Winter parks programs end on tasty note

Andy Rozendaal looked over the room inside the Carriage House at the Felt Estate in Laketown Township on Saturday morning, March 14, 2026, and asked:

“What brings you here?”

In unison, about 40 voices called out, “Herbs!”

Rozendaal, farm director of Eighth Day Farm in Holland, lead a culinary herb garden presentation with suggestions for using herbs in cooking by Cory Mitchell from The Beard & The Gal.

The free event was sponsored by the Laketown Township Parks and Recreation Commission and was the final installment of monthly winter workshops that started this season in November.

Eighth Day Farm is a non-profit urban farm that invests in growing practices that build and care for the land and grow food that nourishes and sustains people in the community.

At the Saturday workshop, Rozendaal explained how to plan an herb garden, the best locations for one – “You don’t want to put it too far from your kitchen,” he joked – choosing herbs and planting and caring for them.

Chef Cory Mitchell shared ideas on how to store and use the herbs once you grow them. He suggested experimenting with tastes.

“There’s a whole world out there,” he told the crowd.

Cory and his wife Gina are The Beard & The Gal, restaurateurs turned private chefs, creating intimate dining experiences and fun gatherings.

The parks programs

The parks commission started its winter programs in early 2025 with presentations including hands-only CPR, mushroom identification and butterfly gardens.

This winter’s programs started in November for Native American Heritage Month with a workshop on “Talking Sticks,” an object traditionally used in council circles to designate who had the right to speak. In January, the workshop led by Ari Henson of the Allegan Conservation District focused on techniques to remove invasive species. The February event featured Ben Savoie, conservation district forester, who spoke about oak wilt identification and treatment.

To comment on this year’s programs or to suggest ideas for next season’s workshops, contact organizer Mary Jo Bertolino at parks@laketowntwp.org.