
Photo courtesy of Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau
Mark your calendars for the 2017 Herb Society of America’s Educational Conference and Annual Meeting of Members on May 3 to 7, 2017, in Little Rock, Arkansas. During a handful of committee and business meetings members will have a chance to meet each other and exchange ideas.
“Attending HSA’s Educational Conference and Annual Meeting is such a fabulous experience” says Rie Sluder, a member of the NorthEast Seacoast Unit and HSA board secretary. “It is exciting to be among a group of people who are as passionate about herbs as you are. There are so many opportunities to learn from other members’ experiences and to make new friends from all over the country. In addition you attend lectures from nationally known experts and get to explore an area of the country that you might not otherwise visit.”
The agenda includes presentations by
- P. Allen Smith, celebrity lifestyle expert and garden designer,

Felder Rushing
- Felder Rushing, garden author and international founder of Slow Gardening,
- and the culinary team from the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion.
Jamie Jo Washburne of the South Jersey Unit plans to be among the attendees at next year’s event. Jamie Jo joined HSA about 18 years ago after taking a class to learn uses for her oregano and savory plants. She continues to study and teach about herbs and their uses. Information sessions at the educational conference add to her expansive body of knowledge.
“I like going someplace new, meeting people and learning new things,” says Jamie Jo. “Some information presented is technical and some simpler; then there’s everything in between. Plus, I do the pre- and post-conference trips around town. I recommend to anybody, if they have the time and money, to start on Wednesday and do the meetings and the weekend.”
Stay tuned to this blog or Herb Society website for upcoming details. If you’re a member of The Herb Society, watch you inbox for HSA newsletters that will include the latest information.
To take advantage of the most significant opportunities, if you’re not already a member, join The Herb Society of America. Membership benefits include industry information, shopping discounts, and monthly member only webinars, as well as reduced or free admission to arboreta and gardens throughout the United States.













