testimonials for foraging classes & yoga

Foraging for Wild Food & Medicine

“Whether on a plant walk or in a herbal workshop, Kim’s deep connection to the plant world will fill you with wonder and nourish all your senses.” ~Suki Roth, Community Herbalist
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“Kim Calhoun knows how to celebrate our Piedmont habitats, joining exuberance with scholarship cultivated from all over North Carolina and beyond. A true Chatham local, Kim has a rare depth of botanical and ethnographic knowledge from both traditional and academic sources. This course should be taken in every season.”
~George Pauly
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“This morning I went running and on my path I saw smilex, autumn olive, wild grape leaves, wild lettuce, some kind of dock, cleaver, oxalis, most of which before yesterday would have been nameless “weeds.” Your classes make my daily life feel bigger. It’s like I can finally SEE. Thank you for that. Looking forward to future rambles”. ~April
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“Time outside with you and the plants is just medicine for my soul”! ~Lisa
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“Taking this class has allowed me to form a connection with plants, trees, and nature in a way I never expected. I’ve always liked plants, but I’ve found learning about all their gifts has given me an appreciation that has changed my life. I’ve never felt more anchored to this earth and in tune with my surroundings. I feel like I’ve been given a new set of eyes. I also think there is a new space in my heart that is crammed full of joy and excitement for learning as much as I can. Kim’s style of teaching is perfect. Seeing, touching, tasting, adds a dimension to learning that has really helped me learn and remember the information.” ~Lea
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“Kim has conducted several workshops for my students over the years. She does a wonderful job at tailoring each one to the needs of the students and our educational goals. Her workshops are thoroughly planned, engaging, and hands on. Kim possesses a natural ability to connect with all types of learners and has a knack for making people feel comfortable and welcome and, thus, ready to learn. Her workshops are fascinating and fun. After each workshop, I’ve had students tell me that it was the “best educational field trip they’ve ever experienced.” 
~Bill Landis, PhD, RD, Meredith College
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“I felt so fed today by your teaching and the amazing food. That wild salad was truly the best salad I have ever eaten. Ever. And I am big on making salads. The greens combined with your salad dressing (also best ever!) was so divine and made me so full of gratitude. My cup runneth over.” ~Allison
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“Hi Kim, We thoroughly enjoyed our plant walk on Saturday!!! We ate redbuds and made wysteria flower water later in the day! The girls were careful to speak to the plants and say “please and thank you.” Upon reflection, I realize that I seem to distrust eating things I find in nature…That’s why joining you on your walk was so enjoyable….almost an epiphany.” ~Mark
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“Dear Kim, Thank you so much for your walk with us! It really transformed the woods in front of my eyes into something else, I don’t even know how to explain, a garden and a place of healing. I have become curious about every tiny thing growing from the ground when I used to gloss over them. Suvi is enthralled! His little mind is so open to everything and I find him reading our foraging books so often. Warmly, Aparna”
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“If you invite Planty Kim to spend time with you in your “yarden”, you’ll be in for a few delightful hours that will fly by as you tour your herbal friends growing just outside your door. Kim makes this tour engaging by sharing stories from her extensive knowledge and connections with the wild plant kingdom. But better than that, Kim invites you to tell your stories, too … and she truly listens. Planty Kim is a respectful teacher – respectful to the learner and to all of Mother Nature’s beautiful gifts.”  ~Gwen
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‍ ‍“Hey Kim! I am incredibly grateful for the time we all got to spend together. Your energy is radiant and nourishing. The education you shared was something that I have been yearning for but what I appreciated most went beyond plant ID. I greatly valued your recognition and respect for your own ancestors as well as those Indigenous to the land around us. ⁣
Everything was so so amazing, from your respectful handout, the persimmon soda (bubbly magic), the twig ID, the side by side tree comparisons (Rock Chestnut Oak vs. Tulip Poplar), the observation of young and older species (Sweetgums and Sourwoods), and, of course the supremely delicious Forest Persimmon Cookies.⁣
⁣ I cannot wait to dive into all of it, and begin experimenting with my own nut milks, flours, syrups, medicine, and more! I know your classes fill up fast, and truthfully I don’t want to hog space because everyone should get to experience your walks, but I do hope to attend another in the future. Take care!” ~Maggie
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Gentle Yoga in Chatham County

“This class nourishes my heart, mind, and soul as well as, of course, body and provides the welcoming solaces of acceptance, community, compassion, and speaking important truths in the face of so many challenges and brutalities for so many people right now. Thank you.”
~T., current student
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“These classes feel like calm in the storm. Thank you.” ~Barbara
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“Thank you for a wonderful healing gentle yoga series. I so look forward to these Wednesday nights and appreciate the thought and care you put into each guided practice.” ~Angela
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“Hi Kim, I am so glad I took that first step and signed up for your online class. I am so self-conscious about my clumsiness that I’ve never had the nerve to try an in person class. Trying to learn on my own wasn’t working that well – it really helps to have you saying “relax that left shoulder” and suggesting where we should (and should not) feel something working and especially teaching us to BREATHE. I only wish I had discovered the benefits of yoga decades ago because managing stress has always been a challenge and your class has helped me navigate the stress of the last few years through the pandemic.” ~Anonymous
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“Dear Kim, you are an awesome yoga instructor. I love the variety of exercises you prepare, that class is always different and that we have so much FUN together! I get a real sense of community and love the location. I doubt I’ll ever be able to return to conventional yoga classes ever again…and you can quote me on all that! Hugs” ~Sandra
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“Gentle Evening Yoga is a great way to re-connect with yourself at the end of the day. Kim’s teaching style is accepting and makes you comfortable in whatever you are able to do.”
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“Kim, I keep wanting to tell you how you changed my life. That five years of yoga with you really TOOK. I would never have thought to take such good care of my self if you hadn’t introduced that care to me. Also, my chronic pain is helped.”
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“Can’t believe I waited 49 years to take a yoga class. For so long, friends have told me I’d love it! They’re right, of course. If you’ve never tried it, Kim Calhoun is a fantastic instructor!”
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“Kim, I think you have a wonderful teaching style. You are organized, demonstrate and explain well, and are one of the best yoga instructors I’ve experienced.” ~Sharon
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“Kim, thank you so much for everything. Yoga has really impacted my life and I’m definitely going to continue using it through life. You’ve done more good for myself and these other girls than you know. You have taught me a lot about well-being and listening to my body. I really appreciate it. You were an awesome person to get to know.”
~high school yoga student
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“After doing yoga with Kim, our teenage students were calm, relaxed and more at ease with themselves. She taught them valuable techniques for reducing anxiety in stressful day to day situations, leading them to feel more in control of their lives as they were able to make healthier decisions.” ~Jane Samuel, Head of School, Auldern Academy