EVENTS | By Lanny Kaufer

Ojai’s First Ever Herbal Symposium Announced

The first ever Ojai Herbal Symposium will take place from Friday evening, November 16, through Sunday evening, November 18, on the theme of “Natural Resilience.” The Symposium will present respected experts, authors, and speakers from across the spectrum of modern herbalism, pharmacy, integrative medicine, Oriental medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, and Chumash healing. Classes will be accessible to the professional and non-professional alike.

The keynote speech will be delivered Friday evening at Krotona Hall by internationally recognized phytochemical researcher Dr. Kevin Spelman. The Symposium will continue all day Saturday in Krotona Hall with presentations by Dr. Spelman, pharmacologist Dr. James Adams of USC School of Pharmacy, Sandy Messori of Rivendell Aromatics, licensed acupuncturist and medicinal plant specialist Dr. Fred Siciliano, and integrative pharmacist Pam Tarlow, PharmD, of Santa Monica Homeopathic Pharmacy.

Sunday’s schedule will begin with early morning activities, including an herb walk with Lanny Kaufer, followed by morning talks for the general assembly in Krotona Hall by internationally known herbalist and author Amanda McQuade Crawford, highly regarded integrative oncologist Dr. Mary Hardy, and Mela Gaskins Butcher, founder and director of the Center for Ayurveda.

At the lunch break on Sunday starting at 12 noon, an Herbal Marketplace will open at Chaparral Auditorium in downtown Ojai and remain open to the public until 6 p.m. Meanwhile the Symposium will continue in the afternoon with small breakout sessions at various downtown locations featuring some of the speakers mentioned above in addition to clinical herbalist and product developer Jess Starwood, Chumash educator Julie Tumamait-Stenslie, Dr. Nathan Kaehler of Ojai Herbs and Acupuncture, herbalist Carol Wade of Ojai School of Herbal Studies, and Tonantzin Cihualcoutl Guerra, founder of the Native Women’s Herbal Medicine Festival.

Registration is $255 in advance and $285 beginning November 10. Volunteers are needed to staff the event in exchange for admission. Vendor applications are being accepted for the Herbal Marketplace. Those interested in volunteering or vending can apply at OjaiHerbalSymposium.org, by email at OjaiHerbalSymposium@gmail.com, or by phoning Lanny Kaufer at 805-646-6281.

The Ojai Herbal Symposium is presented by the Herb Walks with Lanny Kaufer series of herbal educational events, an Ojai mainstay since 1976. For all information visit OjaiHerbalSymposium.org or call 805-646-6281.

Photo: Amanda McQuade Crawford