Mugwort or Monarda? Echinacea or Elecampane? Feverfew or Fennel?
The Conservation Learning Centre (CLC), located south of Prince Albert, has a new addition - a Herb Garden. Featuring both culinary and medicinal herbs, the demonstration garden is one of the latest projects at the CLC.
The Herb Garden is a project of the District 32 ADD Board in cooperation with Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food, Extension Service. Prince Albert Extension Agrologist Barry Swanson reports, Athe CLC has become an important demonstration farm in the P.A. area. Farmers expect to see updated cropping practices and the latest in new farm crops@. Hence the idea of a demonstration site for herbs at the CLC.
Herbs are >hot= topics at farm meetings. Farmers turned out in large numbers at seminars held across the northeast during the winter months. The trend was the same across the province.
In consultation with Dr. Branka Barl at the U. of S. Herb Research Centre, 24 herbs were selected. Some, such as Oregano and Sage, are well known cooking herbs. Others such as Burdock and Valerian, are less commonly known in Canada. All were selected for their market potential in other countries.
AThe demonstration site will sort out which of the perennials are hardy and which need a helping hand to get through the winter@, outlines Swanson.
Extension Agrologists report a large number of inquiries regarding Ginseng and Echinacea over the past two years. Some producers went ahead and ordered seed and plants without ever seeing the crops growing. The CLC Herb Garden will allow growers to observe the crops growing under parkland conditions before making their planting decisions.
The CLC is open to the public during the summer months. All plots are marked and self-guided tours are encouraged.
Contact Extension Agrologist Barry Swanson at 306-953-2770 or CLC Manager Pat Flaten at 306-953-2797 for further details.