Herbal Forum Luncheon Menu (with recipes)
Eggplant Lasagna with Herbs
Padma Lakshmi’s Tandoori Chicken
Roasted Vegetables
Turmeric Rice
Rose Geranium Pound Cake
The Talks, the Speakers
Andie Marsh – Soil Stewardship: Microbes and Soil Regeneration
In this presentation you will learn practical ways to raise beneficial soil organisms to restore health to your garden’s ecosystem from the ground up.
About Andie Marsh
Andie is a soil health practitioner and science communicator dedicated to helping others restore life and functionality to their soils. Through her business, Rhizos LLC, she uses a microscope to assess the microbiome of soils and compost, enabling land stewards to address the root causes of soil health issues rather than just treating the symptoms. Andie specializes in the biological restoration of contexts where livestock integration and its associated benefits are impractical, including developed and urbanized soils. She holds a degree in Bioenvironmental Sciences from Texas A&M University and is a certified lab technician through Dr. Elaine Ingham’s Soil Food Web program. You can find Andie writing about soil health and her relationship with land in the modern world on her Substack, Soil is Sexy.
Cynthia Meredith – Native Herbs in early Texas Homestead Gardens
As immigrants to Texas settled, they brought herbs from their home countries, but they also adopted native herbs for culinary and medicinal uses. Cindy will take you back to the early days of settlers in Texas, what they grew in their gardens, and how they learned about the native flora of their new homeland.
About Cindy Meredith
Cindy is the owner of The Herb Cottage, a rural nursery and herbal wellness business near Hallettsville in Lavaca County, Texas. In business since 1998, Cindy has a wide range of knowledge about gardening, growing herbs, and everyday herbal wellness. She has a dynamic web site, theherbcottage.com, for herb and plant lovers, a handy source for growing information for Texans and other folks who live in hot, humid climates like ours. Cindy’s newsletter and website blog from are full of information about herbs, herb growing, and using herbs in everyday living. To subscribe, go to https://theherbcottage.com. Cindy loves to talk herbs, herbal wellness, gardening, and especially gardening with herbs. Her interest in heirloom plants has led to an eBook and presentation on Homestead Gardens of Early Texas. For more information, contact Cindy at cindy@theherbcottage.com. The Herb Cottage is not open regular hours, but Cindy loves to have visitors come and enjoy the gardens, talk plants and the quiet rural atmosphere. To arrange a time to visit, just give her a call, or send a text or email. 361-258-1192, cindy@theherbcottage.com
Linda Franzo – HerbSerendipity: The Unexpected Pleasures of Herbs and Edible Flowers
It’s thyme to plant your Spring herbs. Linda will demonstrate how to grow, harvest, cook and preserve herbs and edible flowers. Take your palate on a global adventure with cultural-themed herb containers. Let’s explore simple syrup, herbal sugars, teas in cocktails to pestos, rose-petal vinegar, hibiscus pepper jelly, and preserved lemons to name a few. Recipes included!
About Linda Franzo
Linda is the instructor of Passionate Platter Cooking classes and garden tours. She has been a member of the Herb Society of America for over 25 years. She is now the Southeast District Delegate for HSA, an advanced master gardener of St. Tammany parish, and a Food and History Tour Guide in New Orleans. Linda teaches “hands-on” seasonal cooking and garden-to-table tours and luncheons at her herb gardens. She presents at Petals from the Past in central Alabama, The Kitchen Table in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, as well as many other places around the country. She is an advocate for edible school gardens, instructing children on garden techniques and how to cook the food they grow. She was featured on PBS Cooking with Kids, in a 2004 Southern Living article, and appeared on Nashville’s Crook and Chase show. When she is not cooking or gardening, Linda likes to bike, do yoga, shop for antiques, and put toes in the sand at the beach, year round. Linda has a vintage cottage home in the antique district of Slidell, Louisiana, with herb gardens all along the paths. Linda refers to herself as “The Herban Chick”. You can follow Linda on Instagram: Passionate_Platter and on Facebook: Linda Ann Franzo and Passionate Platter. You can find Linda’s website and blog at Lindafranzo.com Her contact: Lindafranzo57@gmail.com. 985.781.4372 Linda puts Herbal Pizazz in her food and passion in her gardens!
Ramin Baranpourian –The Golden Wonder: Exploring the Origin, Horticulture and Medicinal Uses of Turmeric
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is far more than a common spice—it is a legendary medicinal plant with a history stretching back thousands of years. Native to South and Southeast Asia, turmeric is cultivated from underground rhizomes that produce the vibrant golden powder treasured in both cuisine and traditional healing systems. Modern research now confirms that curcumin, turmeric’s primary active compound, has powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and disease-fighting properties. This lecture explores turmeric’s remarkable journey from ancient tradition to modern science, revealing why it remains one of the world’s most celebrated healing plants!
About Ramin Baranpourian
Ramin was a biology instructor for 9 years before moving to Burton, Texas at the end of 2021 to work for the Temple of Compassion in their greenhouses. Ramin is currently employing organic and sustainable farming methods to help the Temple of Compassion increase their crop yields and boost their revenue streams for various ayurvedic herbs that they grow and sell. Ramin also works as an EMT for Williamson County in his time away from the greenhouses. raminbara@gmail.com
To register, go here.
