BUFFALO TWP — When you visit Sally Welling’s house for the first time, she takes you through her garden for the scents.

You had to smell her germanium, chocolates, apricots and mints — so many mint variations — which she grew with knowledge she gained through the Herbal Thymes Club.

Welling, who was president of the organization in 1996 and 1997, joined the club in the 1990s. Back then, she didn’t know much, if anything, about herbs like cilantro, oregano, basil or even the club’s namesake, thyme. She attended one of the club’s meetings on a whim, but found that herbs were a much more versatile brand of plant than she initially knew.

“I had some excavating done in the backyard and needed some ideas on what to do because our soil is terrible,” Welling said. “They were just wonderful, wise women who knew so much about herbs. I learned so much; and now it’s my passion.”

The Herbal Thymes Club formed on April 24, 1985, according to its current treasurer, Sally Pletcher. One Wednesday, April 23, the club celebrated its 40-year anniversary, which Pletcher said it a big milestone, considering how much knowledge and awareness of herbs has become mainstream in the years since the group’s formation.

“The organization itself started out as the Allegheny Valley Herb Crafters, that started as a small group who shared a love and passion for herbs,” Pletcher said. “They chose to organize formally, and they adopted a new name, the Herbal Thymes Club on April 24, 1985.”

The club typically meets the fourth Wednesday of each month at the Zion Methodist Community Church in Buffalo Township, but the meetings are more than a time for the club to conduct regular business.

Meetings are a time for members to share the recipes they cook up using spices and herbs.

“It’s about the food,” said Heather Catanzaro, the club’s current president.

After the club conducted its regular business Wednesday — which included updates on membership dues, upcoming markets and plans for the community gardens the club manages — members moseyed to the kitchen for the foods prepared by members.

Welling made stuffed pasta shells with peppers, lettuce, olive oil, Parmesan, mozzarella, onion and — the special ingredient — oregano, which added a little savory taste to the oily snack.

Angel Hollabaugh, who recently joined the Herbal Thymes Club, brought sparkling dandelion-infused lemonade, which used plants she picked from her yard to make a tasty and herb-ish beverage.

“It’s a great way to use what’s right in your yard,” Hollabaugh said. “It has health benefits, it could help with allergies.”

The meal usually takes place in the middle of Herbal Thymes meetings, and is normally followed by a presentation about a topic relating to herbology. On Wednesday, club member Pam Dockum used a slideshow presentation on Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields therapy, which is Food and Drug Administration-approved technology meant to help stimulate cells. Pletcher said the meeting-closing presentations can be anything from a recipe demonstration to a talk about herbs and how to grow them.

Welling and Hollabaugh each said using herbs to spice up foods and drinks also could have calming qualities.

Cheryl Gaillot, a member of the Herbal Thymes Club for 33 years, said the club aims to educate people on uses for herbs. When Gaillot first joined the club, herbs were not used as frequently in recipes as they are now, but she said people still don’t know how versatile the greens are in being good combinations with other ingredients.

“One of our goals is to educate the public about the usefulness of herbs,” Gaillot said. “That’s one of our goals and our mission statement we strive to teach.”

Because Wednesday’s meeting took place on the front-end of the spring season, most of the herbs used in the club members’ recipes were store-bought herbs. Gaillot said herbs are not like flowers, and typically have to be replanted each spring to make sure they grow.

Once they are planted, however, their maintenance is a little easier than growing certain types of produce.

“Memorial Day weekend is a safe time,” Gaillot said. “Herbs are so much easier to grow, and it’s easier to start them when it’s warmer.”

Virginia Bash, a founding member of Herbal Thymes Club, also said that herbs were not a commonly used ingredient when the club took its first steps in 1985. There was one well-known chef who promoted the use of herbs and spices in recipes, which Bash said helped spread the word about different types of herbs and get people interested in alternative ingredients.

“Martha Stewart was popular then,” she said. “People started using healthy foods a little more. It was a trend that started. We were on the ground floor.”

Members of the Herbal Thymes Club don’t keep their herbal knowledge to themselves — county residents may see the club at events like Mingle on Main in Saxonburg and previously Oktoberfest in the borough. Additionally, the club maintained gardens around the county, but members now only work on two: the Shakespeare Garden at South Butler Community Library in Saxonburg and the Colonial Garden at Burtner House in Natrona Heights, Allegheny County.

Being present at community events has helped raise interest in the club, because people may find a taste that piques their interest in the lesser-known ingredients club members use to spice up a sandwich.

“We would make these grilled mushroom sandwiches and people would just be like, ‘Oh my God, this bread,'” Welling said.

For those who want to try herb-infused recipes in their homemade dishes, the Herbal Thymes Club has compiled several cookbooks over the years comprised of recipes cooked up by its members. Susan Selby Kelly, who said she has been president of the club four times over the years, said printing cookbooks also is a way for the club to track its history.

“We have done six at least,” Selby Kelly said.

Some of the members of the club joined after learning about herbs through word-of-mouth, whether it be from Martha Stewart or even a friend or a neighbor with a green thumb. Herbs encompass several home economic skills, from gardening to cooking, and their potential for health-related benefits makes them continually fascinating, even for longtime members.

“The club attracts people like me who love to garden and cook and occasionally learn about some home remedies,” Bash said.

Pletcher said one year of membership to the club costs $20, which helps cover the cost of ingredients and sometimes guest speakers. That membership fee is well worth it, she said, because of the many potential uses for herbs members gain through the club.

“I think it’s never-ending,” Pletcher said. “You can add it to just about anything.”

The Herbal Thymes Club meets at 6:30 p.m. the fourth Wednesday of each month at the Zion Methodist Community Church in Buffalo Township, 438 Bear Creek Road. For more information, visit the club’s website at herbalthymesclub.org.

Recipe for the Herbal Thymes Seasoning Mix

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This mix, created by Herbal Thymes Club member Virginia Bash, can be used to accent many dishes, as well as to create an Herbal Butter.

1/2 cup dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried sage

1/3 cup onion flakes