As an alternative final project, students at the
HerbFest will be held Tuesday, May 5, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom, and is held by UMass professor and botanist Lyle Craker and his students.
The ‘Herbs, Spices, and Medicinal Plants’ class teaches the various culinary and medical uses of herbs, in addition to covering the different elements of botany, history of herb trade, business potential, agricultural value and the biological chemical components of plants. The showcase will consist of informational booths presenting diverse types of herbal salves, tinctures, decoctions and remedies. It will count as a full exam grade for the students.
UMass student and sustainable food systems major Tim West is putting on a display that highlights the different uses of aphrodisiacs.
‘There’s many medicinal herbs and spices that have aphrodisiac qualities to them. I’ll be presenting different elixirs and concoctions to illustrate this,’ said West.
Distinctive types of plants in his booth will include damiana, saffron, maca root, ginger, and sandalwood.
Another UMass student Greg Lemoine will discuss oils that can be used topically, ingested through culinary means or taken as a supplement. His portion of the showcase will display coconut oils and tamanu oils that help psoriasis and healing small cuts, amongst other things.
Some booths may even have edible components.
‘There’s no doubt that the edible elements are going to be the highlight at HerbFest,’ said student Mollie Murnane, who will present
In the past, HerbFests have been largely successful.
‘I’m so excited for HerbFest. Not only am I energized to show off my exhibit about foraging in
Adrienne Wickham-Gobert can be reached at [email protected].
