Advice Needed for Herb Festival

[Chanley]

Ok ladies and gents.

as most of you prolly know, dh and I have a nursery. This is our first spring with it. There is no one in this area that does herbs nor many that know anything about them. So as a way to get people out to our nursery and show off what we have, we are holding an herb festival. We hope to make this an annual event.

Well since this is the first one I need some help with planning it. I intend to have some herbed products for sale along with the plants. Like herbed sachets, soaps and other goodies.

I was thinking of advertising it for free to everyone then having a little sign up slip for a class as well.

The class would be entitled: Herbs:harvesting, cooking and storing your gardens bounty

In this class I would discuss all of the major culinary herbs and all of the "students" would make thier own herbed oil. (I hope to sell herbed vinegars. herbed oils do not have a long shelf life so they are better to be made fresh and used immediately.) With this class I would offer refreshments.

I was thinking of offering herbed iced teas, some herbed bread (like a lemon thyme and lemon balm glazed cake and a pesto bread) and other herbed finger foods. The cost for this class including the oil would be a meager $10.

A nursery tour would follow the class and the plants discussed.


Now here are my questions:
what do y'all think about this?

what can I add to this? should i add to this?

any ideas of other things I can do to make this fun and intersting?

general thoughts on the matter?

[shine]

Hi Chanley!!!

Hey, my letter to you was returned! I think I lost your new address! please write or email me ok?! I'd love to hear how your winter's going!

As far as the class goes, I think it's a great idea. I wish I was near so that I could go. Could you do essential oils? Oh, a long time ago at a flea market in Santa Fe, a friend of mine used to sell Rose soda. She made her own rose syrup and mixed it with carbonated water. It was so good over ice! I made it once (long time ago) and it wasn't hard or terribly time consuming. Maybe you could do that too? There's just so much to do with fresh herbs! It sounds like you've got a great plan!

more soon

sandi

[nymama]

Sounds lovely!! I would love to go but I doubt you live driving distance from NY! $10.00 sounds like a bargain!!!! I have just started (past 2 years) growing a few herbs in my limited space garden. I have wanted to start experimenting with body oils, etc., but it's been a little hard getting the time. I actually just moved to a new home with a little bigger garden in the back that hasn't been planted in years. I am looking forward to planting an herb garden. I've always had rosemary, thyme, Italian parsley, scallions, lemon balm and basil. Never have much luck with the basil. Any suggestions for different herbs?

Good luck to you!!

[kama'aina mama]

Such a cool idea. If you have time could you have a step by step herb drying display? Once I start growing herbs I seem to have more than I need in short order but for a beginner even something as simple as drying bunches can be intimidating. Maybe hang some bunches of the prettier herbs to dry, like lavender and rosemary ahead of time so you can show people. (This may sound dumb, but I have had herbs that I thought were dry go moldy on me so a chance to see what they should look and feel like would have saved me some effort and disappointment.)
There is a great article in this months Mothering about garlands of flowers and herbs for kids. Maybe you could touch on their uses in floral arrangements and make some little wallet sized cards or slips of paper that list the herbs with their traditional symbolic trait (you know, rosemary for rememberance, etc.) and your nursery name/phone at the top or on the other side? Good luck!

[Chanley]

Thanks for the great replies!!!

I am nixing the class, after speaking with the owner of Well Sweep Herb Farm, I realize I will be too busy with other things. BUT I will be taking a sign up for a class offered at a latter date.

SOOO we will see. I made the flyers today and they look so awesome!!!

[jorgiemom]

Kettleby Herb Farm

I have found that the owners of the Kettleby Herb Farm to be very helpful. I am thinking of starting a herb business with my mother and they were more than generous in their advice and time. Perhaps they would have some suggestions from their 5 years of business. They do classes in the shop, a monthly tea in the summer and they have an acre patch that you can pick your own bouquet. They are located in Ontario and have a nice catalog. kettlebyherbfarm.com
Your ideas sound great, but I know it helps to bounce them off someone who's been there, done that. Best of luck in your endeavor.