Gardeners, herbalists, horticulturists, and botanical enthusiasts gathered at Alpine Distilling’s Social Aid & Pleasure Club on Main Street on June 19 to celebrate the formation of Utah’s first chapter of the Herb Society of America, marking an important milestone for botanical education and community engagement across the state.
The event was led by Herb Society of America’s Vice President Lisa-Marie Maryott, with a presentation by the group’s West delegate Cynthia Sable. Organizers said their vision has helped expand opportunities for education, collaboration and engagement among herb and botanical enthusiasts throughout the western United States.
“Our whole mission is about educating people and making people really enjoy plants,” said Maryott. “When we talk about herbs, we’re not talking about just the oregano or basil that you have in your kitchen. For us, herbs are any plant that traditionally or currently has some use.”
Those uses range from culinary to crafting, but also production use, like dyes, she said.
Representatives from a diverse range of organizations were in attendance, including Summit Community Gardens + EATS, Swaner Nature Preserve, Acrely Farms, World Trade Center Utah and Coal & Smoke Catering. The event provided an opportunity for attendees to connect, share resources and explore future collaborations centered around horticulture, sustainability, agriculture, wellness, culinary arts and botanical education.
For Sara Sergent, master botanical distiller and co-founder of Alpine Distilling, bringing this event to her home in Park City was a natural extension of her own work and mission as a botanical distiller. As a lover of botanicals, Sergent said she already incorporates educational opportunities in her work, like speaking at botanical gardens and working with farmers across the country on how to best use botanicals.
“This is an exciting moment for Utah,” she said of the Herb Society event. “Our state is home to an incredible community of growers, educators, conservationists, culinary professionals and botanical enthusiasts.”
The gathering also served as a showcase for Forager by Alpine Distilling, an innovative botanical discovery app for iPhone developed under Sergent’s leadership. Designed to make botanical education accessible and engaging, Forager, which has interactive games, cocktail recipes and a botanical passport, guides users through the hidden world of roots, flowers, barks, seeds, fruits and herbs that shape culinary traditions, wellness practices and spirits production around the globe.
Last week’s event is just the beginning of efforts to formally establish a Utah chapter. Organizers said additional details regarding chapter development, membership opportunities, educational programming and leadership structure will be announced in the coming months.
Alpine Distilling is expected to host the West Delegation Meeting in 2027 and the National Herb Society Meeting in 2028.