History of the Johnson County Herb Society

The Johnson County Herb Society was established in the spring of 2003. It's purpose is to educate fellow gardeners in the propagation, cultivation and uses of herbs, as well as their history and folklore.

The first meeting was held at the Old Blue House nursery in Cleburne, where Pam Aaron (president from 2003 - 2005) explained how the Johnson County area could benefit from a herb society like the one in Fort Worth. Following meetings were held at the United Electric Cooperative service in Cleburne.

Members decided to move the meetings to a more central location in 2006. JCHS now meets from 10 a.m. -12 noon on the third Saturday of each month at the Cleburne Library, 302 W. Henderson. Notices of upcoming meetings and special events are posted on the club's website at http://www.CleburneArea.info/herbies/

Dues are $20 per year. Meetings feature a herb of the month handout, raffle, and programs from guest speakers or members on ways to use herbs from the garden - to crafting, cooking and possible medicinal uses. (The herb society's purpose is not to diagnose, treat or prescribe herbs.)

JCHS members and guests have gone on several field trips. In the spring of 2004 they visited herbalist Dr. Judy Griffin's garden in Fort Worth and the Fort Worth Herb Society Festival in May. In the spring of 2005 members visited the garden of Lucy Harrell, organic garden consultant in Arlington. In 2006 members and guests went on a field trip to Jo Anne Boudreau's Boudreau Herb Farm in Mineral Wells. Jo Anne spoke from her knowledge of how herbs are used medicinally. In July JCHS visited the garden of fellow member Sandra Buerger to see how herbs could fit into the landscape amongst a water garden, garden fixtures and winding paths.

JCHS presented it's first herb festival "Celebration of Herbs" with guest speakers Dr. Judy Griffin and Lucy Harrell, vendors and a quilt raffle. Proceeds from the quilt raffle were earmarked to purchase a bench for the newly developing Winston Patrick MacGregor park in Cleburne.

Johnson County Herb Society held its second herb festival "Herbal Thymes" show and symposium Saturday, October 28, 2006at the Cleburne Senior Center. In 2007 and 2008 they had booths at the Johnson County Master Gardener spring show.

JCHS has many other community projects on the agenda, including making a demo herb garden and producing a series of herbal cookbooks with taste-tested recipes. The first cookbook "Cooking with Herbs and Spices: Desserts" was released in the spring of 2008. The books and CDs are $10.

Members are often asked to give talks on growing herbs or cooking with herbs. They presented the Cleburne library with a copy of "The Herb Garden Cookbook", their own Desserts cookbook, a herb container garden for the area near the rear entrance, and a white wrought iron bench.

A spring plant sale is planned for 2009.

For more information, contact president Sue Morgan at susieselect@msn.com or visit the website at http://www.CleburneArea.info/herbies/