(AUSTIN, Texas, April 21, 2015) On Saturday, May 2nd, the nonprofit American Botanical Council (ABC)
will celebrate the 10th Annual HerbDay with a variety of herbal
educational activities including presentations from local and national
herbal experts.
The HerbDay event occurs at ABC’s historic headquarters the historic
Case Mill Homestead, 6200 Manor Road in East Austin, from 10 a.m. until 4
p.m. It is free and open to the public.
HerbDay activities include herbalist-led tours of ABC’s expansive 20+
medicinal- and culinary-themed gardens. The internationally-known
expert herbalists include Brigitte Mars, herbalist, author,
nutritionist, and teacher from Boulder, Colorado, and Mark Blumenthal,
ABC’s Founder and Executive Director.
The first herb walk will start at 10:30 am and will be led by local
herbalist and author Nicole Telkes, Director of the Wildflower School of
Botanical Medicine in Austin. Carlos Hernandez, long-time Austin
herbalist and Owner and Formulator for Bio-Star Botanicals, will lead
the second herb walk at 1:15 pm. Each herb walk will last approximately
45 minutes.
The day’s first herbal talk will begin at noon and be presented by
Mars, an herbalist with more than 40 years’ experience in natural
lifestyles. Mars’ talk will cover “Natural Remedies for Mental and
Emotional Health.” Well known among American herbalists and herb
students, Ms. Mars has taught at Naropa University, Bauman College of
Holistic Health, and Natural Chef, The School of Natural Medicine, Just
for the Health of It School of Reflexology and Healing Arts, Boulder
College of Massage Therapy, Esalen Institute, Kripalu, and at an
Icelandic healing arts school called Heilsumeistraskolinn.
ABC’s Blumenthal will begin speaking at 2:30 pm on “Humorous Health:
Conventional and Alternative Medicine, Pharmaceutical Drugs, Diet, and
Lifestyle as Seen through Cartoons.”
In addition to the herb walks and herb talks, participants will have
plenty of time to explore ABC’s medicinal and culinary herb gardens on
their own. ABC will also hold a plant sale throughout the day.
“This is a great way for HerbDay visitors to add to their own gardens
– or possibly start one – while supporting ABC’s essential nonprofit
educational mission,” said Jenny Perez, ABC Education Coordinator.
“Travis County Master Gardeners will be on site to answer gardening
questions.”
“Children’s activities will take place throughout the day,” said Toby
Bernal, ABC’s Gardener. “There will be a maypole dance — always fun for
young and old alike – and a planting station for kids to start their
own garden projects from either a seed or a starter plant. There will
also be live music throughout the day.”
Refreshments, books, and membership information will be available in
addition to free sample issues of ABC’s highly acclaimed, full-color,
scientific, quarterly, peer-reviewed journal, HerbalGram, and other educational literature.
HerbDay is sponsored locally by ABC and People’s Pharmacy.
About HerbDay
HerbDay is a coordinated series of independently produced public
educational events celebrating the importance of herbs and herbalism.
HerbDay was initiated by five nonprofit organizations with interests in
herbs and herbalism (the HerbDay Coalition) to raise public awareness
about the significance of herbs in the lives of millions of people
worldwide, as well as the many ways herbs can be used safely and
creatively for health, beauty care, and culinary enjoyment. The HerbDay
Coalition includes the American Botanical Council (ABC), American Herbalists Guild (AHG), American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP), American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), and United Plant Savers. The HerbDay coalition can be contacted here.