Yes, that title is a mouthful but so are the alcoholic and non-alcoholic elixirs that herbalist Jess Starwood is concocting for this fun event Saturday night from 8:00-11:00 p.m. at Greater Goods, 145 W. El Roblar Drive in Meiners Oaks. After a day of absorbing six presentations worth of herbal information, we’ll be ready to clear our heads by grooving to some classic funk tunes laid down by DJ Doctor K-Dog. And who doesn’t feel like shaking a leg or a bootie or something when the funk is in the air?
Painting by Duane Eels
This event is included in the full weekend registration fee and otherwise open to a limited number of the general public for a suggested donation of $10-$20.
All proceeds from sales of beverages will go to the Greater Goods Relief Fund, dedicated to those in the Ojai area affected by the Thomas Fire of December 2017 who have significant losses and little support. In addition, a portion of all proceeds from the Symposium will go to that fund.
Whether registered for the weekend Symposium or not, please RSVP to info@greatergoodsojai.org to get on the guest list as space is limited.
Jess leading a workshop for Herb Walks with Lanny Kaufer
Jess Starwood is a clinical herbalist, wildcrafter and plant-based culinary artist. She is the owner of SunRaven Apothecary in Thousand Oaks, California where she can be found brewing up herbal medicines, crafting unusual wild food dishes and teaching adult and children’s classes. She was recently the culinary consultant and forager for the historic Ojai Ranch House restaurant, offering creative vegan menu items that incorporate wild foods including fermented nut cheeses and vegan desserts.
With her lifelong passion for nature and plants, Jess has studied natural health and herbal medicine for over 15 years and has a Masters of Science degree in Herbal Medicine from the American College of Healthcare Sciences in Portland, Oregon. She will be offering a Symposium presentation Sunday afternoon entitled “Wild Epicure: Infusing Local Flavors and Healing Herbs into Gourmet and Everyday Cuisine for Vibrant Health” and leading an Herb Walk Sunday morning before the day’s talks begin.
The Elixir Bar is made possible thanks to generous donations from:
Ventura Spirits, a craft distillery producing locally-sourced and wild-harvested liquors including HAYMAKER’S Vodka, WILDER Gin, OPUNTIA Prickly Pear Spirit, and STRAWBERRY Brandy.
And Ojai Valley Brewery whose mission is to craft beers that “utilize ingredients uniquely native to the Ojai Valley Region. We are using local chaparral herbs in concert with and at times in place of hops, for flavoring and bittering. We are using special herbs, flowers, fruits, and spices sourced from our local Ojai farms to create subtle flavors that blend together to create a unity of flavor; a whole greater than the sum of it’s parts.”
