The Vernon Recreation Centre will be filled with local seed and plant sellers, locally grown and made food and natural products, chickens, eggs, honey and much more. Visit Seedy Saturday March 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and meet local seed growers and learn about the different heirloom varieties, seed saving and starting, and why it is important to save seeds or support local seed savers. If you’ve been wanting to try growing heirloom varieties of your favourite vegetables or learn more about gardening then this is the place to be! Check out the educational displays for environmental information too.
Okanagan Regional Library will join us and bring library books on gardening, seeds and beekeeping so be sure to bring your library card so you can check them out - ask them about their seed lending library too. Friends of the Library and Alpine Centre Book Warehouse volunteers will have used gently used garden books for sale. Members of the Vernon Garden Club and the Okanagan Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer gardening questions. You can find out more about heirloom seeds at the Seeds of Diversity display table or from the Kalamalka Seed Library. Learn more about conserving water while gardening at the RDNO information booth and enter for a chance to win a rainbarrel.
See: Seed sales spark gardening excitement
“We are delighted to have many non-profit groups from our community joining us to share information about their organizations,” said Terry Dyck, with the Sustainable Environment Network Society, which is organizing the event.
Bring the whole family as SENS will be offering a fun hands-on children’s activity.
“We welcome you to drop by the Pollinator Pathways tables to learn more about this project and to take part in fun pollinator related activities,” said Dyck.
See: SENS seeking volunteers for Pollinator Path
Want to learn how to make a quick and simple garden with straw bales? Interested in learning what the moon cycle has to do with gardening? Have you always wanted to learn more about making your own medicine from the garden? Wouldn’t you love to know how to grow delicious berries in your own yard? Be sure to make time to hear inspiring local garden speakers and ask your gardening questions.
11 a.m. - Straw Bale Gardening - Kathleen Ott from TerraNova Lavington Farm
Noon - Gardening with the Moon - Sarah Bradshaw of Wise Woman Seeds
1 p.m. - Medicine from the Garden and Food Forest - Richard Walker - author of Food Forestry North of the 49th
2 p.m. - How to Grow Great Berries - Pim Van Oeveren from Tasty Acres
Seedy Saturday also includes a free community seed swap table where people bring their extra seeds or plants to share with others and can take seeds and plants that they want - it is a very fun (and busy) part of these events. Please be sure any seeds you bring to donate are clearly labelled so others know what they are and don’t forget to bring a pen and envelopes so that you can take home free seeds. This year we will also be having a free garden magazine swap table so feel free to bring some garden-related magazines to share.
Bring your appetite as there will be treats available to purchase in our “cafe” area and don’t forget to enter to win door prizes!
Admission by donation ($2 suggested), children free.
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