Frequently Asked Questions

Why do you send so many emails about course enrollment?

This question has come in a few times lately, sometimes with a little extra heat. One reader told me my launch emails felt like a desperation to monetize, and that I must be seeing dollar signs instead of plants and people.

I'll be honest, that one stung.

It also deserves a real answer, because I don't think most people know what goes into running an herbal school.

So let's talk about it!

First of all, yes! This is a school and a business. We have to make money. If we didn't, we simply couldn't do what we do!

And I use the term "we" intentionally!

Herbs with Rosalee isn't just me.

There are 13 of us who work together to make this a beautiful place to learn herbalism. That includes managing every podcast episode and course from idea to finished product, sharing our work through social media and newsletters, supporting students and listeners directly, editing and transcribing every video and episode, and creating the artwork and design that make it all feel like home. I couldn't do any of this without them.

I'm proud to have built this school in a way that lets us share loads of free, quality herbal education.

Let's take the podcast as an example.

Every week we put out a new episode. It might last an hour, but many, many hours go into making that hour happen! There's scheduling guests, researching, recording, editing, artwork, and getting it all published. Nearly every episode also comes with a beautifully illustrated recipe card, made by real people. And every episode has a transcript, created by a human, so it's accessible to everyone.

All in all, each episode costs almost $1,000 to make. That's thousands of dollars every month, just for the podcast, and it's free for anyone, anywhere.

Here's the thing: I'm not independently wealthy. The bills have to get paid somehow, and the way we do that is by offering paid courses and memberships with in-depth herbal education.

The Podcast Circle is a big part of that (thank you, members!). And our courses are the foundation of it all. When someone enrolls in a course, they're not only getting a deep dive into herbalism. They're also helping keep the podcast, the recipe cards, and this newsletter free for everyone.

So here's how it works. All year long, we share free herbal education every single week. A few times a year, for about 10 days, we open enrollment for a course, and you'll hear from me more often. Then we go right back to plants and recipes.

Why several emails instead of one? Because most people don't open every email. If I sent a single announcement, many of the folks who have been waiting all year for a course would miss it. Every launch, people write in to tell me they almost missed it.

I think that's a pretty good balance, and it's what keeps this whole place thriving!

I've been doing this work for a couple of decades now, and I've learned a lot about what it takes to keep a school like this going. The way we share our courses isn't random, and it isn't about squeezing every dollar out of anyone. It's what allows us to pay our team fairly, take care of thousands of students, and keep so much of what we make free.

I know a few extra emails can feel like a lot in a busy inbox. I hope this gives you a better sense of what's behind them.

Oh, and about the part that stung? The idea that I must be seeing dollar signs instead of plants and people? Plants and people are exactly what that money is for. It supports the people who make this school what it is. It keeps the podcast free for everyone, whether they ever buy a thing or not. 

Now, not every course is for everyone, and that's completely fine! At the top of many course emails there's a link that lets you skip the rest of that enrollment while still getting the regular newsletter. One click, no unsubscribing, no hard feelings.

What I won't do is stop sharing my courses in the best way I know how. They're the heart of my work, and they're what make everything else possible.

If you've ever taken a class with me, you're the reason the podcast is free for everyone else. And if you've been learning from the free content for years, I'm so glad you're here. There's room for all of you.

I believe the world needs more herbalists, and I'll keep showing up to help make that happen!

Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Healand co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild and has taught thousands of students through her online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.