This weekend, May 11, Friends held their first tent event. The new (but not improved) tent put in a brief appearance but had to be removed due to winds threatening to lift the tent into celestial territory. Betz Vancrey and Amy Dale, of GreenEdens Designs, and Teresa Brockman, herb grower, braved the elements to answer questions about growing and using herbs.
We’re all familiar with Teresa Brockman of Sunny Lane Farm in Eureka, Il. Although Teresa was introduced to the growing world at a very young age, it was after living abroad that she returned to Illinois pursuing a passion for growing sustainably. She specializes in zone 5 fruit and herbs. No trip to the market is complete without a stop at her tent.
Betty, a horticulturist, has a long list of certifications (www.greenedens.com). Most interesting to Friends is her knowledge of the culinary and medicinal uses of herbs. During her career, she has installed 21 herbal gardens and has been a freelance teacher for the Chicago Botanic Garden.
Amy, Betty’s partner in Green Edens, has her Master Gardener Certificate from the Chicago Botanic Garden and is currently pursuing a degree in Horticulture with a focus on Sustainable Energy Design. Amy has a passion for health-ours and the earth! Our downtown Saturday market isn’t their only stop in Evanston. Amy and Betty have been teaching classes at Ridgeville and helping to install edible gardens there. Check out their work if you are at the Ridgeville midweek market.
Our own research certainly supports the many health benefits of using herbs. Thyme seems to be a cure for anything and who knew that rosemary is revered as an aphrodisiac-actually, one broadly smiling friend must have known because he was slipping away with an enormous pot of that love(ly) herb! We’re lucky to have so many sources at the market for herbs so make this your summer to discover the many uses of these workhorse plants.
