The Herb Society of America NorthEast Seacoast Unit has announced its 2018 series of educational lectures.
Natural Beauty: Herbal Care from the Inside Out
On Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. at Strawbery Banke’s Stoodley Tavern (located across the street from the Banke's main parking lot), local herbalist Helen Leavitt will inspire attendeed to think of herbal care from the inside out. Beauty stems from within. We can nurture our most vibrant selves with an array of herbal preparations to support healthy skin, hair, nails, and teeth. During the evening, attendees will learn easy-to-make recipes for natural face masks, toners, lotions, deodorants, mouthwashes, and more. Helen will discuss herbal ingredients, how and when to use them, plus lifestyle choices that support natural beauty in its most stunning form. Attendees will leave inspired to make your own preparations. In Leavitt’s words, “Herbalists don’t cure people; they give them the tools to care for themselves.”
Leavitt is a trained herbalist who has worked with plants and people on the Seacoast for over a decade. She facilitates educational experiences that invite others to connect with the rhythms of the natural world and bring balance to their inner and outer environments. She offers gardening workshops, herbal classes, consultations, and product making demonstrations, wellness retreats, and edible and medicinal landscape design services.
Admission is $7 ($5 for Strawbery Banke Museum and non-NESU-affiliated Herb Society members). Pre-registration is required. To register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/natural-beauty-herbal-care-from-the-inside-out-tickets-39994493607
Lunch and Learn: The Organic Kitchen Garden with Kelly Orzel
Kelly Orzel returns to the Strawbery Banke Museum for the NorthEast Seacoast Unit's first lunch and learn. Bring a bag lunch and join us on March 27 at noon as Orzel shares with us old-fashioned, organic growing techniques with the artistry of the cottage garden. Impressive as they may be, traditional walled, British gardens do not lend themselves to the modern garden girl (or guy) on the go. While Kitchen Gardens, or potagers, not only look lovely, but they also provide tasty fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the season. We’ll discuss vegetable patch and plant bed designs, how to prepare your soil, and stagger your crops to ensure a multi-season harvest. Orzel will share the secrets to growing beefy, heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers perfect for pickling, delicious herbs to enhance any meal and more. Scented geraniums will be available for purchase.
Orzel is a horticulturist, active Master Gardener and girl-farmer. Her freelance work (as writer and photographer) has appeared in national garden magazines, including Hobby Farms, local newspapers, and her first book, "The Backyard Kitchen Gardener," by Lyons Press became available April 1, 2017. In addition, Kelly travels throughout New England and beyond giving garden lectures, workshops and demonstrations.
This event, hosted by the Herb Society and Strawbery Banke, is open to the public and free of charge. Pack a lunch and bring a friend. Pre-registration is required. To register, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-organic-kitchen-garden-with-kelly-orzel-tickets-40125057126?aff=ebdssbcitybrowse
How-to with Native Plants
Native plants play a vital role in maintaining and restoring ecosystems. On Tuesday, May 22 at 7:15 p.m. in Strawbery Banke’s Tyco Center as Ayn Whytemare, owner of Found Well Farm in Pembroke, N.H., discusses how to establish the best possible setting for either adding more native plants or bringing out the best in the plants already in your garden. Ideas on dealing with invasive plants, crowded landscapes, and design will be discussed. A selection of native plants will be offered for sale at the lecture.
Whytemare's experiences working in the plant trades (florist, tree farm and garden centers) and as a consultant on forest ecology led to a desire to find more native plants for use in wild and home landscapes. She established Found Well Farm in 2007 to provide locally raised and region hardy native plants that will enhance our unique New Hampshire countryside. She is currently an adjunct instructor of Plant Biology and Environmental Science at NHTI and lives with her sons, Duncan and Aaron, and her husband, Ted Donovan, owner of Top Notch Painting. For more information, visit www.foundwellfarm.com
Admission is $7 ($5 for Strawbery Banke Museum and non-NESU-affiliated Herb Society members). Pre-registration is required. To register =: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-with-native-plants-tickets-40862002349
The Basics of Tea with The Cozy Tea Cart
On Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. in Strawbery Banke’s Tyco Center, Danielle Beaudette of The Cozy Tea Cart (TCTC) (www.thecozyteacart.com) and certified tea specialist will explain the basics of tea which will provide you with the answers to your questions on where tea comes from and how it is different from herbal (tisane) blends. In her discussion, she will feature a variety of teas from around the world and explain their production. She will take you on a journey from the tea fields to the tea in your cup and will offer a tea tasting of three different types of tea to enjoy during the lecture.
Beaudette is one of the first 15 individuals in the world to be certified in all levels as a Tea Specialist through the Specialty Tea Institute in NY and has completed more than 60 tea seminars at the World Tea Expo. She has researched and learned firsthand about the production of tea through her Asian tea travels and relationships with Chinese, Indian, Sri Lankan, Japanese, Nepalese, and Taiwanese tea growers. She sources only the finest, high quality, freshly imported teas, earning The Cozy Tea Cart the title of “Best of NH” from New Hampshire Magazine. Just as important as the quality of her tea, she promotes excellence in service and pride in educating her customers.
Admission is $7 ($5 for Strawbery Banke Museum and non-NESU-affiliated Herb Society members). Pre-registration is required. To register https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-basics-of-tea-tickets-40860857926?aff=ebdssbcitybrows .
Flavors of Cacao: Inspirations for Savoring Modern Chocolate
On Tuesday, Oct. 23rd at 7 p.m. at the Strawbery Banke Museum Visitor’s Center, local chocolatier Enna Grazier will talk about the world of chocolate. There is a whole world of fine chocolate flavor that most people - even self-appointed chocolate lovers never experience. Chocolate’s flavor depends first on the cacao’s origin, and second on the chocolate-maker’s skill and senses. Bean-to-bar chocolate maker Enna Grazier will take attendees on a journey into the world of modern-day American craft chocolate. Learn about the flavors associated with different geographic origins of cacao while we discuss current research on genetics, agronomy, and other factors that affect flavor. You’ll never look at chocolate the same way again.
Enna Chocolate is crafted from bean to bar entirely by hand in small batches using ethically sourced cacao and other ingredients. Grazier's primary creation is chocolate bars containing only roasted cacao and organic cane sugar. She also produces bars with various inclusions, such as fruit, nuts, and spices, and drinking chocolate. Her cacao is carefully sourced with sustainability and the well-being of everyone who comes into contact with it in mind - from farmer to eater. Enna Chocolate is made with special attention to exploring the flavors that are a result of cacao's geographic origins (terroir, genetics, and agricultural care) as well as the chocolate-maker’s processes. Enna Chocolate is sold at local boutiques and farmers' markets, as well as online at ennachocolate.com and is also featured on several regional restaurant menus. The Enna Chocolate factory and tasting room is located at 131 Main St. in Epping.
Admission is $7 ($5 for Strawbery Banke Museum and non-NESU-affiliated Herb Society members). Pre-registration is required. To Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/flavors-of-cacao-inspirations-for-savoring-modern-chocolate-tickets-40845572206?aff=ebdssbcitybrowse.