Led by Michael Pilarski

Michael Pilarski has been organically farming and gardening since 1972; with medicinal herbs being his main crops for the last 25 years. Through the years, he has worked with over 1,000 species of plants. He has taught extensively in the fields of organic farming, permaculture, medicinal herbs, native plants, plant propagation, ethnobotany, forestry, agroforestry and related disciplines. 

Michael has been wildcrafting medicinals across northern Washington for the past 25 years. He is the founder of the Northwest Herbal Fair, the Montana Herb Gathering and the Herb Growing & Marketing Conference. 

His publications include:

* Growing and Wildcrafting Medicinal Plants in the Pacific Northwest,

* Subtropical and Tropical Medicinal Plants Checklist. 2001

* Agroforestry Guide for the Hawaiian Islands

* Ethnobotany and Ethnoecology Resource Guide  

Register Here

Spirit in the Sky Growers Group 

NOW TAKING APPLICATIONS FOR SPRING 2024!

Leases start at .5 acres

Email kathryn@skyspiritor.com for an application

Spirit in the Sky Growers Group (SitS) sprouted from the original Eclectic Institute farm.

Founded in the early 1990s, the farm was purchased by Dr. Ed Alstat with the intent to provide sustainably grown herbs for Eclectic Institute's botanical preparations. The farm sustained Eclectic Institute's raw material needs for 30 years.

When Dr. Alstat passed , the farm was handed to his three children, Nick, Katy & Bobby.

This trio of Alstat's have chosen to convert the farm to a Growers Group, Education & Event Venue. Farm land is leased to farmers graduating from Farm Incubator Programs and established growers.  SitS offers quartely wildcraft and regenerative farming workshops. There is both tent camping and a TP village.

This decision was made to honor their father's dream of maintaining sustainable land for growing healthy crops.