By daphne McCullough

By daphne McCullough

Rappahannock News Staff Writer

Gourmet cooks, . tea drinkers, gardeners and herb enthusiasts should mark May 12 and 13 on their calendars and join the parade to the Oak Forest Garden Herb Fair. Florence Williamson, Woodville’s herb lady, plans to entertain the public on those two special days with demonstrations on everything anyone needs to know about herbs—from growing to drying to which go best in salads, teas, soups and sauces.

What Mrs. Williamson doesn’t know about herbs probably isn’t worth learning. She started in the business in 1961 and hit the big time right away with an outlet at the National Cathedral’s plant shop. This year is the first since 1962 that she hasn’t taken her herbs into the city.

Growing herbs takes up hours of her day, particularly at this time of year. "It keeps me busy and on my toes,” she said, interrupting her herb fair preparations to entertain guests with herb tea, herb sandwiches and conversation. “1 spent my whole morning running back and forth — checking, moving, watering, shading. The only time I can transplant is 4 a.m. It's the only time I don’t have interruptions.”

Warm weather brings a steady stream of visitors pouring through Mrs. Williamson’s home. With no advertisement, her reknown as a herb expert has spread by word of mouth. Restauranteurs shop at Oak Forest for fresh herbs. A couple from Pennsylvania interested in starting their own herb buisness showed up recently for “how to” hints. Visitors from Washington, D. C., Fredericksburg and other places closer to home drop by to look, buy plants and sample her teas and vinegars. She’s expecting a class of beginning gardeners from a private school in Loudoun County who chose her farm for their class field trip.

"It starts this time of year. I spend the whole day pouring tea,” she smiled. But Mrs. Williamson doesn’t see her guests as intrusions. Far from hi The chance to share her love for herbs is part of the reason she began growing them. “It brings so many interesting people here," she remarked. With current trends toward natural medicine, there has been renewed interest in curative properties of herbs. Mrs. Williamson is often asked what varieties can be used to treat physical ailments but as much as she welcomes the opportunity to talk about herbs, she said she doesn't hand out medical advice. Instead, she directs inquiries to any of several excellent books on herbal medicines.

But she's quick to note that certain herbs have special properties. She grows between 40 and 50 different kinds and uses all sorts of combinations in her teas. "Some—like camomile—are quite relaxing," she said. "Mothers used to give it to