Events 2015

Look who’s talking at Richters!

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Watch our 2015 presentations here!

FEB 21 YOUR PET’S HEALTH AND THE CONNECTION TO STRESS

With Veterinarian Paul McCutcheon, DVM

We love our pets, and they are family. But like us they get sick, and they suffer from stress. Dr. McCutcheon discusses stress and how it affects animals, and how a natural, holistic approach including diet, herbs and nutraceuticals can help ease the effects of stress and enhance our pets’ well being. He explores the various stress factors influencing your pet, including genetics, overmedication, psychological implications, diet selection, etc. The emphasis is on a natural, holistic approach to pet care including natural medications such as herbals and nutraceuticals. By focusing on how stress affects every aspect of the health of dogs and cats, Dr. McCutcheon has developed a comprehensive, practical and science based approach to maintaining our pets’ wellness and responding effectively whenever they become ill. He has been a vet for more than 50 years. During his career he has developed a comprehensive practical, and science based approach to maintaining the wellness of our cherished pets. He practices at, and is director of, the East York Animal Clinic & Holistic Centre in Toronto.
View the Recorded Presentation (Download the Handout)
(NOTE: Due to technical difficulties during the recording there is considerable background noise in parts of this presentation.)

FEB 28 BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH HERBS

With John Redden of Viriditas Herbal Products

Herbalist John Redden explores the modern conception of the immune system.  He discusses the intricate web of relationships between the immune system with our endocrine system, nervous system, our mental and emotional state and our diet. Simple home herbal remedies as well as complex compound formulas are presented to help navigate effectively the flu season, Lymes, West Nile, and a host of other infections.  Prevention and treatments will be also discussed. John Redden is a highly respected Medical Herbalist with over thirty years of experience growing and wild crafting herbs in addition to manufacturing herbal medicines. He is an active member of the Ontario Herbalists Association (OHA), and co-founded the A Celebration of Herbs annual festival that ran for many years in Toronto. He also served as the editor of The Canadian Journal of Herbalism. His studies in the U.S., Scotland, and Canada culminated in the founding of Viriditas Herbal Products.
View the Recorded Presentation (Download the Handout)

MAR 6 HOT HERBS FOR YOUR PERENNIAL GARDEN

With Jeff Mason of Mason House Gardens

Echinacea, bee balm, lavender, nepetella and sage are just some of the attractive herbs you can grow in a perennial garden -- as much for their beauty as for their usefulness as herbs. Horticulturist Jeff Mason discusses these and many more hot herbs, and how to design and plant the garden of your dreams with perennial herbs. Jeff is a speaker and writer on a wide range of gardening and horticultural topics. He operates Mason House Gardens, an independent garden centre near Uxbridge, Ontario, specializing in hardy perennials and xeriscaping plants.
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MAR 13 HOW TO PLAN AND PLANT YOUR HERB GARDEN

With Koidu Sulev of Richters Herbs

Adding herbs in your garden space can be both soothing and inspiring. Richters’ herb expert, Koidu Sulev, shows you how to make a beautiful garden a reality. Whatever your level of gardening expertise, Koidu covers such topics as site preparation and soil conditions, planting techniques, and plant maintenance, with a focus on the popular culinary, medicinal and aromatic herbs. Koidu grew up in Sweden where her interest in herbs started when she was a young child. She studied pharmaceutical training at the Royal Pharmaceutical Institute in Stockholm, where she gained extensive knowledge of the use of herbs for medical preparations. Koidu has been featured in newspapers, on the radio and TV. She tends her large garden north of Uxbridge, Ontario where she grows many common and not so common herbs and plants.
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MAR 20 FOREST GARDENING IN AN URBAN SETTING

With Travis Philp of River City Farms

Learn how to bring a little of the forest to the city and grow yourself an abundance of food, fuel, fibre, and farm-aceuticals. By creating a forest garden in your own backyard and using the structure and layers of a natural forest, you can combine a vegetable plot with a herb garden, a textile plantation, an orchard, and timber stand, all in one glorious space! Travis outlines what a forest garden is, why it is beneficial, how to make one, and show examples of existing urban forest gardens. Travis Philp is an accredited environmental and ecosystems management technician,  a partner of an intentional community outside of Lindsay, Ontario called Greenshire Eco Farms, and owner and operator of River City Farms, which produces vegetables, herbs, and fruit in both urban and rural forest gardens in Peterborough County.
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APR 3 SEABUCKTHORN – AN ANCIENT PLANT REDISCOVERED

