LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Great Depression was in full "bloom" as were the patches of Yerba Santa that dotted the hills of Lake County.

A young couple and their two children were living on great-grandpa's 160-acre homestead in High Valley. An old run down shack, broken down Model T Ford, no money, they lived off the land.

It was a hopeless time for a young couple with dreams but Dad used to say, “At least we have a roof over our heads.”

One day Dad came back from a rare trip to town all excited. He said that some darn fools from back East were paying good money for dried and sacked Yerba Santa leaves – they say it's an herb used  to make cough medicine.

Let's go to work! Morning after morning we tramped up the hill to the Yerba Santa patch picking and sacking leaves – leaves that gave hope when needed but not riches.

You're invited to learn more about medicinal herbs and amending soil seaweed as presented by certified herbalists Veronica Cruz and Trish Gallagher at a meeting of the Clear Lake Trowel & Trellis Garden Club on Tuesday April 21.

The garden club meets the third Tuesday of every month except – July and August – in the Scotts Valley Women's Club house at 2298 Hendricks Road in Lakeport.

For more information call Marva Brandt at 707-279-1625 or visit www.clttgc.org .

Clear lake Trowel & Trellis Garden Club is a member of Mendo-Lake District, Pacific Region, California Garden Clubs Inc. and National Garden Clubs Inc.

Jerry Shaul is publicity chairman for the Clear Lake Trowel & Trellis Garden Club.