For this month’s meeting, the EHS Board presents the “International Herb Association‘s Herb of the Year: Turmeric”. Perhaps you are think you are well acquainted with this plant but you may be surprised. According to Wikipedia, in general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances. Many of you may be using Turmeric as a supplement, but it is also widely used as a food flavor enhancer and as a fabric dye. Marci, KC, Heather, Jeannie and Ingrid have put their energy into researching all things about Turmeric and are going to share their findings with you at the next meeting. Copies of their presentation will be available at the meeting, and a few copies of the IHA Herb of the Year 2026 book on Turmeric will be available for sale. All materials will be first come, first served.
Welcome back to our society! We all hope you had a simply lovely summer, and that those who traveled all arrived home safely. Leslie and I didn‘t travel outside the state this year, but we did wend our way from Lake Worth to a condo in the south of Boynton. The rest of the time we mostly sheltered in the air conditioning here.
It was a very very hot summer with lots of thunderstorms in the late afternoon and evening (my favorite time to work outside), and it was challenging to get much yard work done. I am giving up my large back yard, but still have to get it cleaned up to sell. The condo, thankfully has just enough room out back for a small herb garden. Here‘s hoping that the rest of you are in good shape.
Those of you who do not get announcement emails from the Mounts Botanical Garden may not be aware that this year‘s Fall Plant Sale date has been changed to the first weekend in October (10/3-4/2026). We are short of volunteers for this sale, and will be looking for sign-ups at the September meeting. Proceeds from this sale help pay for the programs in the upcoming year, especially the Holiday Dinner!
Our board members have been busy preparing our Turmeric presentation for this month, and our super speaker wrangler Heather has booked folks to come talk to us through the fall and into winter.
October‘s speaker will be Mark Kantermann, a teacher at the Boynton Soup Kitchen, who will talk to us about Microgreens.
In November we will have Jackie Reiter, a culinary garden designer. Her topic will be announced next month.
January brings Melissa Corichi from Let It Rot, doing a presentation on worm composting.
Reminder: This month we will pass around a signup sheet for those who want to organize the Holiday potluck. We already have volunteers to make the turkey and the ham and run the bingo, but we will still need folks to decorate, to set up and serve, to cleanup, and maybe to plan entertainment. Many hands makes light work.
This month‘s program is a joint effort of most of our board members, and will prove to be informative and entertaining, I‘m sure.
Ellen Kamhi, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, RH(AHG), The Natural Nurse® has been a wild crafting herbalist since 1964. Dr. Kamhi attended Rutgers and Cornell Universities, sat on the Panel of Traditional Medicine at Columbia Presbyterian Medical School, is a Medical School Instructor, and teaches Botanical Pharmacology. She is a leader in the nutraceutical industry, recognized as a consultant specializing in regulatory issues, formulation and product education. She is on the Board of Directors of the American Herbalist Guild RH(AHG), nationally board certified as a holistic nurse (AHN-BC), on the education committee of the American Cannabis Nurses Association (ACNA). She provides CEU certified instruction for RN, NP, LMT, RD, ND in Herbal Medicine at Natural Nurse Academy, and has co-authored several books, and cohosts Radio Shows/Podcasts with Dr. Eugene Zampieron, ND. Dr Kamhi received the J.G. Gallimore Award- for research into subtle energy., and for developing unique Darkfield microscope techniques (1997), and for recognition for Woman of Science-distinctive research.
Program: Cooling the Fire Dragon - Botanicals For Pain.
The Dragon can be viewed as a symbol of maintaining a balanced inflammatory process. The Sleeping Dragon is a quiet and effective guardian, constantly on the lookout for an invasion or injury. Once Shaken Awake, the dragon breathes the fire of heat associated with an activated inflammatory process. The Fire Dragon emerges when the activation becomes chronic, with a ‘slow burn’ that leads to a breakdown in cell structure that has been linked to PAIN and most degenerative health issues. Natural remedies can modulate the healthy inflammatory process, often with a much better risk to benefit profile than conventional drugs. Lets Deep Dive Into Some Naturals- Wild Lettuce, Jamaican Dogwood and so many more!
There was lots of good stuff donated and lots of good stuff sold at the Anything and Everything Auction we held in March, ably directed by our president KC Foster. A total of $673.00 was raised from this event (about $100.00 in donations, the rest in auction proceeds) which will help pay for program expenses and speaker honorariums in the upcoming months. Thank you all for your contributions, and everyone there did seem
