NEWBERRY — Danielle Himsey, district coordinator for the Newberry Soil and Water Conservation District, is holding the second Gardening Class of 2017. The subject of this course is herbs.
“This class will be taught by Jackie Jordan with Clemson Extension. She is the Clemson Extension agent in Richland County and she is very knowledgeable about herbs, and how they grow,” Himsey said.
Himsey has wanted to hold a herb class for a while now. The idea for the class came about because she would like to do an herb garden in her raised beds (a type of gardening) at home, as well as grow herbs inside.
“So Jackie will actually be teaching inside and outside herb gardens. This way we can reach a broader audience,” she said. “I am very interested in doing this on my own, so it was something I figured other people would be interested in too. Especially with the winter coming and you cannot necessarily do herbs outside because it will frost. So I figured learning about it indoors and outdoors would be beneficial, depending on the season.”
This class will be geared toward beginners. However, one aspect of these classes that Himsey enjoys is when people from diverse backgrounds in gardening come together.
“It is a very relaxed environment, so everybody can communicate with each other, so if there are questions and there is someone else in the class that has knowledge on it, they always speak up and help everybody. It is really great, I like it,” she said. “So if you have tried herb gardening, read some books or read online about it, but still have specific questions on how to start or how to maintain it, definitely come with questions, and be prepared to ask afterwards. She may address your questions during class, but definitely come with questions.”
While Himsey does not know how in depth Jordan will be with the class, she did suggest if someone has questions about freezing or drying herbs that they should not be afraid to ask.
“I am even interested in learning how to dry and preserve them. If we end up running two hours, later on we can run another class that is more in depth, like how to dry your herbs,” she said. “Also they should not be afraid to ask questions about specific herbs, especially if the herb in mind is not a practical one.”
The Gardening Classes typically have a turn out of 20 people, and due to this class’s subject, Himsey is expecting a larger crowd.
The herb class will take place Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 6:30 p.m. at Piedmont Technical College. The class is free for NSWCD members, and $10 for non members. As always, there is an option to become a member for $50.
“A lot of people are like, it is almost the end of the year, I will wait. We still have two gardening classes, one other class and the banquet. You can come to all of that for free. You get money off of soil sampling, discount card and it is 100 percent tax deductible, and any resources we have are available to you,” Himsey said.
You must also RSVP if you would like to attend, so Himsey knows how much food to get. To RSVP, call or text Himsey at 803-940-6001, or email her at newberrysoilandwater@gmail.com