Savoring The Summer Luncheon Fundraiser for HWB

On July 23rd, the Winona Herbal Education Society hosted the Savoring the Summer Luncheon in the picturesque Farmer's Park just outside Stockton, MN as a fundraiser event for Herbalists Without Borders. With the luncheon just the weekend after the flooding this area had experienced during the week prior to the luncheon, we weren't sure if the park would be in good enough shape for us but everything turned out perfect. Lora was even able to grab the closest shelter to the entrance so people would have no trouble finding us. We served ten guests, most of whom had not been to any previous WHES meetings.

​The food was simple and delicious. Lora Krall prepared the foods which were carefully selected to highlight herbs and to be served cold, making it ideal for a warm summer's day and a picnic setting. She began the meal with a sampling of an echinacea flower head to clean the palettes of our guests, explaining to them how it would taste, and feel. She went into detail in discussing how the taste and feel of the echinacea flower heads were an indicator of the quality of the echinacea. The next dish was a combination of garden greens and wild greens which included lambsquarters, and purslane. Diners could choose between a tarragon and dandelion vinegar dressing, or a more savory herbal vinaigrette that incorporated a touch of soy. The next course was a cool cucumber herb soup with pungent cilantro,  veggie roll-ups, one with herbed cream cheese and the other with hummus, followed with a melon compote with mint. The last dish served at this event was an elderflower bread pudding dressed with elderflowers and honey. Lora explained each dish, and shared ways in which she uses herbs at home in her day to day cooking. 

My contribution was web promotion, online purchasing options, and beverages. My signature lavender lemonade, and Elderflower Strawberry “Fizzie” tea. During the luncheon, I shared with our diners some of the work that Herbalists Without Borders does, and how donations from fundraisers such as the luncheon were vital to projects to People's Clinics, Trauma Trainings, and other work that HWB does. It was a small group, but they all seemed genuinely interested in learning more about HWB. I think one of our secret assets had to be Deb Becker-Galewski who is a member of HWB and attended the luncheon. She was able to share her own reasons and experiences as a member of Herbalists Without Borders.
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Our luncheon concluded with the raffling off of gift baskets. Baskets were donated by Laurie Stiers-Folz, Lora Krall and myself. They contained a variety of items including vintage tea cups, a handmade apron, Dragon Spit, herbal facial steams, Lora's signature cedar salve, books, and a decadent herbal drinking chocolate. We raised over $100.00 with this event and it was a simple, lovely event. We look forward to doing another.

~Amy Shea