In this episode of Herbalists After Hours, we spend time with Michael "Skeeter" Pilarski on his two-acre medicinal agroforestry property in the Methow valley (north-central Washington) — a place that started as a bare field and is now a thriving, self-mulching, multi-story forest of over 10,000 trees and shrubs. The conversation moves from plant walks and wildcrafting to community building, ceremony, music, and the long arc of a life lived in radical service to the earth and the people on it. We talk about what it means to start things — gatherings, organizations, movements — and keep starting them for over five decades. We hear about the Okanagan Barter Fair, now in its 52nd year, and how barter economies and gift economies point toward something the modern world has largely forgotten. We explore how community gatherings serve not just joy and connection, but the exchange of practical knowledge that keeps movements alive. And Skeeter shares his vision for medicinal forestry as one of the most important climate solutions available to us right now. There's also a tour of the land itself, where you get to see Skeeter in his true element. Michael "Skeeter" Pilarski is an herbalist, wildcrafter, seed grower, agroforestry practitioner, and one of the most prolific community organizers in the history of the American herbal and permaculture movements. He is the founder of Friends of the Trees Society (1978), the Global Earth Repair Foundation, the Okanagan Barter Fair (1974), the Northwest Herbal Fair (1996), and dozens of other gatherings and organizations spanning herbalism, permaculture, ecological restoration, and earth repair. He has been planting, teaching, and organizing for over fifty years. Thank you to Xavier de la Forêt for filming! WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE Don't miss a thing! Join our herbal community newsletter at FolkMethodology.com LINKS & RESOURCES Connect with Skeeter Friends of the Trees Society | https://friendsofthetrees.net/ Global Earth Repair Foundation | https://globalearthrepairfoundation.org/ Skeeter's YouTube channel | https://www.youtube.com/@friendsofthetreessociety8540 EPISODE MENTIONS Okanagan Barter Fair (Tonasket, WA) | https://okanoganfamilyfaire.net/ Northwest Herbal Fair | https://www.nwherbalfair.com/ Fairy and Human Relations Congress | https://fairycongress.com/ Tilth | https://tilthalliance.org/ Singing Alive | https://singingalive.org/ Great Lakes Herb Faire | https://www.greatlakesherbfaire.org/ Torin Frost and Lauren Santi | https://www.youtube.com/@torinfrostofficial Dope ah meaN (hip hop group, Twisp, WA) | https://methowvalleynews.com/2024/07/25/rap-duo-dope-ah-mean-builds-momentum/ The Man of the Trees by Richard St. Barb Baker Back to Eden by Jethro Kloss Permaculture: A Designers' Manual by Bill Mollison Folk Methodology is a creative herbal studio exploring the wisdom, culture, and lived experience of herbalists. Through conversations, classes, and media, Mason and Rosalee are here to share and uplift the grassroots herbal community. The small print This content is for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health regimen.
