Aleya Fraser: CARIBBEAN HERBALISM (with Denzel Mitchell, Jr.)

Presenting an evening with land steward and ethnobotanist Aleya Fraser in celebration of her new book Caribbean Herbalism: Traditional Wisdom and Modern Herbal Healing! You're invited to hear from the author in conversation with Denzel Mitchell, Jr.,a founding organizer and member farmer of the Farm Alliance of Baltimore.

Aleya Fraser's new book tells the rich and complex stories of Caribbean people and the plants that have sustained them. It offers practical tools you need to build a relationship with plants and make common Caribbean herbal remedies like bush teas, bush baths, herbal wines, infused alcohols and oils, and more. The evening will feature some of Fraser's homemade herbal teas which will duet with the discussion. We hope you can join us!

Order CARIBBEAN HERBALISM here!

Aleya Fraser is an author, land steward and ethnobotanist who resides in Trinidad and Tobago where she comes from a strong lineage of land based people. She has spent the last 10 years managing and founding farms from the Eastern Shore of Maryland to Central Virginia, while deepening her herbal knowledge through communing with elders, embodied practice, and scientific research. She uses her Bachelors degree in Physiology and Neurobiology as well as the ancestral wisdom in her fingertips to guide her studies and research interests. She blends her upbringing in Maryland with a strong focus on Trinidadian roots in her writings. Over the years, she worked at various capacities in the food system as a consultant, produce safety educator, farmer, organizer and facilitator.

Aleya Fraser now spends her time in the Northern Range of Mountains in Trinidad on the citrus and cocoa estate that she and her husband purchased. Together, they run a bean to bar chocolate business, Panorama Cacao, and also curate botanical and nature excursions for visitors. She can be found on social media at caribbeanherbalism.com, @naturaleya or naturaleya.substack.com.

Denzel Mitchell Jr. brings a fusion of leadership, varied professional experience, and a deep-rooted connection to agriculture. Raised a country boy with cowboy roots in Oklahoma, Denzel’s journey into farming began early, sparking his interest and commitment to food, consumption, production and sovereignty. Denzel was a founding organizer and member farmer of the Farm Alliance. In November 2012, he completed Future Harvest-CASA’s Beginning Farmer Training Program. Soon after, he (alongside a farmer friend, a chef, and a food historian) brought a nearly-forgotten heirloom pepper variety, Baltimore’s Fish Pepper, back to the Chesapeake foodshed’s culinary palette.

He and his family founded Five Seeds Farm and operated it with a cadre of supporters and volunteers between 2008 – 2016. From 2012 to Spring of 2017, Denzel mentored and trained new growers, organized farmers’ markets, advised others in starting small farms, community gardens, food co-ops and food businesses. Over the last 15 years, he’s held various roles supporting healthy food education and access in the Baltimore area; teaching young people at several Baltimore City public schools and after-school programs.

He was the Brownfields Coordinator for Baltimore City’s Office of Planning, the farm manager at Strength To Love 2 for three seasons (2017-2020) and has served as advisor to several farms including Real Food Farm, Whitelock Community Farm, Strength To Love 2 Farm and Great Kids Farm. He has served on the board of directors for the Friends of Great Kids Farm, Belair-Edison Neighborhood, Inc. and Acres4Change. He currently sits on the board of Our Common Table.

With nearly 15 years of farming experience to inform and enrich his strategic approach, his leadership is enabling FAB to navigate market shifts and pioneer innovative agricultural methods. Through mentorship and advocacy, he ignites passion in the next generation of Black farmers, fostering a legacy of stewardship for the land.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Denzel actively engages with local communities and continues to feed his passion for cooking and feeding people as an integral member of Baltimore’s favorite eatery and catering outfit, Blacksauce Kitchen. In his free time, he enjoys music, film, art, and the outdoors. He is the proud “baba” of 5 fantastic humans. Contact Denzel at [email protected]

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