Presenters and Topics

Sergio Remolina Keynote Speaker - is an assistant professor of Culinary Arts at the Culinary Institute of America’s Texas campus. Trained in Mexico and France, Remolina has built an international career across Mexico, the U.S., and Europe, and is well-known in San Antonio’s culinary scene. His presentation, Nature’s Heat, will be a flavorful exploration of edible herbs that bring natural spice to the table.

Tina Marie Wilcox, Head Gardener and Herbalist, has served the Ozark Folk Center's Heritage Herb Garden in Mountain View, Arkansas since 1984. Susan Belsinger lives an herbal life, whether she is gardening, foraging, photographing, teaching, researching, writing or creating herbal recipes for the kitchen or apothecary. Separately and together, they are authors, lecturers and recipe developers. In their two presentations, Capsicum: Chile Peppers from Mild to Wild and Capsicums in the Kitchen they will share more than three decades of experience cultivating, harvesting and using chiles.

Pat Crocker, BAA is a professional Home Economist. She began her lifelong love affair with food by teaching Family Studies at Western Technical School, Toronto and later formed Crocker International Communications Inc., a public relations agency dedicated to food clients such as Heinz and Campbells. A prolific writer and recipe developer, she is the author of 23 cookbooks with more than 1.5 million books in print and over a dozen translated into eleven languages. Her workshop takes a tantalizing tour of turmeric. Starting with history and traditional use, Pat treks on to explore tasty and innovative ways to use this superstar herb and shares her recipe for making Turmeric-Chile Seed Bars. Samples!!

Bevin Cohen is an award-winning author, owner of Small House Farm and host of the popular Seeds & Weeds podcast. He is a food and garden writer and the author of more than ten books, including The Artisan Herbalist and Herbs in Every Season. Learn more about Bevin’s work at www.bevincohen.com. Herbs in Every Season will explore some of Bevin's favorite herbs - through the lens of the seasons. Plus, we'll dig into each season's herbal activities such as journaling, seed saving and harvesting and Bevin will share some of the most unique and flavorful recipes. Herbs for Culinary & Medicinal Extracts will present how to create herbal tinctures and other extracts to help you stock your apothecary and pantry.

Janice is a nationally recognized natural beauty expert and the author of several books celebrating botanical beauty and garden-inspired self-care. Her latest book is “Beautiful Roses, a guide and workbook for growing, using and enjoying America’s favorite flower” Her workshop will inspire all to look closer at common, colorful wildflowers that have been used for centuries to enhance physical and emotional well-being. Whether you're looking to create your own body care products or simply connect with nature for improved wellness, this talk will inspire you to embrace the therapeutic potential of wildflowers.

Let Texas author Shelley S. Cramm take you through the landscapes of the Bible exploring herbs and spices from the ancient text for cultivating and cooking today. Discover through botany and details hidden in their horticulture a rich layer of poetry and practical advice for a "scent-sational life."

Gayle Engels is the Special Projects Director for the American Botanical Council (ABC) where she has worked since 1995. With a degree in secondary education, she manages the Education Department and the 25 themed gardens on ABC’s 2.5-acre Case Mill homestead. She also oversees ABC’s online content and HerbMedPro database. She is currently writing a book on herbal mocktails and will share recipes in her presentation! Need ideas for festive libations that don't include alcohol? Want to include herbs and spices in those beverages? This little party will share how to stock your liquorless cabinet, tools you may need, and how to combine flavors. Recipes and tastings included.

Sue Goetz CPH, ecoPRO, is an award-winning garden designer, writer, and speaker. Through her design business, she works with clients to personalize outdoor spaces, from garden coaching to complete landscape design. She shares her passion for herb gardens with her books, The Complete Container Herb Gardening, A Taste for Herbs, and The Herb-Lover's Spa Book. She will present twice: The Herbal Landscape Spice up your landscape! and Multi-Purpose Herbs. Get to know the best herbs for garden design that add architecture and color for all seasons and ways to mingle and combine herbs beautifully with other ornamental landscape plants. Then discover common herbs with multi-purpose uses and some spicy history too! Top ten herbs with diversity! Fragrance, healing, edible flowers, seasoning, container design, and cut flower abundance.

Ann Marie is a professional musician, military veteran and music educator, using her learned skills and love of gardening to share their family farm with others. Ann & Rob Karns are the owners of Doe-Re-Mi Lavender Farm, along with their son, Will the “Chaos Coordinator.” Ann will tell the story of how their family of military veterans and professional musicians became lavender farmers. She’ll share some of their successes and epic failures as they continue to learn what is required to create and maintain a lavender farm in the arid South Texas Plains.

Scooter Langley and Panelists - Panel Discussion, led by James “Scooter” Langley, Scooter graduated from Sam Houston State University with a with a BS in Horticulture and works as a Horticulture instructor for Lee College and a leader of Herbs Behind Bars. In some Texas State Correctional Facilities offenders are taught the basics of planning a garden. During this process, offenders learn to plant, maintain and harvest crops, developing new skills and a better work attitude. Just as the seedlings they plant and care for grow into mature plants, offenders develop more positive attitudes about careful planning, physical labor and their potential rewards.

Dr. Molly O has a degree in agriculture from Cornell, a Masters in Botany and a Ph.D. in Science Education from the University of Texas. Her illustrations of endangered species grace the Natural Heritage map that hangs in schools and public offices across the state. She co-authored and illustrated 4 editions of the college textbook “Plants in Our World: Economic Botany” Her presentation is a lighthearted look at the science of love, sex, and smell. A multi-sensory presentation features Smell-O-Vision and the chance to learn more about your own scent palette.

Mark is (somewhat) jokingly described as a scientist raised by wolves. Having a M.S. in medicinal chemistry and a Ph.D. in physical organic chemistry, he brings science into the world of wild edible and medicinal plants. On the science side he has sixteen patents and numerous articles in research journals from his career as a chemist. However, his true love is plants and the miracles they contain. He’ll present a culinary excursion disguised as landscaping. Ten great plants to jazz up your meals will be revealed during the presentation to start you on the path to an edible yard. Why spend money on spices when you already have plenty of them in your yard? Sponsored by the South Texas Unit

Ellen is a Harvard graduate and the author of eleven books. She has also published three wild edible plant calendars, written numerous magazine articles, a regular online column and was the co-host of the award-winning Plantrama podcast. She taught at the New York Botanic Garden for many years and also served as Coordinator of the Gardening Department in Continuing Education. Her presentation celebrates plants through the lens of Greek mythology and ancient everyday life, when herbs and spices were used to nourish, intoxicate, heal, and make magic.