Green Woman Garden Programs
Beyond the Basics – Ten herbs everyone should know and grow – 45 minutes
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme (and basil) are great herbs that form the backbone a a good herb garden. In this lecture, we will explore ten lesser known herbs that you should include to make a great herb garden. Culinary, fragrant and ornamental, these herbs will add a new dimension to your garden and kitchen. Samples of what to do with fresh herbs will be offered.
Infusing Your Life with Herbs – 45 minutes (1 ½ to 2 hours with workshop)
There exists a quantity of pleasures to be encountered by using herbs in your everyday life. The aroma, taste, and visual delight of herbs can elevate your cuisine; help in cleaning your home; and bottle up a little bit of summer to help brighten a winter day. Using fresh herbs (either grown in your garden or on a windowsill) ensures that you not only enjoy the product of your labors, but a sensory experience as you create them. Learn how to take simple culinary staples, such as butters, sugars, vinegars, and more and transform them into something special with the addition of fresh herbs, infusing your pantry with the scents and colors of summer. Sample an array of herb-kissed food products which will enliven your meals throughout the year, and begin your own herbal adventure. Workshop additional – create three herbal items for your pantry for $6 - $8 fee per person
Crafting a Homemade Holiday - 45 minutes (1 ½ to 2 hours with workshop)
Keep your holidays homemade! In this class, we will take simple household staples, such as butters, sugars, vinegars, and more and transform them into something special with the addition of fresh herbs, perfect for holiday gift-giving. Handouts will be available, as well as samples of a few recipes. From edible goodies to herb-crafted decorations and homemade items, you will delight in the use of herbs and spices to make your holidays special. Make an honey-herb butter for holiday meals, craft a scented cinnamon stick tree, and put together a lavender/lemon salt scrub. These products will enliven your household throughout the year, and will start your own herbal adventure. Workshop additional – create three holiday gifts for $5 - $10 per person
Engage the Senses Herbal Adventure – 45 minutes (1 ½ to 2 hours with workshop)
Come join the fun as we explore different ways to use herbs in the home and your life. We will travel an herbal highway featuring culinary delights; scented treasures; feel good body products; and visual delights. You will learn how simple it is to surround yourself with beautiful and unique items of an herbal nature. Samples will be on display of all items, and I will explain how to create each one. Handouts will be available with project directions. Workshop additional fee of $10-$15, registered participants will make three items of your choice
Keeping It Clean and Green – 45 minutes (1 to 2 hours with workshop)
Learn how to make your own less toxic products for home and garden. We will explore “green” ways of having a clean home and an environmentally friendly yard. We will investigate tips and tricks for healthy living and inexpensive solutions for those things that “bug” you. All participants will receive handouts with recipes included. Workshop additional – make three herbal cleaning products $7.50 or $10.00 if containers are required
Wicked Weeds – 45 minutes
Not all plants are benign – from wolfsbane to hemlock, some herbs can be deadly and are associated with spells, incantations and the black arts. Other plants have developed methods of protection, from spines to skin irritants. We will take a look at several of these herbs and learn the historic uses, for both good and evil. We will delve into those pernicious plants that bedevil the gardener, such as bindweed, tickseed, and other obnoxious weeds.
A Healthier You – 45 minutes (1 to 2 hours with workshop)
Do you want to enjoy a more healthful experience in the bath, boudoir, and beyond? Many common health and beauty products contain toxic and chemical components that do not belong on your skin or in your surroundings. Using essential oils, herbs and spices, and less irritating ingredients can result in a more healthful and happy home. We will examine alternatives so you can begin to live a better life and make better choices in your health and beauty aids. Recipes and tips for working with herbs included. Workshop additional - $5 - $10
The Stillroom Garden – 45 minutes
This costumed presentation looks back in time to the practice of using herbs in all manner of medieval life. From the kitchen to the bedroom to the farm, the Stilllroom was an important element in assuring the health and well-being of a household and estate. We will talk about the plants used, how they were preserved, the methods of using them, and how this relates to our lives today.
ROSES ARE RED. . . 45 minutes (1 to 2 hours with workshop)
A rose is the queen of flowers, and in this program we will delve into how to get the most out of your rose bushes. Learn which roses are the best for fragrance, and a little bit about the history of our favorite bloom. From using them in tea, to making rose sugar, to fashioning a rose wreath, and even a rose cordial, we will spend a fragrant hour learning all about ROSE. Workshop additional - $5 - $10 per person
Herbal Tipples – 45 minutes
Come with me on a journey through the history of herbal liqueurs. Traditionally, beverages were fermented so that the product could be made ahead and stored satisfactorily. From the beginnings of time, man used herbs to enrich their wines, meads, and beer. Herbs were thought to help heal, act as aphrodisiacs, cure many ills, and even dispel evil demons. We will look at how easy it is to make your own potent potables, and will sample several types. Over 21 only!
Herbal Goodies – 45 minutes (1 to 2 hours with workshop)
Let's explore the fascinating world of herbs and spices as we stir, mix, and mash these aromatic additions to our world. These also make great gifts! We'll investigate making jellies, shrubs, pastes, sugars, salts, and other culinary delights, as well as look at bath scrubs, scented body oils and powders, bath soaks, and other herbal beauty products. Recipes and tips for working with herbs included. You'll be amazed at the number of ways you can use your herbs! Workshop additional – create three herbal items for $6.00 - $8.00 fee per person
LECTURES ARE $350. - Workshops additional as noted and may be subject to season and availability
Karen O'Brien runs her herbal business “The Green Woman's Garden” www.greenwomansgarden.com in the town of Richmond, NH. She has herbs and native plants for sale, runs workshops on various herbal adventures, and occasionally participates at farmers markets and fairs. A Master Gardener, she also the Northeast Membership District Delegate for the Herb Society of America, past Botany and Horticulture Chair of HSA, is the past chair of The New England Unit of H.S.A., and is past Secretary of the International Herb Association. She is a contributing author and editor to the several Herb of the Year™ books, produced by the IHA.
Date:
Friday, May 1, 2020 - 4:30pm