Sustenance Gardening

While I don't actually plan on growing vegetables and fruits to feed my family year around, I am going to grow a few and I am going to try out some canning and/or pickling.  I just love the way the jars look all neatly lined up on a shelf.

Tonight we have a great opportunity to learn how to do this.  Two neighbors, one a great full yard vegetable & fruit & flower gardener and preserver and the other a professional consultant on eco garden planning are going to share their expertise and ideas at a workshop on sustainable gardening.  It's free and it's open to anyone who is interested, so join me tonight at the St. Anthony Park United Church of Christ from 6 - 8PM.  Here are the details:

SAP Sustainable Food and Land Group
(part of the neighborhood Energy Resilience Group, a subcommittee of the District12 Community  Council)
is pleased to announce an evening of discussing all things regarding Sustenance Gardening!

The evening will be highlighted by having

Dina Koutoupes  owner/ framer from Harvest Moon Edible Landscapes and Mieteka Glowka, a well-seasoned SAPgardener leading our discussions!

Topics for the evening will include…

vplanning our gardens so their harvest can sustain us throughout the year,

vhow to integrate our vegetable / ornamental spaces for a pleasing and productive urban landscape,

vhow to harvest and preserve our produce,

vwhat to plant v what to buy,

vcooperative gardening,

and whatever else comes to mind!

 

When: Wednesday, May 14 6-8 p.m.

Where: St. Anthony Park United Church of Christ  •  2129 Commonwealth Avenue  •  St. Paul, MN  55108  •  (651) 646-7173     

 

Plant Sales That Save Bees

It's planting time!!!!
It's also plant sale time and this weekend there are three that I want to share with you.  Each is an opportunity to:

1. Get those plants you are looking for
2. Support a good cause
3. Be assured you will be buying products that have not been treated with chemicals that are harmful to bees.

Here they are:

University of Minnesota Horticultural Club plant sale
Thursday and Friday, May 8 & 9
9 - 5:  Larpenteur Ave. W and Gortner Ave - look for the white tent.

Here's a link to their web site:  HortClub Plant sale
You will find:
"Herbaceous perennials, small trees, shrubs, edible annuals, house plants, Mycology Club products (grow-your-own mushroom kits), and more!
-Limited availability of unique plants such as Gingko bushes, Daphnes, Magnolias, Hellebores, Trilliums, Acer (Maples), and more! "

They use two suppliers for their plants and tell me that they do not use neononics and are very involved in land stewardship.

 St. Anthony Park Elementary School plant sale
Thursday and  Friday May 8 & 9th : 9- 4
On the school grounds, Como Ave. between Scudder and Knapp.
Here's a map:  SAP Elementary

They will be selling hanging baskets, flowers, vegetables and herbs.  All plants are from Glacial Ridge Growers, a company committed to organic and sustainable practices.


Friends School Plant Sale
Friday, May 9th,  9AM - 8PM, Saturday, May 10th:  10 - 6, Sunday, May 11th 10 - 2
State Fair Grandstand

This sale is huge!  It is the biggest plant sale I have ever attended by far and if you've not been there, go just for the experience.  They fill the entire grandstand to overflowing with plants and outside there are venders for all sorts of green gardening products and art works, and educational sources.  There are even seminars.

At this sale the selection is huge and the plants are small and inexpensive.

If you go, plan ahead, the catalogue is 60 pages. If you arrive early in the day, plan on getting a wrist band to determine when you get to actually go in to the plant sale - you can shop at the vendor's booths while you wait.

Here's their website where you can learn about the sale, search for plants and make your own plant shopping list.  Friends School Plant Sale.

The Friends are also committed to providing plants that are free of neonicotinoids, the component in many pesticides that is harmful to our bees.  They will also be providing a workshop on encouraging bumblebees, among other topics.

I just love that a humble school fund raiser has grown to such immense proportions.

Bring your own wagon to carry all of those plants you will buy.