About our Herb Day Speakers

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About the Speakers

TiaTia Gonzalez 
9:30 a.m. “Growing and Using Turmeric – The Spice of Life”
Tia Gonzalez is the part-time Curator of Auburn University’s Medicinal Plant Garden, a part-time technician for the AU Department of Crops, Soils and Environmental Sciences, and a freelance garden designer.  She will talk about the research on turmeric cultivation underway at AU and on a few of the healthful values of the plant. Turmeric, a beautiful plant that is easy for gardeners to cultivate in middle and south Alabama, is an ingredient in curries.

Debbie BoutelierDebbie Boutelier 
11:00 a.m. “You’re Getting Warmer!  Naturally Hot Herbal Medicine”
Past president of the Herb Society of America, former Autauga County Extension Agent, and Alabama Master Gardener, Debbie Boutelier has studied medicinal uses of herbs for over 10 years 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.

jessinorwoodJessi Norwood 
12:30 p.m. “From South America to South of the Mason Dixon, Peppers in Culinary History”
Native Alabamian, Jessi Norwood has always loved spicy food and cooking.  It wasn’t until she tried homemade pepper jelly that she fell in love with this spicy condiment.  She began exploring how peppers enhance other ingredients’ flavors and how different types of peppers hit the tongue in different places.  Since then, she’s been hard at it growing a wild variety of peppers and pairing them with local produce.