The Herb Society of America named Chile Peppers as the “Herb of the Year” for 2016, and for their annual Herbal Forum, I was invited as their keynote speaker. The Herbal Forum was held at Festival Hill in Round Top, Texas (pop. 95), and it was truly a unique experience. Festival Hill is best known for its annual Summer Institute, six weeks of intensive training for young talented musicians seeking a transition from conservatories and universities to a future professional career. Symphony orchestra, chamber orchestra, chamber music, and solo repertoire are included in this concentrated 6-week program. But for March 18 & 19, the Herbal Forum featuring chile peppers was in the limelight. Here are some photo highlights. Above, the “Roman Ruins,” a garden folly with faux ruins and a nice display of ornamental plants.
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- This is the spectacular concert hall where I performed on-stage with two chile pepper presentations.
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- Chile plants for sale at the plant sale to benefit the Herb Society of America.
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- Chile Pepper displays like this one added beauty to the events.
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- At the plant sale, I was amazed by the selection of sages, oreganos, thymes, and other herbs.
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- An educational display from NMSU’s Chile Pepper Institute educated people about chile varieties.
