We are resuming classes in 2022 forging ahead because food and herbs are our best medicine. Focus will be on cooking from scratch with the best ingredients to support good health. What we eat, drink & think matters.
Of course do not come to a class if you do not feel well or have recently been exposed to the virus. I will use herbs to purify the indoor air and we'll all be safe. It's time to make changes for the better.
2022 CLASSES
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MILLS GARDEN HERB FARM
Cooking, Gardening, Medicine making--all for the health and fun of it!
Good health starts at home in the kitchen and garden. Cooking meals with ingredients picked from the garden, purchased from a farmers market or grocery store selling organic products will build health. Ingredient choices are very important. Herbs are medicinal and support health in delicious ways. Again the theme of our classes this year is "back to basics": cooking like our grandmothers and great grandmothers once did. Think back! Our future is in our past.
Many maybe most of our health problems are caused by the food we eat; stress contributes too. Plan to cook more this year to control the ingredients in the food you consume. The food will be delicious and we'll have many tips on preparation . All of our recipes are prepared "from scratch" meaning nothing from boxes or cans with long ingredient lists.
Include the whole family in cooking, baking, cleanup. Cook meals ahead so as to never be caught without a quick homemade meal.
SOURDOUGH BREADS, FOCACCIA, FLAT BREADS & more
January 23, 2022
2:00-5:00 p.m.
Bread is the "staff of life". A hearty meal on a cold winter day definitely includes lots of vegetables in soup or stew and a hunk of homemade bread and butter. Using quality ingredients bread will contribute to good health. In this class learn about the different flours and how to use the dough to make other delicious meals: focaccia, pizza & flat bread. Chef Richard will teach sourdough bread baking and give everyone sourdough starter to take home. Come ready to get a little dusty, warm & full.
Cost: $35 or two for $60.
Reservation and contact information appears below.
FERMENTED & CULTURED FOODS
February 20, 2022
2:00-5:00 p.m.
Fermented foods are more important than ever and need to be included in our menus everyday. Healthy gut bacteria are recognized as essential for good health and need to be fed. Fermentation is an ancient method of food preservation: it is easy plus making your own ferments is economical. Gather 'round the kitchen table and learn how to prepare your own. We'll demo, you'll sample many recipes, and take home a detailed handout and starters. We'll make sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, kombucha, kefir & more.
Cost $45 or $80 for two.
Reservation and contact information appears below.
HERBAL BEVERAGES
March 20, 2022
2:00-5:00 p.m.
Beverages for all occasions! Until a few years ago, all beverages were made from plants!
They imparted flavor in addition to their healing properties. This class will review some traditional ways of preparing herbal beverages as well as explore some new "territories." We will use fresh garden herbs and/or purchased dried herbs to make teas, sparkling drinks, infused wines, and cordials. You will discover that they can be relaxing, refreshing, or stimulating along with other therapeutic properties.
Cost: $35 or $60 for two. Reservation and contact information appears below.
GEARING UP THE ORGANIC GARDEN
APRIL 24, 2022
2:00-5:00 p.m.
The finest freshest food and herbs are grown in our own backyards. New discoveries in soil science tell us that plants flourish and are nourished in soils that support a diverse community of organisms. So, in this class we'll discuss how to feed the soil and how to control weeds and insects without chemicals. There will also be numerous tips for growing your favorite herbs and vegetables . We'll tour Madge's gardens, and to ensure a head start for your garden, you are invited to dig and take home many perennial garden and woodland plants. Wear gardening clothes, and bring a trowel, shovel and a box or bags for plants. Handout and herbal treats included.
Cost: $35 or $60 for two. Reservation and contact information appears below.
Mark your calendar:
ASHEVILLE HERB FESTIVAL
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WNC Ag Center
Fletcher, NC
April 29, 30 & May 1, 2022
GETTING A LITTLE WILD
HIDDEN FOOD & MEDICINES IN YOUR YARD
May 15, 2022
2:00-5:00 p.m.
Let's explore wild foods in our backyards & woods. In the past this was our forefathers main source of food, and wild foods still have a place in our diets. Learn to recognize them and how to incorporate them in your meals. Along with learning about wild edible foods you'll experience shinrin-yoku, the therapy of walking in the forest - Japanese Forest Bathing. Wear walking shoes & long pants to walk in the wild, and be ready for sampling tasty treats of wild foods.
Cost: $35 or $60 for two. Reservation and contact information appears below.
SUMMER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION
Faerie Tea Party
June 19, 2022
2:00-5:00 p.m.
To honor the cycles of nature, Summer Solstice has been a celebrated event here at Mills Garden Herb Farm. Let's celebrate the longest day of the year, the garden has been planted and the growing season is in full swing. Dress up in your own faerie costume, tour the woodland and be prepared to be surprised. Madgecal things can happen. Be our guest. Bring a friend, your grandchild, a neighbor, some food to share, and lots of imagination to this event. No charge for this one.
RSVP by June 10.
Reservation and contact information appears below.
FOOD AS MEDICINE
JULY 17, 2022
2:00-5:00 p.m.
