Night temperatures are predicted to drop into the high 30's starting Wednesday night. Bring indoors temperature sensitive tropicals you want to try to save from cold, especially fibrous plants such as begonias, impatiens and coleus, before then.

The average date for the first frost for Boston falls on Nov. 6, though we could get our first frost anytime between Oct. 12 and Nov. 20, according to the National Climactic Data Center. The average first frost falls a little earlier, typically on Nov. 1, in Middlesex county.

As warm days begin to yield to cooler evenings, cool-weather vegetables (lettuce, spinach, etc.) and flowers begin to thrive. But many plants will need protection against cold nighttime weather.

A light freeze, from 29°F to 32°F, will kill tender plants but will have little destructive effect on other vegetation. A moderate freeze, from 25°F to 28°F, will have a widely destructive effect on most vegetation, with heavy damage to fruit blossoms and tender and semi-hardy plants. A severe freeze, 24°F and colder, with result in damage to most plants.

Here are a few steps that you can use to protect your tender plants against freezing temperatures to extend your growing season:

Find out the average first frost dates for your area. You can type in your zip code and get helpful info here: http://davesgarden.com/guides/freeze-frost-dates/
Have an outdoor thermometer handy, and check it often.
Check weather reports for forecasts of low temperatures.
Water the soil around your plants; moist soil retains heat better. DO NOT spray water on the plants themselves.
Cover your plants overnight. There are many good, lightweight plant covers available, but old bedsheets will do. Remove the covers during the day if it is warm and sunny.

Don't wait until the last minute to start bringing your less frost tender potted plants indoors. As the weather cools down, the difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures widen, making it more difficult for plants to adjust to the big change in temperature when you bring them inside.

Here are some other tips to make sure your plants successfully make the transition from outdoor to indoor:
Bring in only healthy plants. Unless you are planning to run a “plant hospital,” say goodbye to the struggling plants.
Check plants for diseases and pests. Problems tend to spread quickly indoors from plant to plant.
Spray plants with an organic insect control. Even if you don’t see them, insects such as aphids and spider mites can hitchhike on your plants—and then infest your healthy houseplants. Use a horticultural oil, such as Summit Year-Round Spray Oil, which contains no harsh chemicals yet is effective against a wide range of insect pests.
If you have room, bring in a pepper plant or some tender flowering perennials to extend your growing season.
Give away healthy plants that you don’t have room for inside.

On Thursday, September 8, ten people will be recognized, led by Lynden B. Miller, by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society at its Honorary Medals Dinner. Lynden B. Miller will receive the George Robert White Medal of Honor for her work as a designer of urban parks and will deliver the keynote speech as part of the evening’s events. She is a public garden designer in New York City and director of The Conservatory Garden in Central Park, which she helped rescue and restore beginning in 1982. Her work includes gardens for The Central Park Zoo, Bryant Park, The New York Botanical Garden, Madison Square Park, and Wagner Park in Battery Park City as well as many smaller projects in all five boroughs and beyond, including waterfront gardens in Red Hook, Brooklyn, improvements to Union Square Park and the 97th Street Park Avenue Mall, renovation of the “Gateway to Harlem” Broadway Mall at 135th Street, Hunter College, and the 67th Street Armory.

Also being honored is Wesley R. Autio, professor of pomology in the Department of Plant, Soil and Insect Sciences at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He will receive the Jackson Dawson Award for his body of work in the horticultural sciences. The recipient of the Thomas Roland Medal will be Richard Jaynes, who will be honored for his work in expanding the use of rare and unusual plants for the home garden. A graduate from Wesleyan University (BA) and Yale (Ph.D.), he worked at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station for 25 years as a plant breeder and horticulturist with specialties in chestnut and mountain laurel resigning in 1984 to start Broken Arrow Nursery in Hamden, Connecticut. Today, Broken Arrow is recognized as one of the premier growers of uncommon plants.

Two Mass Hort volunteers will be recognized for their outstanding contributions. Gold Medals will be given to Carrie Waterman for her work over several decades on behalf of amateur horticulture both at the New England Spring Flower Show and elsewhere; as will volunteer Joyce Bakshi, who for the past two years has organized the Festival of Trees at Elm Bank. Also receiving gold medals will be Theodore Landsmark of Boston Architectural College for his work on behalf of the Landscape Institute; Organic Gardening Magazine for its promotion of ecologically sound practices in gardening and farming; and writer Ellen Ecker Ogden for her articles, essays and talks on organic gardening.