With Andrew Wingrove of Bee By The Sea Natural Products

Prized for centuries in both Asia and Europe for its highly nutritious and medicinal properties, seabuckthorn is growing in popularity throughout North America. Seabuckthorn combats dry skin, fades age spots, and helps prevent and treat wrinkles. Many call the orange berries a "superfood." This adaptable fruit is now grown all over the world including Canada. Andrew discusses the history, uses, nutritional value, and health benefits of this amazing plant. Andrew Wingrove founded Bee By The Sea in 2008 in Barrie, Ontario with the launch of his first seabuckthorn product. He makes the majority of products to ensure quality and regularly promotes them at numerous trade shows and events across Canada and the US.
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APR 10 POTAGER GARDENING

With Marjorie Mason, Author, and Garden Expert

Potager is a French term for an ornamental kitchen garden that goes back to the French Renaissance and the Baroque. Flowers, both edible and not, and herbs are cleverly planted among the vegetable plants. The result is an edible garden that is as decorative as it is delicious! Learn the best plants to use, and how to create a garden for beauty and food. Marjorie Mason is an expert gardener who enjoys sharing her ideas with others. In 1987 she founded a retail plant centre and display garden south of Uxbridge which is now known as Mason House Gardens. Marjorie is host of Let’s Get Growing on CKDO radio in Oshawa, Ontario. Marjorie is a much in demand speaker on annuals. Author of Amazing Annuals and is a frequent contributor to home and garden magazines such as Canadian Living, Canadian Gardening, Harrowsmith, Canadian Wildlife Federation and Landscape Ontario.
View the Recorded Presentation (Download the Handout)

APR 17 WOMEN, HERBS, AND HEALTH

With Herbalist Carmen Lynde of Vervain Skincare Products

Women have been using herbs as food and medicine since the dawn of time. One of the very first documented female healers and teachers was Trotula of Solerno, Italy who treated women’s gynecological health issues in the 11th century. She was an early advocate of a healthy diet, regular exercise and stress reduction in order to achieve optimal health. Today, plant medicine and a plant-based diet can be used to promote fertility, balance hormones naturally while providing nourishment and vitality. Carmen will cover common issues including infertility, urinary tract infections, hormone imbalance, uterine fibroids and much more. Herbs such as vervain, agrimony, holy basil, and motherwort are a few of the herbs that can be used for health. Learn how to grow your own medicine and how to apply to it your health. Carmen Lynde graduated as Medical Herbalist upon completion of a five-year clinical program at Dominion Herbal College, an affiliate of the School of Phytotherapy in the United Kingdom. Carmen is a professional member of the Ontario Herbalist Association. Besides running a busy practice, Carmen is creator of Vervain, an organic plant-based skincare line made by hand in small batches. She also serves as Richters online medical herbs expert and teaches various workshops throughout the City of Toronto.
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Herb Day May 1, 2016 Savory Herb of the Year
Celebrate Herb Day with an afternoon in praise of the Chile Pepper, the Herb of the Year for 2016.

2 PM BITE ME – GROWING AND ENJOYING PEPPERS

With Ken Brown, Writer, Photographer and Horticultural Expert

Whether it is sweet bell peppers of red, orange, yellow and purple, skinny gnarled cayennes, little red-hot bullets, or pudgy oval jalapenos, few vegetables come in such an array of shapes, sizes, and colours. These colourful natives of South and Central America have been adapted to every part of the world over the past five centuries. As well, modern science is rapidly discovering and cataloguing the many healthy attributes of modern Peppers. Surprisingly, in our climate a wide variety of peppers can be successfully grown. Join Ken Brown as he discusses the many peppers, their uses, and how to grow them successfully in our climate. Ken Brown is a horticultural consultant, writer and photographer. He received his bachelor’s degree in horticulture from the University of Guelph. He also has a horticultural teaching degree from the University of Toronto and has taught a variety of related courses. A certified horticultural judge and he is a frequent speaker at horticultural meetings and seminars. Ken spends his non-gardening hours writing for his Gardening Enjoyed website and e-zine Dallying In The Dirt. 2-3pm

