WNED PBS brings the backyard to you, live in the studio!
Join us for the premier episode of Now We’re Gardening LIVE! on Saturday, April 6th starting at 10:30am. Watch as local gardening experts show us what to do for a solid Spring clean-up, discuss the ins-and-outs of using indigenous plants in the yard, and explore the new trend for creating Cocktail Herb Gardens (with Sarah of Sweet Flag Herbs)!

Whether you are a gardening beginner or a seasoned pro, this one-hour special will inspire and inform with tips, tricks, and resources to have you “garden-ready” for the season and beyond.

WNED show page: http://wned.org/nowweregardening

Stream on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g4X-wPLWn0

$30 / $27 for Springville Center for the Arts members

Cold and flu season is upon us, and it’s a great time to support our immune system. Studies and tradition support the use of elderberry, echinacea, spilanthes, marshmallow (yes, it’s a plant!), ginger, garlic, and more for avoiding and easing viral infections. Learn to identify or cultivate these plants, and how to safely and effectively use them for a healthy winter season. Participants will prepare a batch of elderberry syrup together and take home a 4 oz bottle and recipe. With herbalist Sarah Sorci.

This workshop will take place at Springville Arts Cafe – 5 East Main Street.

Register here.

Our senses of taste, touch, sight, and smell tell us a great deal about the edible and medicinal properties of plants. In this outdoor event, Community herbalist Sarah Sorci will orient you to a range of edible and medicinal WNY plants, letting our senses be our guide.

Greystone Nature Preserve will host this event, and Royal Fern Nursery will be selling native plants!

$12 for adults. Kids come free!

For the plant walk: bring a water bottle, sun protection, and a notebook if desired. Feel free to take photos of plants; this may help you remember what we discussed.

We will meet at the Royal Fern Nursery tent at 6:15pm for the plant walk. We’ll end at the same location around 7:45pm. The folks from Royal Fern Nursery will orient us to the benefits of growing native plants, and we’ll learn a bit about the plants they brought. Participants will have the opportunity to shop for native plants throughout the evening, starting at 6:00pm.

Rain date: If heavy rain and/or thunderstorms are predicted, we will move this event to Tuesday, August 29th, same time.

REGISTER HERE at the Sweet Flag Herbs shop.

This leisurely walk is for folks who want to feel more acquainted with common edible + medicinal plants in our neighborhoods and backyards. No matter where you live in WNY, you pass by nutritious edible and medicinal plants along every sidewalk and in every lawn.

You’ll leave feeling comfortable identifying and using a range of common plants. You’ll also know whether there are poisonous look-alikes to watch out for in our region. We’ll discuss safety considerations when harvesting plants in suburban, urban, and rural areas, such as pesticide application and lead in soils near older buildings. Sustainable harvesting considerations will also be addressed.

We’ll meet near the stage and stroll from there—look for my wide-brimmed straw hat! Bring a notebook if desired; taking photos is welcome (this might be helpful for remembering plants we discuss).

Investment: $22 for adults. Kids come free! Register here.

RAIN DATE: July 18th, 6:30pm—8:30pm. I will aim to send registrants an email by 10am the morning of the walk if we’re bumping our walk to the rain date.

*Do you use a wheelchair, walker, or have other needs related to a disability? Please get in touch so we can make this event work for you!

Photo by Jessica Cunningham Photography

This workshop is for folks who want to go deeper with wild edible & medicinal plants. Explore the diverse plant life at Chestnut Ridge with Community Herbalist Sarah Sorci. We’ll get acquainted with WNY plants that prefer sunny lawns, water’s edge, shady woodlands, and the spaces in between.

You’ll also sample a few of my favorite dishes and preparations made with nutritious wild greens! You’ll receive recipe sheets to take home.

You’ll leave feeling comfortable identifying a range of useful plants. You’ll know whether there are poisonous look-alikes to watch out for in our region. We’ll discuss environmental contamination considerations when harvesting wild plants, such as pesticide application and lead in soils near older buildings. Sustainable harvesting considerations will also be addressed.

Investment: $48 for adults. Register here.

Your kids come free! (Space is limited in the shelter. If you’re bringing older kiddos, please provide folding chairs or blankets for them to sit on. They’ll have front-row seats if they wish!)

