West Virginia Herbal Association Secretary Jennifer Geib says she hopes to see new faces at the association’s Spring Gathering, planned for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 17, at the New River Community and Technical College in Beaver, W.Va.
Phytolacca americana, commonly known as ‘pokeweed,’ is a native West Virginia plant that can be cooked and eaten — but only by someone who is knowledgeable about this sometimes-poisonous green. WVHA President Eugene Breza will teach a class about how to safely identify, gather, pick and cook the plant during the association’s Spring Gathering on May 17 in Beaver, W.Va.
A bee falls asleep on a passion flower in the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä garden of West Virginia Herb Association Secretary Jennifer Geib. The association’s Spring Gathering on May 17 in Beaver, W.Va., will offer a variety of classes, including one on plants for pollinators.
Jennifer Geib, secretary of the West Virginia Herb Association, is an herbalist and has extensive gardens at her ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä home, which include a variety of plants and herbs, such as violets — a native plant — comfrey, rosemary and many more, most of which have medicinal properties.
West Virginia Herbal Association Secretary Jennifer Geib says she hopes to see new faces at the association’s Spring Gathering, planned for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 17, at the New River Community and Technical College in Beaver, W.Va.
Amanda Larch Hinchman | Photos for HD Media
Phytolacca americana, commonly known as ‘pokeweed,’ is a native West Virginia plant that can be cooked and eaten — but only by someone who is knowledgeable about this sometimes-poisonous green. WVHA President Eugene Breza will teach a class about how to safely identify, gather, pick and cook the plant during the association’s Spring Gathering on May 17 in Beaver, W.Va.
A bee falls asleep on a passion flower in the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä garden of West Virginia Herb Association Secretary Jennifer Geib. The association’s Spring Gathering on May 17 in Beaver, W.Va., will offer a variety of classes, including one on plants for pollinators.
Jennifer Geib, secretary of the West Virginia Herb Association, is an herbalist and has extensive gardens at her ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä home, which include a variety of plants and herbs, such as violets — a native plant — comfrey, rosemary and many more, most of which have medicinal properties.
BEAVER — The West Virginia Herb Association’s Spring Gathering will be a woodland herbal exploration from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 17, at the New River Community and Technical College in Beaver, West Virginia.
There will be nine speakers with a variety of topics, including first aid in the woods, inoculating mushroom logs, plants for pollinators and more, according to WVHA secretary Jennifer Geib.
WVHA President Eugene Breza will teach a class on the best way to gather pokewood and identifying, picking and cooking the plant before it turns poisonous. Attendees will learn the proper way to prepare and cook poke to ensure it’s safe to eat; they will also be able to sample the final dish.
“One of our speakers is going to teach how to make greens from pokeweed, our native plant that — like with many plants — may only be poisonous at a certain time,†Geib said. “The seeds are the part that are really poisonous. The flesh that surrounds the seeds is often made into jelly, so it’s a plant you not only have to identify properly, you have to use it properly.â€
Sierra Cox, WVHA vice president, will teach a class on forest farming from a landowner perspective, discussing landowner considerations such as assessing forest health and management techniques. Melissa Dennison of Garden Treasures will instruct attendees on inoculating mushroom logs.
