5/3/11: The Colonial Garden Club in Hollis, NH  “Edible Landscape Design”

Our members thoroughly enjoyed Barbara’s motivating PowerPoint presentation, her vast gardening expertise and her engaging interaction with us when answering questions. Her handouts on the “how to’s” of edible landscaping, related resources, and cooking suggestions were an added bonus. With the recent surge of interest in homegrown food, Barbara and her timely program would be a definite “draw” for any gardening conference.

Priscilla Levasseur

Program Coordinator,  The Colonial Garden Club of Hollis, NH 
 

5/16/11 Bedford, NH Garden Club “Edible Landscape Design”

11/5/11 Composting Demonstration Brookwood School Sustainability Fair

Joe Kunkel and I organized a week long tour to gardens in East Anglia and London area for a group of intrepid travelers from the Mass Hort Society and the Massachusetts Master Gardeners.  The trip was highlighted by a  2 day intensive at Bressingham Garden in Diss.  Adrian and his wife were wonderful hosts. Adrian Bloom spent much of the the time with us sharing his experiences and how the gardens have developed over time.  The goal was to bring this in depth learning back to Elm Bank and use it to continue to improve the Bressingham garden there.

We also visited Beth Chatto's garden and garden center, Cambridge Botanic Garden, the Plant Finders Fair at Cottesbrooke, and Savill.  The was time to explore the cities of Cambridge and Windsor.  It was a marvelous trip.

3/20/10 Manchester Library: A young neighbor and I share ownership of a bantam chicken named Rosie who lives at my house.  Erin and I brought Rosie to the library for story time and vegetable seed planting.

3/27-28/10 Boston Flower and Garden Show “Worm Composting” Demonstration  at The Trustees of the Reservations booth

2/4/10 Amherst, NH Garden Club “Edible Landscape Design”

3/8/10 Duck River Garden Club, CT  “Edible Landscape Design”

3/25/10 Westwood, MA  “Growing Herbs” including cooking with them

5/12/10 Manchester Library Edible Landscape Design

5/15/10 Natick Community Organic Farm Composting Demonstration

10/20/10:  Natick Community Organic Farm “Backyard Chickens Workshop”

10/23/10: Manchester Library “Worm Composting”

10/27/10:  Natick Community Organic Farm “Edible Landscape Design”

Another article has really hit home.  For some folks it may not be what they want to read on the day before Thanksgiving.  None the less, I share it because I believe, for a better world, we have to get closer to the food we eat.

It is a New York Times article titled "The Main Course had an Unhappy Face."  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/nyregion/21citycritic.html

This summer we visited a "fresh" chicken store on Federal Hill in Providence, RI.  It was similar to the store mentioned in the article but without the prayer ahead of the slaughter.  I like the idea of giving a blessing of some sort.  Each according to their beliefs.  The experience was disturbing, the smells were of blood and guts unpleasant, but in the end I saw other shoppers grateful for the still warm birds they took home to their families.  Maybe next year.

A wish for readers:  Tomorrow be thankful for the meal before you.  Think of others less fortunate and then do something for someone.  Be grateful for friends and family.    And finally, even if you can't quite manage livestock, consider growing your own food next season.

Seems like local, healthy food is a recurring theme in my blog.  This Boston Globe article about a must see movie inspired me to write again!

http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2009/06/21/robert_kenner_discusses__food_inc/

When the movie was shown to Obama's Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, his response was that the bottom line was that to change the system, we need a movement. We need people out there demanding that change. Producer and Director, Robert Kenner said "I can only hope this film contributes to this demand, that instead of a farm bill it turns into a food bill."

So get on the band wagon...eat local, spend the extra money for organic produce (preferably local), go to farmer's markets this summer.  There is a window for serious change right now.  The Obama's have an organic garden on the White House Lawn!  We can't continue to have our food system run by corporate interests that don't have the long term health of their customers in mind. 

Take a look at the long lists of ingredients in any prepared foods you are thinking about buying and choose those that have the names you recognize and I don't mean corn syrup...

Happy eating this summer when there is a surplus of fabulous healthy food available locally!! And if you feel motivated buy extra and freeze or can it for winter use!

Ellen Wells is Editor at Large for Green Profit magazine, garden writer for the Boston Globe, and passionate about encouraging folks to try home gardening!   This week she launched a new website called AskAGardenQuestion that connects home gardeners that have questions with gardening professionals who have answers.  It is a wonderful idea.

I signed up to help out and just saw my answer to a question on her blog on the website! 

http://askagardenquestion.com/ask-a-garden-question-blog. 

Please take a look for yourself and ask a question or sign up to answer them.  Either way you'll have fun!

Edible Landscape Design

Manchester, MA  Public Library  Monday April 27, 2009 at 6:30PM

Learn how to include gorgeous, healthy vegetables and fruits in your landscape.  Anyone with a spot that gets 6-8 hours of sun can grow a bountiful crop and also enjoy flowers and other ornamentals.  I will include basic tips for success as well as some unusual plant combinations to consider.  Vegetables do well in containers and that will be covered too.  Come and enjoy!  There is no charge for this talk.

Family Gardening

Manchester, MA  Public Library  Tuesday April 7, 2009 at 4PM

A big welcome to children of all ages.  Come and learn how to grow your favorite vegetables from seed.  Everyone will go home with a little planted container to get them started.  If my pet chicken named Polly is being good, she'll be invited to tell about the fun of living in Manchester.  There is no charge for this talk

Polly and I went to the library and had a great time with the kids.  There was an overflow crowd of about 24 children plus parents.  Polly was a hit...and she did wonderfully with being touched by so many kidlets.  She wasn't real happy when they got too close to her face but was quite docile with gentle petting.  It was the first time that many of them had seen a chicken and they loved seeing all the colored egg shells I brought from home.

