Herbal Product Contest - International Herb Symposium

Grand Prize Winner

Chelsea Joel, Conscious Seed Apothecary, w/ “Kava Chai”, Loveland, OH

Purely Medicinal

1st Place – Alex Williams, First Curve Apothecary, w/ “Black Walnut/Wild Cherry Bitters”, Chicago, IL
2nd Place – Helen Magnani, Wellness by Helen, w/ “Restorative Tonic”, Los Angeles, CA
3rd Place – Amanda Souther, Archaeus Apothecary, w/ “Blue Lotus Spagyric Tincture”, Asheville, NC

Anything Goes

1st Place – Chelsea Joel, Conscious Seed Apothecary, w/ “Kava Chai”, Loveland, OH
2nd Place – Michele Crosta, MotMot Collective, w/ “Mukhwas Carminative Blend”, Ocean, NJ
3rd Place – Stan Haught, w/ “Appalachian Sweet Dreams”, Glouster, OH

Medicinal Salves, Ointments, Oils, Luscious Lotions & Creams

1st Place – Erica Macrum, Sweet Fern Apothecary, w/ “Get The Funk Out”, Washburn, WI
2nd Place – Keya Kai Guimaraes, Ecotone Kavai, w/ ”Ona Ona”, Kapaa, HI
3rd Place – Amanda Souther, Archaeus Apothecary, w/ “CBD Liniment”, Asheville, NC

Herbal Product Contest Guidelines

The International Herb Symposium Herbal Product Contest has been an ideal way to introduce new and unique herbal products to the herbal community and also a wonderful way for participants to be recognized for their medicine-making skills. The Herbal Product Contest also helps to set a high standard of medicine making for individuals and small herbal companies. Winners proudly display their Award Certificates each year and, in some instances, their products have gone on to become well-known and commercially successful. Though a ‘simply for fun’ event, judging is taken seriously, and prizes are awarded for what the judges deem the ‘best in their categories’. So, it’s fun, but seriously fun.

Herbalist John Cummings, himself an herbal medicine maker widely known for his high-quality herbal products and most especially his fine herbal wines, facilitates the contest. Judges are selected from teachers and participants of the IHS.

To participate, it’s important to follow the guidelines below. Participants of the IHS are welcome to submit two products that fit into one of the categories above. Please note, only two products per person; if more are entered, they will be disqualified.

Process for Participants When Dropping Off Their Product

(only 2 products per person)

Step 1. Drop off your entries at the United Plant Savers table on Friday
Step 2. When you drop off your product, fill out the information on the Sign Up Sheet:
- Your name:
- Product name:
- Category:
- Street Address:
- State & Zip Code:
- E-mail Address and/or phone #:
Step 3. Find the colored coordinated stickers that correspond to the Category you are entering your product in. Put one sticker on your product and keep the other sticker. Don’t lose it! We identify winners by the Code #’s on stickers.
Step 4: put your name on your product, but with a small label and somewhere not quickly noticeable; we don’t want judges to be influenced by the names!

Winner will be announced at the end of the Symposium.

A sign will be posted at the Herbal Product Contest announcing the winners.
Please pick up your Award Certificate (and gift) before the end of the IHS. If you forget or are unable to pick it up, you can send up postage and we will mail it to you. But, please do so within one week following the IHS.

Please note; the IHS is not responsible for either the products or containers. Please put your name/address on your product on a small label on the bottom.

Process for Picking Up Your Products

Judging happens between 12:00-2:00 p.m. on Saturday during Free Thyme.
Please pick your products up between 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Someone will be at the Herbal Product Table to assist you.
If you’re unavailable to pick up your products, arrange for a friend to pick them up.
After Saturday evening, if you’ve not picked up your products, they will be in a box at the United Plant Savers table.
You must pick them up by Sunday afternoon. We, unfortunately, are not responsible for shipping left-behind products to owners.

We do not ship, so be sure to pick up your products on Saturday or Sunday morning at the latest. Products not picked up at the end of the Symposium, will be given away.