There will be no meetings at our regular time and place, for the months of November and December.
There will be special meetings, so stay tuned for more info!
Author Archives: Oaths Admin
Moringa Tree Featured in October
For our next meeting on October 17th we have invited Jayme Oats to speak. She is owner of a business that helps farmers with solutions including helping beginning farmers and organic certification. She is the director of the Cooperative Extension Beginning Farmer Program. She will be speaking to us about Moringa a wonderful medicinal herb tree that grows well here in Alabama.
The meeting will be held Tuesday, October 17th at 6pm, at the Loeb Center of Old Alabama Town.
Scarecrows in the Gardens 2017
The ‘Mermaid Marcelline’ was done by the Boy Scout Venturing Crew 23.
The standing blue-shirted farmer guy was made by Tom and his family…kinda looks like Tom.
Done by the Mara’s.
The Sicke Family (2nd), was done by Jane McCarthy.
Susan OConnor (Capital City Master Gardener-Montgomery) did Ooh La La.
The sitting man and dog was done by the Capital City Master Gardeners-Montgomery.
Yogi Rosemary done by Jane McCarthy.
The Impatient Bride (1st Place) was done by Jane McCarthy.
The sitting ‘Ask A Master Gardener’ scarecrow was done by Sandy Rosamond (Central Alabama Master Gardener.
July Meeting is a Field Trip!
The Old Alabama Herb Society will take a tour of the Auburn University Medicinal Herb Garden during our regular meeting time on July 18th, 2017. We will meet at the Publix on Atlanta Highway (Dalraida Commons) to carpool at 3:30 pm to arrive at Auburn at 5 pm… Please feel free to join us.
Happening at the Zoo
Old Alabama Town Herb Society (OATHS) handed out over 200 bookmarks and flyers advertising this year’s Celebrating 20 Years! annual Herb Day, at the April 18 & 19, Montgomery Zoo Earth Day Safari.
Kayren Pittman’s Honey Shortbread Coriander (herb of the year) cookies introduced at the event were a hit too!
Thank you, Steven Pierce…for allowing Old Alabama Town Herb Society to participate in this year’s event, and for the cool placement of our tent. We invite you and others from the Montgomery Zoo to come join the fun, family-friendly, annual Herb Day festival on Saturday, May 13, from 8-3:00 p.m., at the Old Alabama Town Living Block, 301 Columbus St, downtown Montgomery, 36104
Herb Day 2017 is Coming!
The 20th annual Herb Day, Saturday, May 13, 2017, 8:00 am –3:00 pm, sponsored by Old Alabama Town Herb Society will be held in the ‘Living Block’ at Old Alabama Town, 301 Columbus Street, Montgomery, Alabama 36104.
The annual ‘Herb Day’ festival is a free, fun-filled, public educational event for the entire family, offering lectures and demonstrations featuring experts on identifying, growing, and using herbs, including a cooking demonstration.
There will be live music performances, activities for children, and the opportunity to find that perfect Mother’s Day gift in the open-air market as a variety of vendors sell their garden related wares including a huge selection of herbal and other plants, crafts, herbal teas, goat cheeses and various sundry yard art.
“Celebrating 20 Years” is the 2017 Herb Day Theme of the Year commemorating the 20th anniversary of The International Herb Association. The designated Herbs of the Year for 2017 are Cilantro & Coriander.
Click here to see the Herb Day Program Flyer.
Permaculture at March Meeting
Permaculture Thinking Creates Solutions
Speaker: Chris Gore
Old Alabama Town Herb Society, Tuesday, March 21, 6:00 p.m., OAT Loeb Reception Center, 301 Columbus St., Montgomery, AL 36104
“Over six years ago I decided I was going to do some landscaping at my new home. I had never heard of permaculture design nor did I know just how awful my soil was at the time. It turns out a sandy hill void of topsoil comes with challenges. Adding to those challenges was the high acidity from all the surrounding pine trees that are a staple in southern monoculture forestry land. So without much observation I dug six holes and filled them using four encore azaleas and two peach trees. The peach trees I planted almost immediately died regardless of the care I gave. By the next year all but two of the azaleas followed suit and decided not to live. With such a low return on investment I stopped planting. I stopped trying to grow. It did not make sense to buy more plants just to watch them die…That’s when the idea of making the problem the solution made sense and applying this new way of thinking to my life and plantings began to close the loop of my well being. Now I spend a lot of time, energy, and money creating great soil. I no longer see it as a liability but rather as a priceless asset.”
Join Us for a Garden Work Day!
Though the gardens have never looked better, it’s that time of year when the gardens need some spring cleaning. They need to be tidied up, weeded, and a little straw applied. If you can’t weed, we could use help with the rose pruning, raking, trimming perennials, debris removal, and general moral support.
We are planning to meet in the gardens Sunday, 26 February 1-4 PM. Please enter through either the Old Alabama Town Tavern on N. Hull St , or the Jefferson St gate. In case of inclement weather, our rain day will be Sunday, 5 March 1-4 PM.
Please join us…bring gloves, pruners, hand tools, rakes, drinking water, and whatever you think we may need…cookies would be nice.
February Meeting Features Goldenrod
Debbie Boutelier, 2014-2015 President of the Herb Society of America (HSA) will present a program “Autumn Gold – Exploring Solidago” on February 21, 6pm at the Loeb Center of Old Alabama Town.
The ‘Herb Society of America’ has selected the much maligned ‘Goldenrod’ as the “Herbal Shrub of the Year for 2017.” Debbie will enlighten us concerning the medicinal properties and cultural significance of this lovely gift of nature.
Debbie Boutelier is Alabama’s own precious resource on ‘all things herbal.’ She has extensive horticultural background – former Autauga Count Extension Agent, Alabama Master Gardener, over ten years study in uses of medicinal herbs, and completed a three year intensive study of the medicinal aspects of herbs at the Appalachian Center of Natural Health. She teaches nationally and gives many seminars on organic gardening, nutrition, the many aspects of herbs, and other garden-related topics.
Debbie was an early member of the ‘Old Alabama Town Herb Society’ and we are proud to call her our friend.
Please join us for light refreshments and an evening of delighting in Herbs with Debbie Boutelier!
January Meeting Features Yarrow
OATHS member Kathy Quinn will do a presentation about traditional medicinal uses Yarrow (Achillea Millefollium) at our next meeting on Tuesday, January 17 at 6pm at the Loeb Center of Old Alabama Town. Yarrow is a flowering herb that grows in several of the gardens in Old Alabama Town. It has been used since ancient times and has many interesting properties. Herb Society members and other interested people are invited to hear her presentation. Kathy is a pharmacist with 25 years experience who has recently become interested in non-pharmaceutical ways of healing. She completed a certificate in Community Herbalism from the Appalachian Center for Natural Health located in Arab, Alabama. She began studying herbs in the garden and came to Old Alabama Town to Herb day for a number of years, joining the Herb Society last year.