Peat pots were planted with snap pea, long bean and nasturtium seeds...great fun.


Edible Garden Design
Long Hill Beverly, MA  Thursday, March 5, 7-9PM

Using my years of experience at Horticulture magazine and in my own garden, I will share how to create edible landscapes that are bountiful, boldly designed and easily maintained.  This lecture will include tips and techniques for success, a seed staring demonstration and a raffle of gardening products.  The proceeds will help support the Long Hill children's vegetable garden.  Members $15. Nonmembers $20.

Long Hill is one of the properties belonging to The Trustees of Reservation.  More information can  be found at www.thetrustees.org.

From 1916 to 1979, Long Hill was the summer home of noted author and editor of The Atlantic Monthly, Ellery Sedgwick, and his first wife, Mabel Cabot Sedgwick, an accomplished horticulturist, gardener, and author of The Garden Month by Month. The Federal-style house was completed in 1925 and contains original woodwork from the ca.1812 Isaac Ball House in Charleston, South Carolina.

Mrs. Sedgwick designed and planted the original gardens. After her death in 1937, Mr. Sedgwick's second wife, the former Marjorie Russell, herself a distinguished gardener and propagator of rare plants, added many plants to the gardens, including unusual species and varieties of trees and shrubs, some introduced by the Arnold Arboretum.

Today the gardens reflect the collective interests and tastes of both women. Five acres of cultivated grounds are laid out in a series of separate garden "rooms" surrounding the house. Each area is distinct in its own way and is accented by garden ornaments, structures, and statuary. The gardens are flanked on all sides by more than 100 acres of woodland as well as an apple orchard, meadow, and agricultural fields.

3/23/09
Here is some feedback from the talk!
" Barbara
Thank you so VERY much for putting on a fabulous lecture here at Long Hill.  Your presentation was wonderful and I know that everyone gained some insight and ideasd in the world of edible landscaping."
Beth Zschau
Horticulture Educator
The Trustees of Reservations

No matter what your politics, it is safe to say that on many levels, the Obamba family is clearly having  an impact on the social fabric of America and perhaps the world.  Their family life and personal styles offer much to learn from.  Today the news is particularly exciting for me. 

After much lobbying by many groups, there will be a White House organic vegetable garden!!!  Here is a link to learn more.  

 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/20/dining/20garden.html

Today's Garden Center January, 2009 issue

"The Valuable Vegetable" by Barbara Emerson

This article aims to help garden centers merchandise everything associated with food gardening more effectively.  All indications are that this will be an area of growth in the coming season so it is important to do it right!

The process starts with sales folks remembering SET...asking the customer what their Sun conditions are, Eating likes and dislikes, and the Time they want to spend...this gives important clues about where to start.  Then making sure they have everything they need to be successful from supports, potting soil, fertilizer, watering supplies, decorative items etc.  Finally, the store layout needs to reflect what goes with what.  Put veggie plants with the annuals and perennial vegetables with perennial plants...for more hints you have to read the article! 

It can be found at this link: http://www.todaysgardencenter.com/magazine/?storyid=1411.  Or if you want a fancier 4/c version just write me a note at Barbara@HaveGreenThumb.com

Want to toot my own horn a bit!
Ann-Marie Conroy, Associate Editor at Today’s Garden Center, wrote and said “Thanks so much for the fantastic story on marketing veggies you contributed for our January issue!”

Green Profit February, 2009 issue

"The Valuable Vegetable" by Barbara Emerson

In this article, we wanted to encourage garden centers to educate their customers about growing vegetables as a part of the landscape.  The article didn't try to cover the entire subject but was meant to open the door.

I have a PDF of the article available if you would like it, just send me an email: Barbara@HaveGreenThumb.com

Ellen Wells, Editor at Large for Green Profit and the person who made me look good with careful editing, sent me this note after it was published.

Hi Barbara-
Wanted to share some reader feedback with you:
“Just wanted to say that the February issue of GrowerTalks/GreenProfit is one of the best you've ever put together. Those of us who run garden centers are at the end of the growing/selling chain and the articles on woody ornamentals, DIY customers, and marketing veggies are timely and provide us with a wealth of information. We are growing our own vegetables from seed this year in anticipation of increased sales so when I flipped the magazine over to Grower Talks, I was thrilled to see the article on veggie culture.

We are planting a display garden this spring in a very prominent place that will showcase veggies, herbs, ground covers, and annuals all mixed together in a raised bed. Your article on veggies that suggested a "kit" which included a planting diagram was wonderful advice. I'm creating the diagram now while it's cold so we'll have it ready come April. The diagram should increase sales along with helping the customer succeed by suggesting varieties that anyone can grow.”
 

We couldn’t have done it without you! Thanks for your contribution to the issue.

Best,
Ellen

I always enjoy Verlyn Klinkenborg's column in the Sunday New York Times.  He writes an editorial column called The Rural Life where he reflects on his life living in the country.  They are brief but rich with experience and joy.  There is a book with the same name, containing a collection of columns, available on Amazon.

This Sunday his column is particularly appealing.  He is comparing these challenging times to the national crisis during World War II when Victory Gardens became prevalent.  That movement  helped generations of Americans become familiar with food gardening.  Let's hope this current interest in local food and food gardening will encourage all generations to enjoy the pleasures of growing your own.  Now is the time to Sow Those Seeds!

Here is a link..

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/opinion/15sun4.html