HerbDay at the American Botanical Council

The American Botanical Council (ABC) will host its first live HerbDay celebration since 2019 and the event will be, as always, free and open to the public. It will be held at ABC headquarters at 6200 Manor Road, Austin, Texas 78723 on Saturday, May 6, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

The renowned herbalist, Rosemary Gladstar will be giving a presentation on Herbs as Sweet Medicine for the Soul. Rosemary has been practicing, living, learning, teaching, and writing about herbs for more than 50 years. Considered a star figure in the modern herbal movement and often referred to as the “godmother of American herbalism,” Rosemary is the author of 12 books, the co-founder and former director of both the International Herb Symposium and the New England Women’s Herbal Conference, the founding president of United Plant Savers (UpS), and the co-founder and original formulator of Traditional Medicinals Tea Company. She is also the author and inspiration behind the popular home study course The Science and Art of Herbalism that has taught thousands of students over the past four decades. In 2018, Rosemary was awarded an honorary doctorate for her life’s work from the National University of Naturopathic Medicine.

Herbalists Susan Belsinger and Tina Marie Wilcox will give a presentation called All About Ginger and Its Kin: From Garden to Kitchen and Apothecary. Susan and Tina met in 1996 when Susan presented two herb programs at the Ozark Folk Center, where Tina Marie is the herbalist, head gardener, and herbal event coordinator. They hit it off and began a long-distance friendship. They collaborate on presentations and workshops across the country, and co-authored The Creative Herbal Home, which celebrates the herbal life.

In between their presentations, Rosemary, Susan, and Tina will lead a plant walk around ABC’s 20+ medicinal and culinary theme gardens. Among them, these three inspiring women bring decades of plant knowledge to what is certain to be an educational and amusing walk through the gardens.

As part of the Central Texas Mycological Society’s first involvement in HerbDay, Jesus Garcia will lead a short myco-meditation and mycology walk through the Rose, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Ayurvedic Gardens. Jesus is a Mexican shaman and herbalist who teaches the traditions of lineage work through botanica practices of curanderia and community spiritual herbalism. Jesus is an early childcare educator who focuses on nature school fundamentals through holistic enrichment garden programs and is the founder of the HerbalActionProject, a nature play-school and community garden sanctuary.

In addition to these wonderful speakers, HerbDay at ABC will offer its usual plant and book sales, vendors, free refreshments, music by local performers, and children’s activities including nature art, chalk drawing, and a Maypole dance. For more information about the event, visit the HerbDay at ABC event page.