We’ll meet at Shelter 11, which I’ve reserved for the day. Chestnut Ridge Shelter Map.

Approximate Schedule:

• 9:45am-10am: Arrive at Shelter 11

• 10am-10:15am: Introductory info at shelter

• 10:15am-noon: Plant walk

• Noon-12:45pm: Lunch break (bring your own) and sample time. Sarah will provide herbal iced tea (if you bring a spare drinking vessel, great—otherwise Sarah will provide). Sarah shares wild greens recipes and samples.

• 12:45pm-2:15pm: Plant walk

• 2:15pm-2:30pm: Head back to the shelter. Answer lingering questions, part ways.

*Do you use a wheelchair, walker, or have other needs related to a disability? Please get in touch so we can make this event work for you!

WEATHER: Since we have a shelter to retreat to, I plan to run the event rain or shine. If the forecast looks rainy, I’ll bring a large selection of plant cuttings to examine, taste, and discuss together.

For more details, see the registration page.

Photography by Katie Schneider Photo

The Western New York Herbal Conference organized by Reciprocal Roots is always a highlight of the summer, and I can't wait to attend again this year! Join us on Saturday, August 27th at Singer Farm Naturals in Appleton, NY. Visit the conference website to purchase tickets and check out the lineup of presenters and vendors. Ticket includes all classes, workshops, and lunch.
poster art by @chadgrohman

I'll be offering the talk below:

Native Medicinal Plants for the Home Gardener

Cultivating native plants is a wonderful way to support birds, insects, and other native wildlife in WNY. Lucky for herbalists, many native plants are edible and/or medicinal. In this talk, Community Herbalist Sarah Sorci will introduce a few of her favorite native medicinals from her garden, including skullcap, bee balm, elderberry, and more. She'll share tips on sourcing plants, propagation, and cultivation, and you'll get to see some of these beauties "in the flesh." Sarah will briefly share their medicinal uses and her favorite medicinal preparations with these plants. We'll also discuss cultural considerations for herbalists and gardeners when considering which native plants to cultivate and utilize.

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[Image description: illustrated conference poster features two folks with a sun and moon as heads (respectively) high fiving under an elecampane (Inula helenium) plant.]

I'm looking forward to offering an Edible & Medicinal Plant Walk at Wild America Nature Festival again this year! Catch the walk at 2pm on Sunday, July 31st.

Plant enthusiasts: there are several other plant walks in the lineup, too! Check out the full schedule and purchase tickets at the Wild America Nature Festival website.

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[Image description: Wild America Nature Festival poster includes festival photos and the text "Wild animals - Nature art and craft show - local food vendors & farmers market - music - axe throwing - speakers - activities and fun for all ages! July 29, 30, and 31 at Panama Rocks."]

The WNY Herbal Conference presented by Reciprocal Roots is a highlight of the summer, and I can’t wait to take part in the 3rd annual event on August 28th! Folks of all herbal experience levels are invited to connect with a welcoming community and enjoy the stellar presenters vendors featured. I’ll offer a talk on herb propagation and seed starting. Stay tuned for the finalized schedule at the WNY Herbal Conference website.

Reciprocal Roots is accepting presenter and vendor applications thru June 15th!

Email Kristin for presenter requests at reciprocalroots@gmail.com

Email Alex for vendor application at littleflowerbotanicalsllc@gmail.com

Poster artwork created by Chad Grohman.

Community Herbalist Sarah Sorci will guide participants on an herbal walk in the Village of Hamburg. Sarah will demonstrate how to identify and harvest many medicinal and edible plants growing right in our backyards and neighborhoods. She will share info about which locations are safe for harvesting, plus tips on safe use and preparation.

We will begin and wrap up at beHealthy, with most of our time spent out in the neighborhood. Bring comfy walking shoes and a notebook/camera if desired. The walk will be slow/moderate with lots of stops for show-and-tell. We may go down a set of stairs on Main Street to the 18-mile creek.

beHealthy's In-Studio COVID Policy applies to this in-person class, including time spent outside the building. Please keep your mask on while walking from plant to plant. You may remove it when the group is stopped if you are able to socially distance 6 feet. The instructor will remove her mask to speak once the group is settled in each location; she will maintain 6-foot distancing when her mask is removed. If you do not feel comfortable with this class scenario, we encourage you to join us for virtual programming.

