The Conestoga Herb Guild will host its annual Herb Festival on Saturday, Sept. 9, at the Millersville VFW, 219 Walnut Hill Road. The free event will begin at 9:30 a.m., and it will feature multiple educational presentations, vendors and complimentary tea and coffee.

Members of Conestoga Herb Guild will begin to offer presentations at 9:30 a.m. A new presentation will begin each hour, and the sessions will cover topics such as medicinal and culinary uses for herbs, techniques for managing a garden and unique applications for common plants. One of the presentations will offer information specifically on ginger, which has been selected as the guild's herb of the year. Ginger can be used in various recipes when cooking, but it also contains properties that help relieve nausea.

Another speaker will discuss a variety of methods to propagate and grow herbs in one's backyard, after which a beekeeper will offer information on using native plants to support the growth of the bee population.

Susan Atkins, president of the Conestoga Herb Guild, will speak on the subject of Calendula flowers, which she grows in her own garden. Calendula can be used to treat skin irritation and internal issues such as ulcers. Atkins will detail her own process of growing and harvesting the herb, which she then emulsifies and infuses with lavender to create a topical salve. Atkins will also explain the process of using the flower's petals to make tea with medicinal properties.

Due to ginger's status as the herb of the year, the herb guild will offer a station for the event's attendees to make their own tea blend with ginger, fennel and peppermint. Members of the guild will also sell homemade pasta salad, caprese salad and a variety of baked goods. Vendors will sell items such as medicinal herbs, honey, wreaths, garden decorations, artwork and house plants.

The Herb Festival serves as one of the Conestoga Herb Guild's largest annual fundraisers. A portion of the proceeds from vendors' sales will assist the organization with covering its operational costs throughout the year.

The Conestoga Herb Guild began hosting the Herb Festival five years ago, and the event functions as a recruitment opportunity in addition to being a fundraiser. The organization will have a table open for attendees to register as official members. "I think many people, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, are looking to empower themselves and become healthier," Atkins said. "More and more people are starting their own medicinal herb gardens and using herbs in cooking to take charge of their well-being."

For more information, visit https://conestogaherbguild.org.