SEP 11 HARVESTING AND DRYING HERBS

With Koidu Sulev of Richters Herbs

It’s the end of the summer and you have a fabulous herb garden. Now what do you do? Find out what to pick, how to prepare and how best to store your homegrown bounty. Herb expert Koidu Sulev will teach you how to harvest, process, and store your homegrown bounty. She will discuss which herbs are best dried or frozen for later use, and the importance of proper handling in order to preserve their beneficial properties. Koidu Sulev grew up in Sweden where her interest in herbs started when she was a young child. She studied pharmaceutical training at the Royal Pharmaceutical Institute in Stockholm, where she gained extensive knowledge of the use of herbs for medical preparations. Koidu has been featured in newspapers, on the radio and TV. She tends her large garden north of Uxbridge, Ontario where she grows many common and not so common herbs and plants. 2-3pm

SEP 18 AMAZING LAVENDER

with Christel von Engelbrechten of Christel Lake Lavender Farm

Since Roman times lavender has held a well-deserved place in the pantheon of useful herbs. Its botanical name comes from the Latin verb “lavare” to wash – since the ancient Romans valued it for its disinfectant properties. In the Middle Ages, lavender was praised in early herbal studies for its healing effects on the body and the mind. Throughout history, lavender has found its way into the homes of many historical figures. Queen Victoria had her furniture and floors cleaned with lavender to freshen up the rooms. Queen Elizabeth I drank lavender tea to relieve her migraines. Today Lavender has a place in many culinary, medicinal and aromatic products found throughout the home. Lavender farmer Christel von Engelbrechten will describe the many varieties of lavender and their uses for health, beauty, and relaxation. Christel and her husband Gert started growing lavender on their farm about 5 years ago. They grow 14 varieties of lavender, with 1500 plants in the ground. Their farm, Christel Lake Lavender, is located near Sunderland, Ontario. 2-3pm

SEP 25 GROWING GREAT GARLIC!

With Melissa Spearing of Ground Covers Unlimited

If you have ever wanted to grow your own garlic, fall is the best time to plant. Join us for an in-depth look at the marvelous garlic. Learn about the many subgroups and cultivars best suited to various growing climates. Garlic grower and lover, Melissa Spearing, will share her successes and lessons learned from hands-on trials of nearly all types of garlic grown in Ontario. Melissa will elaborate on the challenges with selecting planting stock, managing organic soil fertility, irrigation, mulching, weeding, harvesting and the proper storage of your home grown garlic crop. Melissa will discuss varieties, organic soil fertility, irrigation, mulching, weeding, harvesting and the proper storage of home grown garlic. Melissa Spearing is a professional horticulturist who has focused much of her time the past five years on garlic and other Allium crops for small-scale commercial production. She received her diploma in Ornamental Horticulture from the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture in 2013, and a certificate in Seed Conservation Techniques from Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank in 2014. She works at Ground Covers Unlimited, in Bethany, Ontario. 2-3pm

OCT 16 MAKING BATH BOMBS AND OTHER LUSCIOUS BATH PRODUCTS

With Barbara Allen, Chemistry Professor and Kitchen Magician

Make your own aromatic spa quality bath bombs using simple ingredients available in your own kitchen. From bergamot to lavender, rosemary to lemon verbena, learn to experiment with the relaxing, invigorating, and thoroughly healing properties of essential oils and herbs. Develop your own signature aroma therapy spa bath treatment with dried herbs, leaves, and petals added for a colourful confetti effect in your bath. Barbara will provide recipes and instructions to make memorable gifts for family and friends. Barbara Allen is a chemistry professor at Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology and at Durham College. She has over 25 years of experience in the development of pharmaceuticals.  In her role as a professor, Barb teaches students how to make creams, lotions and effervescent granules as well as how to develop and manufacture a variety of cosmetic and pharmaceutical product formulations. 2-3pm

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