Register at the beHealthy website.

Cold and flu season is upon us, and it's a great time to support our immune system. Lifestyle and nutritional choices are vital--and western NY lawns, gardens, and wild places offer an abundance of plants that can help as well. Studies and tradition support the use of elderberry, echinacea, boneset, spilanthes, ginger, garlic and more for avoiding and easing viral infections. Learn to identify or cultivate these plants, and how to safely and effectively use them for a healthy winter season.

Cost: $24 includes numerous samples, recipes, and an emailed powerpoint presentation.

**Registration required. Please visit this website to sign up:
https://behealthyinstitute.com/events/630-pm-immune-building-teas-herbs-tinctures/

In this workshop, Holistic Herbalist Sarah Sorci will share some of her favorite tea blend recipes for support of healthy digestion, relaxation & sleep, and more.

After sampling tea blends, participants will create their own tea blend to take home. Class handouts will also be distributed.

Class is free! Please thank the Aurora Public Library for sponsoring this event.

**Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Call the Aurora Town library to sign up:(716) 652-4440

Teas are a comforting and grounding way to enjoy the benefits of medicinal plants. In this workshop, Holistic Herbalist Sarah Sorci will share some of her favorite tea blend recipes for support of healthy digestion, relaxation & sleep, and more. Sarah will offer suggestions for steep times based on the herbs’ constituents, and go in-depth on the properties of several tasty tea herbs.

After sampling tea blends, participants will create their own tea blend to take home. Class handouts will also be distributed.

Fee: $20 includes your tea blend and handouts.
**Visit this website to register:
www.ecfair.org/p/entertainment/adult-ag-ucation

Class will be held inside the Agriculture Discovery Center. Give yourself a few extra minutes to find this building on the fairgrounds! Here's a map: https://www.ecfair.org/p/info/fairmap

Can't wait to offer herbal tea blends, elderberry syrup kits, salves, bitters kits, a Roasty Roots coffee-ish blend, and more at the Colden Holiday market this Saturday, Dec 14th!

Many gardeners look for creative uses of abundant herbs in their garden. In this class, Community Herbalist Sarah Sorci will share recipes and samples of herb-infused vinegar, herbal finishing salts, and herb-infused honey and maple-syrup. She will demonstrate the preparation of herb-infused vinegar, and discuss her favorite herbs for each of the preparations. No experience required. All participants will take home a recipe handout.

Cost: $10. Visit the Cornell Cooperative Extension website to register:

http://chautauqua.cce.cornell.edu/agriculture/2019-leaf-workshop-series

Elderberry is a locally abundant herb that has traditionally been used for its immune boosting properties. Research has confirmed its antiviral nature, and its effectiveness in supporting the body during cold and flu season. In this workshop, Community Herbalist Sarah Sorci of Sweet Flag Herbs will discuss identification and harvest, properties, and use of elderberry syrup. Participants will prepare and take home their own bottle, made with local raw honey and rosehips. Elderberry syrup is safe for children over age 1.

Cost: $30 includes a 4 oz bottle of elderberry syrup and handout.

For more information about Sarah’s holistic herbalism practice, visit www.sweetflagherbs.com.

16th Annual World On Your Plate: FOOD, NUTRITION, THE ENVIRONMENT, FARMING AND POLITICS.

Keynote speakers, panel discussion (Friday), and breakout workshops.

Sarah Sorci’s Break Out Session:

A Nourishing Harvest: Toxin-Aware Gardening and Foraging in WNY

Community Herbalist Sarah Sorci has received many questions about safe harvest in a contaminated culture. "My lawn hasn't been sprayed in 3 years; is it safe to harvest there?" "Which compost brands are safe to buy?" "Does this park spray herbicides on medicinal/edible invasives, like garlic mustard and Japanese knotweed?" These questions inspired A Nourishing Harvest, a Patreon project offering monthly articles exploring these questions. In this talk, Sarah will share insights and stories that have impacted her the most thus far.

