Our Team! – HERBSTALK

Herbstalk has been on pause for a while, but thanks to the energy and enthusiasm of some new team members we can continue on, re-invigorated! Here are our lovely organizers for the upcoming Wintergreen Market: Hi Herbstalk Community! My name is Vicki (Victoria Sargsyan) and I’m taking on a lot of the planning and organization work of Herbstalk, working with @steph_zabel and another new teammate (who you will meet soon…), and am running our social media accounts. You can also expect to find me on the other end of our email address ([email protected])I met Steph about 8 years ago, when I started working at @cambridgenaturals – and learned about the Herbs for Everyday Living classes she was hosting in the city. Those were such a gift to discover! Most of what I know about working with herbs, I have learned from Steph, so I am immensely thankful and excited to be working with my teacher turned friend in creating a gathering for our community💕Connecting people to each other, and supporting people in sharing their passions is what gives me energy (life force? 😊). I’m looking forward to re-connecting with everyone I know, and meeting all those that I have yet to meet🫶🏼🧿 Fun facts about me 🧿🇦🇲 I moved to the United States from Yerevan, Armenia 21 years ago.📖 I can speak three languages: English, Armenian and Russian. 🐱 I have a cat that I love with all my heart @rhubarb.thecat🌳 I have worked at Cambridge Naturals for over 8 years now! Check out our almost weekly events!🌸 Last year I took Steph and Jenny’s @livinglandcourse at @muddyriverherbals and it was THE BEST TIME!You can find me at @vika.vicki.victoria if you’d like to keep in touch! 💫 Hello everyone! My name is Brandie (she/her) and I am so excited to be part of organizing this event with Steph and Vicki. I’ve been in the herbalism world since 2018 after seeing a flyer at Make Shift Boston (RIP) for a POC Herbalism Apprenticeship called Seed Root and Bloom. For 9 months we gathered once a week for a weekend to learn about plants, the physical and energetic properties and how their medicine can help hold us and heal us. Ever since then I have been interested in learning about plant medicine from all over the world. I’ve done other apprenticeships and currently have the honor of attending the @LivingLandCourse in Canton where I met Steph. When I found out she founded Herbstalk I was giddy with excitement at the possibility of helping organize it’s return! And now that it is happening!!! Ahh!!!! As a former Somerville resident (now currently living in Brighton), I remember seeing the Herbstalk community gardens pop up around 2018 and accidentally finding Herbstalk at the Armory on a walk I took one day, unsuspectingly.I’ll be leading the BIPOC space and workshops and doing a couple other fun side projects. More on that later!!🌱More about me🌱🌱I’m a Bostonian, from Dorchester.🌱My plant ally is mugwort🌱I love corgis, boba tea, learning about different cultures + languages and cooking!🌱I like high femme looks, make up and the color pink. Kuromi and Hello kitty everything💞🌱My favorite TV shows are: Buffy, Star Trek TNG, Call The Midwife and Crash Landing On You🌱 I’m a nanny and love infants to young toddlers and caring for them.🌱I’m vegan and gluten freeThank you for reading! I look forward to meeting everyone in November!I can be reached on my account @Boba_bitch420 as well as my email: [email protected] Dear Community, it’s Steph Zabel here. I’ve realized that in the 10+ years of leading Herbstalk I’ve never really introduced myself. I prefer to remain behind-the-scenes, but here I am — hello! I’m a teacher, student, writer, gardener and mother. For over a decade I’ve taught home herbalism; now much of my work is focused on sharing ways to connect with the earth, her seasons, and solar & lunar cycles.I am the founder of Herbstalk, and since 2011 it has been an immense joy and honor to put together these events for the community. I took a pause for the past two years, but now, thanks to the enthusiasm and hard work of Vicki (taking on event logistics & social media) and Brandie (heading the BIPOC led art & educational space) Herbstalk can continue on, re-invigorated. I am so grateful to work with these two amazing women — they have hearts full of fire and love.✨In these times — when we are collectively witnessing so much suffering and divisiveness — it is essential that we come together in spaces that hold, honor and reflect all people. And so for me, the most important aspect of Herbstalk is how it FEELS: I want each person who walks through the door of an event to feel a sense of belonging & welcome, warmth & inspiration, shared joy & vibrant community. While it’s certainly a place for our minds to learn about the botanical world, even more so Herbstalk is meant to be a place where our hearts can find other hearts to connect with.Many thanks for all your support, and for celebrating the return of Herbstalk with us!Some fun facts:💚 Although I grew up mostly in South Carolina and Texas, I’ve lived in Spain, Mexico, Dominica, the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia.💚 My Myers-Briggs personality type is INFJ (which is probably why it is excruciatingly difficult for me to share anything personal on social media!…)💚 I’m learning how to play the Celtic harp – a dream!💚 I almost always read non-fiction books.💚 My vices are: salt & vinegar chips and Irish whiskey.

​💚 I adore crows, rain, autumn and dim lighting.​💚 You can learn more about my writing and classes at: @steph_zabel and @livinglandcourse Hello Herbstalk Community! So lovely to reconnect and see you again. This is Henry Kesner – Herbstalk Co-Founder and “Chief of Practicality”. I had the joy and honor launching Herbstalk with Steph and watching it grow and blossom in these 10+ years – thanks in large part to all our wonderful teachers, vendors, volunteers, neighbors, family members and community sponsors who each contributed in so many ways!I am often found running around behind the scenes to ensure Herbstalk events run seamlessly for our amazing community and attendees. You may remember me as the person who would hop on the mic from time to time to welcome you to the event or orient you to the various classes, plant walks and demos or to shamelessly promote my band playing in the lobby… Well… behind the mic is a person who has loved plants and the natural world his whole life and who wants to find ways to share this passion and knowledge – all while making it accessible. I am deeply committed to the Herbstalk mission and constantly looking for ways to scale and reach others. My background is in all forms of education – from museums to higher-ed to open access online learning. For me, Herbstalk is a wonderful way to explore the plant world while establishing and strengthening various forms of community connections. I am so thrilled to see Herbstalk back and look forward to seeing you at our next event!Some fun facts:💚 I was born on a mountain top in Tennessee💚 My Myers-Briggs personality type is ENFP (which makes me an ideal match for a certain Herbstalk co-founder ;))💚 I play percussion and sing 3rd part harmonies in that band I shamelessly promoted above💚 I came up with the name for Herbstalk. Yup, I said it.💚 My happy place is the Middlesex Fells. Even better if our daughter is on my shoulders.

​💚 Until this year I had curated the Herbstalk playlist – mostly Motown inspired, given my Detroit roots/connection.​💚 I LOVE to help and gather feedback. Please let me/us know what we can do to improve the Herbstalk experience!