Celebrating HerbDay, National Herb Week, Yarrow—Herb of the Year 2024™ plus Growing & Using Herbs in the Ozarks! This event is for anyone interested in learning more about herbs. Inspirational demonstrations, practical information and delicious, down-home food and fragrance will fill your senses. Whether you live in an apartment with potted plants, garden in a city, or make your home in the woods, this annual event is designed with you in mind! Our teachers have been researching, using, and growing herbs for decades and want to share their experiences and answer your questions. Herbal merchants will offer new plants, books and handmade treasures. Reservations are required. Early registration is strongly encouraged. Ticket sales close April 17, 2024
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center State Park has gardens throughout the park. Herbs from all over the world have found a home among the native trees and wildflowers on the top of a mountain at the edge of Mountain View, Arkansas. In this part of the Ozarks, traffic is light; lines are short and lodging accommodations are comfortable and modern. The herbal community that gathers here to share a common love for plants become fast friends. Single individuals, couples, study groups, mother and daughter teams, medical professionals, students, essentially, all descriptions of plant people bit by the herbal bug gather to continue their education and relax. If this will be your first trip, welcome--if you are returning--you know the fun we have.
A Lavish Herbal Feast & The Herb Society of America—Ozark Unit’s Garden Party Reception on Thursday, May 2, heralds in the event. Separate registration is required here: https://ozarkfolkcenter.ticketleap.com/a-lavish-herbal-feast-2024/.
Symposium Schedule
Friday, May 3, 2024
White Oak Auditorium inside the Visitors Center
9:00-10:30 Bringing the World of Herbs Home to the Ozarks; Growing the Grey & Green Mediterranean Herbs—Susan Belsinger & Tina Marie Wilcox
10:30-10:45 Break
10:45-12:00 Companion Planting
—Ramona Slick
12:00-1:00 Settler’s Dinner at the Skillet Restaurant (Included in registration fee)
1-2:00 p.m. Growing and Using Job’s Tears (Coix lacryma-jobi)—Phyllis Williams
2-2:15 Break
2:00-3:00 Spices: Past and Present, and How They Changed Our World Forever
—Kathleen Connole
3-4:30 The Making of Mocktails: From Herbs & Syrups to Muddling, Mixers & Elixirs
—Susan Belsinger
4:30-5:00 Visit the Ozark Folk Center Craft Village & Heritage Herb Garden
Saturday, May 4, 2024
White Oak Auditorium inside the Visitors Center
9 a.m. Welcome
9:10-10:30 Distilling Essential Oils at Home—Breath Alicen Valentine
10:30-11 Break
11-12 Growing Annual Herbs in Containers Nearly Anywhere
—Tina Marie Wilcox
12-1:00 Herbal Lunch at the Skillet Restaurant (included in registration fee)
1-2:30 Introduction to Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)—Herb of the Year™ 2024
—Susan Belsinger & Kathleen Connole
2:30-3 Visit the Ozark Folk Center Craft Village & Heritage Herb Garden
3-4:00 Rewilding the Ozarks
—Tina Marie Wilcox
4:00 Fond Farewell Fare—The Herb Garden Committee of the Committee of 100
About Our Teachers
Susan Belsinger lives an herbal life—she teaches, lectures, and writes about herbs, gardening, and cooking—is a food writer, editor and photographer who has authored and edited over 25 books and hundreds of articles. She is celebrating her most recent book, the perfect bite: focus on flavor. Susan delights in learning, whether it is about a person, place, plant, thing, or each new herb of the year: doing research, growing the specimens, botanizing, taking photos, creating recipes, sharing her findings and celebrating the plants.
Susan has been traveling to herb events at the OFC for nearly 30 years now and feels at home in the Ozarks. She is a member of the International Herb Association, the Herb Society of America, and was Honorary President of the HSA for the 2018 to 2020 term. Check out her video series "Gathering and Preserving the Herbal Bounty" for HSA's online education: https://www.herbsociety.org/portal-log-in-page/on-line-education.html.
