Bi2-Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, March 24,1990
Educate
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
BLUE BALL (Lancaster Co.)
If you’re interested in landscap
ing, cooking or decorating with
herbs, visit the Village Herb Shop.
The sprawling herb business
located in the little town of Blue
Ball, east of Lancaster, immerses
visitors in the wonderful possibili
ties that herbs offer.
Pat Dyer, who manages the bus
iness, said, “We offer an educa
tional experience.”
Garden tours, workshops,
extensive literature, and dinners
are ways the shop finds effective in
educating others.
The most outstanding feature of
their educational experience is the
equisive five-course meals served
in a country Victorian setting.
Chef Sally Kramer prepares the
meals. Each course, from the
punch to the dessert, is enhanced
by the the use of herbs.
Unlike many herbalists, Kramer
uses salt, sugar and meat in the pre
paration of the meals.
She said, “We believe that most
people prefer a moderate approach
to herbs although we will prepare a
vegetarian or salt-free or sugar
The Village Herb Shop offers everything and anything
related to herbs, from dips, potpourri, tea pots to jewelry.
free meal if requested by a group of
12 or more.”
The meal alone is an impressive
affair, but it is not limited to mere
ly the dinner. It begins with a tour
of the herb gardens where guests
can pinch and sniff the plants that
are marked for cooking, medicine
or tea use. Dyer explains the use of
various herbs and gives ideas on
planting and landscaping with
them, but does not get into the
medicinal use of herbs.
Dinner is served in the enclosed
Visitors at the Village Herb Shop tour the herb gardens, drying sheds, and gift
shops to experience the fragrance and taste of herbs. Chef Sally Kramer and Herbalist
Pat Dyer stand outside the drying shed where guests can cut bunches of herbs for
purchase.
Your Senses At the Village Herb Shop
patio with its brick floor and
country-Victorian decor. A typical
meal, like that scheduled for April
20 at 6 p.m., includes a herbal
punch, canapes, herb soup, leg of
lamb, saffron rice, spring veget
able mixture, spinach bread,
cheesecake, herbal tea and gour
met coffee.
“When the meal is finished, Sal
ly reveals the herbs she has used to
prepare the meal and shares
recipes and hints for cooking with
herbs.
“Herbs give food an interesting
taste, but it’s -better to experiment
with one at a time before throwing
a bunch of herbs into a dish,” Sally
said.
She tells how to make herb but
ters, cream cheese dips, vinegars,
oils, herb cheese and beverages.
All of her dinners are attractive
ly arranged and garnished. One of
Sally’s specialties is making edible
flower dishes available only in sea
son. She tells guests how to layer
herb leaves in bottom of cake to
flavor it. Herbs are used to make
tasty jellies, sorbets, and candied
herbs.
Sally also caters dinners under
the name Good Thyme Catering.
After the dinner, Pat Dyer pre
sents a short lecture on gardening
with herbs. She often uses slides to
show the beauty of landscaping
with herbs or dried arrangements
that can be made with them.
“There is a lot being done with
herb landscaping,” she said. “Gar
dening is America’s number one
pasttime and provides good ther
apy and useful produce.”
Pat has taken classes in land
scaping and will serve as an advi-
Chef Sally Kramer prepares equlsite five-course meals for guests at the Village
Herb Shop, Blue Ball. Each course, from the punch to the dessert, is enhanced by the
use of herbs.
sor to those who ask, but she is not
licensed.
Beginnings
Pat said the business began five
years ago when her parents, Paul
and Dorothy Weaver, purchased
the property.
“We had big ideas, but found it
took a lot of more work than we
ever imagined,” Pat, who has two
children, said.
“We started out with the dream
of growing organic herbs,” Pat
recalls.
The first morning Pat rose early
and picked mint, hung it on the
line, striped it, dried it and sold the
package for a mere 65 cents.
“Right away I learned I would
not make any money doing this,”
Pat admitted.
So the business changed. “I love
to work in the gardens, smell the
fragrance and experiment with the
beauty of landscaping,” Pat said.
Now instead of (hying herbs for
others, Pat encourages customers
to purchase the plants she has
started. She instructs customers on
the proper way to grow, display
and use the herbs.
For those who prefer to purch
ase fresh or dried herbs, the shop
has commercial and organic herbs.
.One of the unique aspects of the
shdp is their drying shed where
ctmomers can cut the amount they
want to purchase.
Herbs can be grown on the win
dowsill or planted outside the
door. Basic herbs that are good to
begin include dill, basil, chives,
rosemary, French tarragon, thyme,
and Italian parsley.
Pat’s dad added a greenhouse
and figured out a solar system to
heat it
Pat’s parents have purchased
surrounding properties to enlarge
the Herb Shop’s services.
Gift shop
The gift shop has three rooms
for display. “We started out selling
herbal teas, gourmet coffee and
herbs,” Pat said. “And one thing
led to another. “Now we sell
everything herb related and even
some things not herb related.” For
example, jewelry with flower
designs and stamps to make your
own stationery.
Herb gardening workshop
In slide show presentations, gar
dens are shown at different stages
of growth. Both the mistakes and
the right way to place individual
plants are shown. “A picture is
worth a thousand words,” Pat said.
Perennials, annuals and ground
cover is combined to enhance the
beauty of each plant. Lots of hand
outs will be distributed during
classes offered on April 16 at 7
p.m. and on April 18 at 1 p.m. Cost
is $7 and includes a 30 minute con
sultation for drawing your indivi
dual garden plan if requested.
Dried material workshop
Wreath bases, pins and dried
materials are sold. For the do-it
yourselfer, a class on growing and
preserving everlastings is offered
on April 23 at 7 p.m. and April 24,
at 1 p.m. Cost is $5. The class will
instruct others of the best time to
pick flowers and grasses from the
wild, as well as what to grow in
your garden to preserve. Different
methods of drying will be dis
cussed and some tips tan working
with dried flowers will be
demonstrated.
Herb cooking workshop
A demonstration on using herbs
in a variety of dishes will be pre
sented by Sally Kramer. There will
be lots of tasty samples at the May
15 session at 7 p.m. and at the May
16 session at 1 p.m. Cost is $7.
Herb dinners
Individual reservations can be
made for the third Friday of each
month April through October, but
Pat said, “We will prepare a lunc
heon or dinner at any time for
groups of 12 who make reserva
tions two weeks in advance.” Box
ed luncheons are available for a
group of six to 25 people with one
week’s notice.
Prices vary from $l5 to $l7 and
includes a garden tour, gourmet
herb dinner, and a short lecture.
Each dinner includes a five-course ’
meal in which herbs have been;
used to enhance the flavor of food.
Each meal has a theme that com
pliments the type of food served
and the topic of lecture.
Individuals can make reserva
tions for the herb dinners sche
duled for April 20, May 18, June
15, July 20, August 17, September
21 and October 19.
Groups may requested available
dales.
“We feel we give a good over
view of herbs and are both eager to
share with those who are eager to
leant,” Pat said.
All workshops and dinners
require a reservation and deposit.
The gift shops are opened week
days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except
Thursday until 8 p.m. and Saturday
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. J