Gert Coleman - Gardening Guru

Gert Coleman - Gardening Guru

Author: Shirley Wachtel April 5, 2021 Duration: 34:25

Passionate about herbs, Gert Coleman loves, grows, eats, and reads avidly about them. Retired Associate Professor of English at Middlesex County College in New Jersey, she lives on 106 acres in Middlefield, New York where she and her husband are fixing up another old house, training a new puppy, and planting herbs, flowers, trees, and at-risk native plants. She edits the IHA Herb of the Year™ books (Cilantro & Coriander; Hops: Brewing and Beyond; Agastache: Anise Hyssop, Hummingbird Mints and MoreRubus; currently working on Parsley), and frequently writes about the legends, lore, and poetry of herbs. 

Three times president of the Staten Island Herb Society, she helped to maintain the Colonial Herb Garden at Conference House Park for over 30 years and has started herb gardens at various locations. As a naturalist, she developed and taught parent-tot nature programs at the Staten Island Zoo and local parks, introducing children and adults to local plants, animals, and geology. In addition, she completed a medicinal herbal apprenticeship with internationally acclaimed herbalist Rosemary Gladstar. 

Gert is a board member of the International Herb Association and co-chair of the IHA Horticultural Committee; member of the Herb Society of America, North East Herb Association, American Botanical Council, and United Plant Savers. She frequently lectures on various aspects of herbs and teaches workshops on nature writing. Gert is also a GCNJ speaker (Garden Clubs of New Jersey).


You might pass them on the street or sit next to them in a cafe, never knowing the depth of their journey. EXTRAordinary PEOPLE is built on a simple, powerful idea: remarkable stories are held by everyday individuals. Host Shirley Wachtel sits down with people from all walks of life-entrepreneurs, artists, community organizers, teachers, and quiet heroes-who have chosen to leverage their unique talents to impact the world around them. This isn't about celebrity; it's about the substance of lived experience. In each conversation, guests share their narratives in their own words, detailing the specific hardships and obstacles they faced and, more importantly, the resilience and choices that allowed them to rise and create change. Listening to this podcast feels like being part of an intimate, revealing dialogue where vulnerability meets triumph. Shirley guides these discussions with empathy, drawing out the nuanced lessons within each story. The result is a collection of authentic accounts that collectively explore themes of perseverance, innovation, and human connection across society, business, and personal growth. Tune in not just for inspiration, but for a genuine sense of what it means to contribute something meaningful, and how ordinary moments can build an extraordinary life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 44

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