i searched and did not find... in the game tips when you open it it said "certain herbs can be examined" (or something of the sort) does that mean there's another way of examining them other than testing them in the stew?

Yes and no -- there are three things you can do with the herbs. First, you have to show your villagers where they are - that's what the hint is getting at (if you get all of them, it solves a puzzle). Second, you use them in the stew. Third, you can have villagers study them, and they'll gain the appropriate skill -- you'll get a message telling you about it.

(If you check the boards, you'll find a bunch of posts commenting that villagers won't study the herbs on their own, even when the correct skill is checked...that's luck, you'll find villagers that will study them just fine, and others that ignore them completely.