Our Next Monthly Meeting

Austin Herb Society monthly meetings feature great educational programs.

- Next Monthly Meeting -

December 1st - Virtual on Zoom

'Reflections, Connections & 'Confections

Our December Holiday meeting has always been special—a time to meet and chat, shop with our sponsors, show off our holiday sweaters or ornament earrings that light up, and sample tried-and-true or new edibles. We've always celebrated in a magical atmosphere decorated by our own Roberta Showerman and our hospitality teams.

This year we want to pay homage to all of that with our program, "Reflections, Connections & Confections," at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1 on Zoom. Our program agenda includes some recollections of past events, a history of our involvement in the garden, words from some of our sponsors, and a toast to ourselves!

We strongly suggest that you wear your holiday sweater or other festive garb and, if possible, add some seasonal glitz to your Zoom background. We’ll include time for comments and recollections to connect us all as we go forward. See you soon!

Monthly Meetings Program List for 2020-2021 Coming Soon!!!

Austin Herb Society

monthly meetings feature

educational programs.

Please join us!

1st Tuesday of each month (Except August)
10:00 -12:00 noon

Want to attend as a guest?

Then email us at

for Zoom log in information.

Past Monthly Meetings

- November 10th Monthly Meeting -

Virtual on Zoom

“The First Thanksgiving: Herbs in Early America"

Program Focus:

Join AHS for “The First Thanksgiving: Herbs in Early America” Nov. 10

Take a step back in time—way back!—to 1621 at our next AHS meeting Tuesday, Nov. 10 when we explore “The First Thanksgiving: Herbs in Early America,” presented by AHS members Norise Jastillana, VP/Communications, and Karla Renaud, Culinary Chair.

Norise will discuss how traditional European and native American herbs were used to flavor Thanksgiving fare while Karla will focus on the history of herbal medicine in early America.

Today’s Thanksgiving menu holds little resemblance to America’s inaugural feast in 1621, when Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians gathered to celebrate a bountiful harvest of native maize, explains Norise.

The first Thanksgiving tables were laden with the “fruit of the land”—from fish, fowl and wild game to native fruits, squashes and Indian stews. Old and New World herbs added the finishing touch to recipes, just as they do today.

Herbs played just as an important role in housekeeping and medicine as they did in cooking, says Karla, who will describe how colonists used traditional and native herbs to promote health and to cure their ills.

For example, colonial housewives were expected to grow medicinal herbs to have on hand to use per doctor’s orders. Plants were also cultivated for use in dyes for linen and wool clothing and for other household uses.

Monthly Meetings