Food provides constituents to build and maintain the body as well as the "machinery" to run it. As many infectious diseases have come under control, overall health is not improving because of chronic diseases--many which have their origins in the food supply. In this class we will examine how our mainstream food has changed. Getting back to traditional foods and traditional cooking and eating practices can turn this around. Home cooked food made with quality ingredients can make a difference. Join us to sample many recipes and engage in a lively discussion of how to return to the days when our food is our medicine.
Cost $35 or $60 for two. Reservation and contact information appears below.
TRADITIONAL MEDICINE MAKING
from the garden to the medicine chest
August 21, 2022
2:00-5:00 p.m.
SYRUPS, TINCTURES, TEAS, VINEGARS, FIRE CIDER and more....Growing herbs is delightful; we love adding them to our foods and feeling the sheer joy of their beautiful flowers and scents. But there is so much more; many have powerful medicinal effets that can be easily preserved and made available when needed. Summer is the best time to prepare and stock your winter apothecary while your herbs are at their peak of vitality. We'll demo how to make tinctures, syrups, teas and vinegars using garden plants or dried herbs purchased from a reliable source. A handout will include detailed instructions and background information about common herbs. Take home samples to start your herbal apothecary. Delicious herbal tea and treats will be served. Cost $45 or two for $80.
COOKING FOR THE HEALTH OF IT
September 18, 2022
2:00-5:00 p.m.
Hippocrates said "let food be thy medicine, let medicine be thy food" and it still applies. Make your food supply basic constituents for growth and repair, energy production & a strong immune system. This class will address efficiently preparing meals in your own kitchen from basic ingredients (including herbs) and have enough to freeze for "quickie" future meals. Save money, time and your health by "cooking ahead", eating out less and depending less on prepared foods. As always a handout with recipes and details will be provided.
Cost: $45 or two for $80. Reservation and contact information appears below.
MUSHROOMS
TBA: October/November
The date depends on the weather as we want to have great examples of wild mushrooms. Keep checking we'll post the date ASAP
If you haven't explored the world of mushrooms now is the time to begin. Be prepared to be in awe of mushrooms. Identification is key. We are fortunate to have a mushroom grower in this area who also knows what wild mushrooms are delicious to eat. Mushrooms are medicinal too. It's time to learn more about mushrooms, their many health benefits, how to use them in cooking and more.... Come learn & taste! If you get a chance to see the movie Fantastic Fungi - don't miss it!
Cost $35 or two for $60.
HERBAL GIFT MAKING
November 6, 2022
2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Handmade, homemade presents are gifts from the heart. In this class we'll put together bodycare products made from easily obtainable natural ingredients. It's never too soon to prepare for the holidays. Eye pillows, salves, a "perfect cream", cutting board cream, herbal salts & rubs, packages of dried herbs for tea & more. This year surprise your friends and families with gifts prepared by you with love! Many samples, all materials, and instructions provided. Come ready to work! Cost: $35 or $60 for two.
WREATH MAKING WORKSHOP
December 4, 2022
2:00-5:00 p.m.
Our year en annual event: Wreath making in the barn. The custom of bringing greens inside the home at winter solstice and Christmas dates back hundreds of years. Continue the tradition by making your very own decorations with fresh cut evergreens, holly, ivy, pinecones, mistletoe and other natural items. We'll work in the barn, listen to holiday tunes, and sip hot tea and spicy cider. This class is a celebration of the Winter Solstice, Christmas, and father time; many participants return year after year! All materials are provided, but feel free to bring special items from your home or yard that you would like to add. Cost: $30 or $50 for two. Reservation and contact information appears below.
If you are not presently on our email list and would like to be notified by email two weeks in advance of all our classes, send us an email at: millsgardenherbs@roadrunner.com and ask to be added to our list. Of course your information is not shared with anyone.
Reservations
To make a reservation, please fill out the form on the "Reservations" page, indicating the class you would like to attend and the number of reservations; send this form with your payment to:
Mills Garden Herb Farm732 Mills Garden RoadStatesville, NC 28625
Your advance reservation is required to assist us in planning. Make a reservation by sending in the form on the reservations page or by email or phone. Also, kindly let us know in advance should you need to cancel for some reason.The Form: Indicate the class you would like to attend and the number of reservations; send this form with payment to:
Mills Garden Herb Farm
732 Mills Garden Road
Statesville, NC 28625
email: millsgardenherbs@roadrunner.com or
Phone or text: 704-929-0347.
Please contact us by phone, email or text if you have registered for a class but cannot attend.
MILLS GARDEN HERB FARM
Mills Garden Herb Farm, located in rural Statesville, NC is the realization of Madge’s dream to grow herbs and share her love of nature with others. The farm delights the senses; her wonderful garden beds have become magical places for birds, bees and butterflies as well as a sustainable source of herbs and food, supporting all life. The woodland garden has become a virtual fairyland, where she lovingly cultivates many of our NC native plants that are “endangered” due to overharvesting and loss of habitat. In her greenhouse, Madge’s 100% chemical free herbs are germinated and raised to be sold as potted plants at farmers markets in Statesville, Hickory and Charlotte, NC. They thrive in the greenhouse where they are tenderly cared for while listening to classical music all day long! Madge manages the Evening Farmers Market in downtown Statesville.