Kathleen Connole joined the Ozark Folk Center’s Heritage Herb Garden team in 2006. Before moving to Arkansas’ Buffalo River Country in 2005, Kathleen earned a degree in Plant Science from the University of Missouri-Columbia and worked at Powell Gardens and Farrand Farms in Kansas City, Missouri.
Kathleen researches the natural history of the Heritage Herb Garden’s diverse herbal collection. She composes interpretive signage for the Garden to tell the stories of these plants. Kathleen served as chair and is an active member of the Herb Society of America-Ozark Unit, headquartered at the Ozark Folk Center State Park.
She currently is secretary for the International Herb Association Board. She was editor of the IHA’s Viola, Herb of the Year™ 2022, Ginger, Herb of the Year™ 2023, Yarrow, Herb of the Year™ 2024, and currently is working on Chamomile, Herb of the Year™ 2025.
Ramona M. Slick has been gardening organically for almost 50 years on ten acres nestled in the Ouachita Mountains near Hot Springs, Arkansas. During her Nursing (CCRN, PACURN, MSN) career and now retired she has found working with the earth interesting, therapeutic and rewarding in providing healthy food for the family table Always eager to share the knowledge she has gained, many have spent the day in her kitchen learning food preparation and preservation as well as gardening techniques Enjoying all the outdoors have to offer, she is an avid hiker/forager often crossing the Arkansas River Valley north of her home to engage with like-minded others exploring the fascinating Ozarks. Member: Garland County Master Gardeners, Herb Society of America-Ozark Unit, Committee of One Hundred (Board Member) which supports preservation of Ozark Heritage thru the Ozark Folk Center State Park
Breath Alicen Valentine. Raised in the Ozarks, Breath has been hoeing rocky ground and learning from plants for decades; she began working at the OFC in 1985. She returned to the Heritage Herb Garden in 2022 after completing a bachelor's degree at Penn State University and a Master's degree at Drexel University. Breath is currently a doctoral student in Environmental Science with a focus on Policy, Planning, Society, and Communication at State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. A transdisciplinary scholar and researcher, Breath has studied biodiversity, ecology, soils, and conservation along with Civic Engagement, Communication, Psychology, and Environmental Policy.
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/breath-alicen-valentine-hand-0311aa6/
Phyllis Williams RN is a retired home health nurse and herbalist. She lives with her husband David, and two Yorkies, Ruthie and Rowdy, outside Cave City, Arkansas on 10 acres and operates Sassy Wings Quail Farm, a Northern Bobwhite Quail farm. She loves walking in the woods and hunting edible greens, especially mushrooms and sharing what she knows about plants and mushrooms. Growing unusual plants is what got her interested in growing and using Job’s Tears several years ago. She is a member of Evening Shade First Baptist church where she teaches Ladies Sunday Class and the women ministries. She is a member of The Herb Society of America-Ozark Unit, currently Chairperson, a member of The International Herb Association and the Arkansas Mushroom and Fungi Association.
Tina Marie Wilcox has been the head gardener and herbalist at the Ozark Folk Center State Park’s Heritage Herb Garden in Mountain View, Arkansas since 1984. She cultivates the gardens, coordinates annual herb events, and facilitates the production of herb seeds and plants for the park. She co-authored the reference book, the creative herbal home with Susan Belsinger.
Professional Memberships include the International Herb Association, a professional herb trade organization that established the Herb of the Year™ program, and the Herb Society of America-Ozark Unit, headquartered at the Ozark Folk Center.
Tina's philosophy is based upon experiencing the joy of the process, perpetrating no harm, and understanding life through play with plants and people.
Herbal Lunches are included in registration fee.
Friday, May 3
The Skillet's Settlers’ Dinner (Midday meal in the Ozarks)
chicken and dumplings
pinto beans with ham
pinto beans without meat
wilted greens salad
fried okra
home-fried potatoes
turnip greens
fried okra
cornbread
spice cake with cream cheese frosting
iced tea or coffee
Saturday, May 4 Herbal Lunch
homemade macaroni & cheese with oven-roasted vegetables
(crumbled bacon garnish optional for meat eaters)
spinach & arugula salad with beets, feta & toasted walnuts
chocolate mint cake with cocoa whipped cream
iced tea
coffee