This year's featured speaker is nationally acclaimed John DeGraaf, author, filmmaker, speaker and activist with a mission to help create a happy, healthy and sustainable quality of life for America. In addition, Walter Simpson will present to the group. Walter is an energy professional and environmental educator who served for 26 years as Energy Officer at the State University of New York at Buffalo (UB). At UB, he led a nationally recognized campus energy conservation program credited with over $100 million in savings. He also founded and directed the UB Green Office, UB’s environmental sustainability office, and taught many college-level energy and environmental courses. For more info, schedule, and to see past events visit http://worldonyourplate.org

Cost: $12 includes choice of dried herb and recipes

Many gardeners look for creative uses of abundant herbs in their garden. In this class, Community Herbalist Sarah Sorci will briefly discuss the growing preferences and medicinal properties of common herbs like thyme, lavender, rosemary, sage, lemon balm and more. She will share recipes and samples of herb-infused vinegar, herbal finishing salts, herb-infused honey and maple-syrup, and demonstrate the preparation of herb-infused vinegar. Participants will take home a recipe handout and select a dried herb for home concocting.

In western NY, our backyards are teeming with wild plants that are nutritious, safe, and even medicinal. Community Herbalist Sarah Sorci will lead this leisurely plant walk starting at Russell Joy Park’s Howard Street parking lot, Fredonia. We will learn to identify a range of local plants that are edible and/or medicinal. We will discuss the properties they contain, and ways each plant has traditionally been used. We will also discuss safety and sustainability considerations when harvesting wild plants. Bring a notebook if desired.

Exchange: $12. Payment may be made at the event (check/cash), or through paypal (Sarah@sweetflagherbs.com).

Preregistration is appreciated (contact Sarah@sweetflagherbs.com or 716.997.2007)
Rain date: Wednesday, July 10th, 6pm - 7:30pm. Registrants will be notified by phone or text.

photo credit: Jessica Cunningham photography

Check out this opportunity to learn about safe and sustainable ID, harvest, and use of WNY edible and medicinal plants!

Meet at Marcy Casino at 6pm- roadside, not lake side.

$12, payable at the event. Rain date: June 24th.

Westfalls Center for the Arts will offer a hands-on learning experience with Community Herbalist Sarah Sorci of Hamburg. Sarah will share information about some of her favorite culinary and medicinal herbs, including cultivation, harvest, and safe use. Sorci will also share general herb gardening tips, including healthy soil information. The class will culminate with the planting of an accessible herb garden for the community to enjoy.

$5 Admission, payable at the event.

The Giving Garden, UPES rec field

Free and open to the public!

Small Local businesses and farms that support happy and healthy families through food, products and services will gather to share and sell at our annual farmer market set up in the garden. There will be free fun offerings and lots of terrific shopping. This is open to the public. We will list farms and businesses as they sign on to the event.

Shine Yoga ~4pm
We will have a drumming circle with the amazing Steve & Liz and Unity Through Rhythm at 6pm

Check out the amazing vendor list and details here:
 www.facebook.com/events/776277729385616/

Community Herbalist Sarah Sorci will guide us on a Herbal Walk in the Village of Hamburg. Sarah will demonstrate how to identify and harvest many medicinal and edible plants growing right in our backyards and neighborhoods. Sarah will share info about which locations are safe for harvesting, and which may be too contaminated.

We will begin and wrap up at beHealthy, with most of our time spent out in the neighborhood. Bring comfy walking shoes and a notebook/camera if desired. Walk will be slow/moderate. We may go down a set of stairs on Main St. to the 18 mile creek.

$18 /person. Register here.

Suggested donation: $6. All proceeds go to Greystone Nature Preserve

It's easy to overlook local wild plants as we tend our vegetable and ornamental flower gardens. However, many of these "weeds" in our lawns, ditches, and forest edges carry a rich history of relationship with people as we used them for food, medicine and more. In this leisurely plant walk, Community Herbalist Sarah Sorci will tell stories about the history and traditional uses of wild edible and medicinal plants found at Greystone Nature Preserve. Sarah will incorporate tales and uses from First Peoples, Europe, early America and Asia. If weather is poor, the program will take place indoors at Greystone. Bring adequate sun protection, water, and a notebook if desired.

*Please pre-register if possible by contacting Sarah: 716-997-2007 or Sarah@sweetflagherbs.com.

Though the American cook may use culinary herbs for flavor alone, every culinary herb and spice possesses medicinal properties. In this class, Sarah will share research-based information about how the plants in our spice cabinet or herb garden can support health. Numerous samples will be shared.

Cost: Pending.
To register, email julie@farmersandartisans.com or call 716.633.2830.