Farmington Grange lecture series returns

FARMINGTON — Farmington Grange’s lecture series on the rural arts returns at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 21, with a talk by local herbalist Janet Edwards.

Her topic is “Gathering Wild Plants — All Season.”

Edwards, or “Mountain Mama of Maine,” has spoken at the grange on lavender and on making herbal cosmetics. For more than 30 years, she has grown and wild-gathered medicinal plants used in her 100 percent organic personal care products, made from her recipes and mostly from her herb garden. She learned about edible plants as a child from her grandmother.

She will talk about medicinal or culinary uses of native plants that can be foraged in most people’s backyards or nearby woods and fields, such as coltsfoot, red clover, St. John’s wort and rose hips.

Edwards has been a featured speaker at the Common Ground Fair and at garden shows in Portland, Nantucket, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, and garden clubs around the state.

The talk will take place at the Grange Hall in West Farmington. It is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be available.

FMI: 778-2932.