Membership

Whether you're a curious beginner with a windowsill herb pot or a master gardener with decades of experience, there's a place for you in the New York Unit of Herb Society of America. We're a community of people who share a delight in growing, cooking, crafting, and learning about herbs — and we'd love for you to join us.

In keeping with the core values of the Herb Society of America, the New York Unit has long been dedicated to promoting the use of and delight in herbs. The Unit has an illustrious history, having been the first local unit formed in 1938 after the founding of the Herb Society of America in 1933.

At a Glance:

Dues are $110/year · We meet the third Thursday of the month, October–June · Members come from the greater NYC area, Connecticut, and the lower Hudson Valley

What is membership like?

Our members have diverse backgrounds and varying levels of knowledge about herbs. We welcome both the novice who is just starting to learn and the master gardener with many years of experience. The key requirement is an interest in learning more about and sharing knowledge of herbs. We value the friendships formed through low-key, relaxed socializing at meetings, in the garden, and through shared projects like the Herb Fair. Members actively participate in and support the programs of the New York Unit and the projects of the Herb Society of America by contributing time, enthusiasm and expertise.

While a Unit meeting may occasionally happen via Zoom, most meetings are in person. Meetings are a rich opportunity to enjoy each other's company while growing in herbal expertise. Most monthly meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month, starting at 10 or 10:30 a.m. and continuing through a delicious herb-inspired lunch prepared by Unit members. In addition to the monthly meetings, many Unit members volunteer time maintaining the John Jay Herb Garden, participating in weekly Thursday morning or twice-monthly Saturday gardening sessions.

Membership Benefits

The primary benefit of New York Unit membership is the rich array of local programs and learning opportunities available to members not found elsewhere. The Unit’s events are designed to be fun, accessible and warmly social.

🌿 John Jay Homestead Herb Garden
Our garden in Katonah — 35 years of hands-on growing, learning, and tea-drinking together.

This beautiful, unique garden is the centerpiece of the Unit's educational mission and a lovely space for connecting with the delight and diversity of herbs. Celebrating its 35th year under the Unit's stewardship, the garden is home to an ever-changing collection of hundreds of herbs, shrubs, and trees valued for their medicinal, culinary, pest-repellent, and dye properties. It's a peaceful, inspiring place for members to meet, discuss what's growing, share tips on cultivation and pest control, and enjoy a cup of tea together. Members gather in the garden on Thursday or Saturday mornings to work together, and prospective members are encouraged to join at least one work session before seeking full membership. Time in the garden is consistently one of the most enjoyable and valuable parts of belonging to the Unit — members of every skill level always learn something new.

📚 Educational Programs
Monthly meetings, October–June, with speakers and workshops on everything from herbal skin care to Cretan foodways.

The Unit meets once a month from October through June, usually on Thursdays. At most meetings, an outside speaker or member presents on an herb-related topic or leads a hands-on workshop. Recent topics include chemical-free horticultural pest control, the flora and foodways of Crete, formulating herbal oils for skin care, creative uses of herbs in cooking, insights from a Portuguese herb farmer, and maintaining healthy balance, movement, and nutrition as we age. The May meeting, open to the public, tackles a broadly appealing herbal topic as a way to introduce the wider community to the Unit's work. This year's topic was "What's the Tea," a panel discussion with tea experts followed by a hands-on session where each attendee formulated their own custom herbal tea.

🎪 Herb Fair and Market
Our biggest educational event of the year — 75 years running, and the primary way we fund everything we do.

Our yearly Herb Fair, held each September, celebrates its 75th anniversary this year with the largest fair and marketplace yet, at Caramoor on September 19, 2026. It's an all-hands-on-deck event showcasing fresh-cut and cultivated herbs, herb crafts, herbal baked goods, lovage soup, educational speakers and workshops, and a marketplace of herbal and artisanal wares for home, garden, and table. The Herb Fair is the Unit's primary fundraiser.

🌱 Herb Plant Sale
Each May, rare herbs grown exclusively for us — including HSA's Herb of the Year

Each May, the Unit promotes lesser-known herbs by selling a curated collection to the public — often including the Herb Society of America's "Herb of the Year" along with three other herbs rarely found in commerce, each grown exclusively for the Unit by the renowned Well-Sweep Farm. The collection includes a beautifully designed booklet, written by Unit members, with detailed herb profiles, growing insights, and inspiring recipes.

🤝 Support for Herb Gardens
We help fund herb gardens across New York, Connecticut, and the Hudson Valley.

A rich part of the Unit's history is its enthusiastic support of herb gardens in New York, Connecticut, and the Hudson Valley. Recent recipients of financial support from the Unit include: Bonnefont Cloister Herb Garden at The Met Cloisters Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Elizabeth Scholtz Woodland Garden Herb Society of America, National Herb Garden Intern Jay Heritage Center Garden

Membership in the New York Unit also includes membership in the national Herb Society of America (HSA), which offers these additional benefits:

Free access to monthly webinars and the HSA webinar library
Discounted registration to all HSA educational conferences
Free on-demand access to publications written by HSA staff, national contributors, and members
Free or reduced admission to more than 300 public gardens and arboreta
A calendar of herb events and district gatherings
Access to HSA's Ohio-based herb-related library of over 3,500 volumes
Access to selected herb seeds through HSA's Seed Exchange Program
Members-only offers and discounts from a list of herbal businesses

Membership Dues

Membership in the Unit includes membership in both the national organization, Herb Society of America (HSA), headquartered in Kirtland, Ohio, and the New York Unit of HSA. Of the $110 annual dues paid to the New York Unit, $55 goes to HSA and $55 helps fund the activities of the New York Unit

How to Join

Apply. Fill out either the online application or a [printed application form].
We'll be in touch. A member of the Membership Committee will contact you to learn about your interests and invite you to a meeting, gardening session, or other event.
Get to know us. We don't ask for dues at the time of application — we want prospective members to get to know our members and see the work of the Unit firsthand before committing.
Let us know you're ready. Once you've seen the Unit in action and are still interested, tell the Membership Chair you'd like to move forward.
Board approval. Your application is presented to and approved by the Unit's Board, and you'll receive an invoice for your first year's dues ($110, split between HSA and the Unit).

Membership Application