain improves.

The presenters will provide and experiential talk about the science of pain and what to do about it. You'll be learning the physiology behind what happens to the nervous system when the acute pain response shifts into chronic pain. You'll walk away with some mind-body techniques and lifestyle modifications to help manage your own symptoms, or to support clients who have pain.
In terms of herbal support, in the plant world there is a wide range of plants that can relieve pain, from mild anti-inflammatories to strong, potentially toxic analgesics.

In this intro-level class we're going to focus on aches and pains that are relatively common, mild and transient.

Specifically we'll talk about herbs that may relieve:
- Headache
- Minor aches and pains from injury
- Menstrual pain

The herbs we'll talk about are very safe and relatively gentle, but can be quite effective. They are good herbs to include when building your home apothecary.

Sunday, April 12, 12-4pm
In-person at Railyard Apothecary
$75 to attend
Taught by Michelle Downing and Nick Cavanaugh

Register here: https://www.railyardapothecary.com/store/p727/Holistic_Pain_Relief_-_Herbs_and_Mind-Body_Support.html

Michelle (she/her) was born in Bennington, VT and grew up in the upstate New York town of Hoosick Falls. She currently lives in Underhill with her husband and cat. She began studying yoga at the age of 16. This interest in yoga eventually led her to pursue a doctorate in physical therapy. She graduated from the University of Vermont’s PT program in 2012. Michelle has a physical therapy practice in Burlington, VT.

Nick is a clinical herbalist and one of four co-owners of Railyard Apothecary. His training included a three-year clinical training program at the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism where he graduated in 2016. He's been working at Railyard Apothecary since then.

Meet herbalist and author Betzy Bancroft celebrating her new book Herbal Pharmacy!  Betzy will be offering a mini-worksh...
03/17/2026

Meet herbalist and author Betzy Bancroft celebrating her new book Herbal Pharmacy! Betzy will be offering a mini-workshop with tea tasting and questions & answers, with book signing to follow.

Betzy teaches at the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism and has been a primary teacher for many people who have worked at Railyard over the years. We are honored and excited to host her!

Saturday, April 11th, 10am-12pm
In-person at Railyard Apothecary
Free to attend - please register ahead of time to so we can plan accordingly. Register here: https://www.railyardapothecary.com/store/p724/Herbal_Pharmacy_-_Book_Presentation_w%2F_Betzy_Bancroft.html

About the book:
This thorough guide will be the go-to for clinical herbalists, alternative medicine practitioners, and herb enthusiasts—providing detailed step-by-step instructions, how-to information, and “why-to” explanations so readers can confidently move from following recipes to designing and preparing their own herbal remedies.

More and more people are turning to herbal remedies for healing, whether they are purchasing the remedies or making them on their own. Herbalists want their clients to have good experiences with these remedies, both to help them heal and to foster a positive regard for herbs and, by extension, the healing power of nature. This in-depth guide teaches readers respect, care, and understanding for all aspects of preparing herbal medicines, to ensure what they make is safe and efficacious.

Individual chapters address making herbal extractions in water, oils and fats, alcohol, vinegar, honey, glycerin, and other media, supplemented with easy-to-follow tables and charts. Herbal Pharmacy also covers the practical aspects of administering herbal remedies: figuring dosage, duration of care, and the specifics of deciding how to apply a remedy to produce the best outcome.

Throughout, Bancroft—a professional member of the American Herbalists Guild who has been educating for over three decades—provides detailed instructions to help even inexperienced or anxious medicine makers successfully design and prepare their own recipes for effective remedies.

About the author:
Betzy has had a deep appreciation for the magic of plants since childhood. She’s been teaching herbal medicine for over 3 decades, currently at Sage Mountain and the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, a non-profit herb school and clinic she helped found, as well as herbal and agricultural conferences. Betzy is a professional member of the American Herbalists Guild, practices as a clinical herbalist and is a supervisor for VCIH’s student clinic. Betzy is also a United Plant Savers Advisory Board member, and previously served as that organization’s office manager for a decade. She has compiled her experience and curriculum in the new book, Herbal Pharmacy: the Science and Magic of Preparing and Administering Plant Medicine just published by Chelsea Green. Besides medicine making, she’s fascinated by microbes and phytonutrients.

In this class we will discuss herbs that can safely be used in pregnancy and postpartum that are supportive for general ...
03/16/2026

In this class we will discuss herbs that can safely be used in pregnancy and postpartum that are supportive for general health, common complaints, and nutritional needs. Herb safety is a common concern for those pregnant and breast/chest feeding, so we will talk about how herbal safety is determined and what herbs are considered generally safe for this transformative time of life.

Wednesday, March 18th, 6:30-8pm
In-person at Railyard Apothecary
$30 to attend
Taught by Jessica Churchill
Register here: https://www.railyardapothecary.com/store/p721/Herbs_and_Herb_Safety_for_Pregnancy_and_Beyond.html

Jessica Churchill believes co-creating with the magic of plant kin builds a better world for all beings. As a folk herbalist she focuses on building reciprocal relationships with the plants, not just utilizing them as commodities. Practically speaking this looks like not only ingesting herbs but also working to slow down to a sustainable pace and spending time in the garden, meadow or forest. While understanding physiological workings of herbs, Jessica’s approach is energetic and spiritual in nature with a goal of building rest and resilience practices in the face of the challenges of living in modern times. Bodies are not intended to move at the pace of capitalism and Jessica works with clients to support the body and create ease and balance in their lives.

Address

28 Howard Street , Ste. 101-A
Burlington, VT
05401

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 6pm
Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm
Saturday 11am - 4pm

Telephone

+18025400595

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Our Story

Railyard Apothecary is Burlington’s employee-owned herbal apothecary. Our mission is to nurture individual, social, and ecological health through herbal medicine. We offer education, healing space, and access to high quality herbs to our community.