Proceeds from the dinner are used to maintain Elm Bank’s gardens. Tickets are available through the Mass Hort website, www.MassHort.org, or by calling 617-933-4961. For additional information contact: Neal Sanders at 508-359-9453

“Herbs! Creative Herb Garden Themes and Projects” (Cool Springs Press, $19.95) is a useful and knowledgeable book for herb beginners as well as more experienced growers. Readers can learn all about almost 50 different herbs, including how to choose them, where and when to plant them, how to grow them successfully, and when and how to harvest and preserve them.

The major portion is devoted to creative ideas for growing herbs in theme gardens – 44 in all, ranging from planting herbs mentioned by Shakespeare or in the Bible to attracting butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds with colorful herbs. Directions are given for a number of herb theme gardens that will appeal to foodies – a grilling garden, a pickling garden, a pizza garden, an herbal teas garden, a culinary garden, and herb gardens for Thai, Italian, French, Indian, and Asian cuisines.

These include ideas for cooking with herbs, including numerous recipes (everything from herb jelly to pizza).

“Herbs!” presents many ideas for using the herbs that gardeners have grown – potpourri, herb vinegars, wreaths, herbal bath products, and directions for a “green” herbal-themed wedding that replaces traditional rice with a sweet-smelling herb toss.

Judy Lowe was the garden editor of The Chattanooga Free Press in Tennessee for more than 20 years. She was also an editor for The Christian Science Monitor in Boston for 11 years. While at the Monitor, she founded and blogged for the paper's Gardening site, Diggin' It (http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Gardening/diggin-it). She continues to edit daily articles from more than 15 garden writers who contribute to the site and still writes for it occasionally. She's also in the process of starting a new blog of her own about herb theme gardens, http://herbthemegardens.com .

“Herbs! Creative Herb Garden Themes and Projects” is Lowe's 11th book.

Boston Globe Garden Writer Carol Stocker will answer your garden questions live on-line at Boston.com 1-2 p.m. Friday. For a free Orchard Pruning Workshop Saturday, June 4, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., go to the Shirley-Eustis House Orchard located at 33 Shirley Street in Roxbury, Ben Crouch of Jamaica Plain’s Land of Plenty Gardens will provide pruning tips on how and when to cut your trees, along with secrets on how to boost production and quality of fruit, and tree health and longevity.

As part of the Boston Orchard Program, Boston Natural Areas Network is partnering with the Shirley Eustis House Assoc., the Food Project , Land of Plenty, and the Boston Tree Party. The free program is for everyone interested in learning more about protecting their trees. Reservations are required. Contact BNAN at 617-542-7696 or info@bostonnatural.org. Boston Natural Areas Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing together local residents, partner organizations, public officials and foundations to preserve, expand, and enhance urban open space, including community gardens, greenways, and urban wilds. For more information about the organization, becoming a member or the calendar of events, visit www.bostonnatural.org or call 617-542-7696.

Many people are planting fruit trees as one of the easiest ways to cut food bills by growing food at home. The Boston Natural Areas Network is launching the Boston Orchard Program to provide support and education for the care and cultivation of Boston’s fruit trees and orchards located on public lands throughout the City of Boston. As part of the Boston Orchard Program, Boston Natural Areas Network is partnering with the Food Project, the Boston Tree Party, and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation on two free pruning workshops.

On Saturday March 5, as part of the Food Project’s Winter Workshop Series, John Bunker, Pomologist from Super Chilly Farm in Maine will provide pruning tips at the Shirley-Eustis House Orchard located at 33 Shirley Street in Roxbury.

On Saturday March 12, Ben Crouch, sole proprietor of Jamaica Plain’s Land of Plenty Gardens will provide more information about pruning at the Blake House Orchard located at 735 Columbia Road in Dorchester.

The free programs, for everyone interested in learning more about protecting their trees begin at
10 a.m. Reservations are required. Contact BNAN at 617-542-7696 or info@bostonnatural.org.

Boston Natural Areas Network is succeeding the work of Earthworks, Inc. which after many years of stewardship has closed its doors.Boston Natural Areas Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing together local residents, partner organizations, public officials and foundations to preserve, expand, and enhance urban open space, including community gardens, greenways, and urban wilds.

Stockbridge, MA. . .Classes, lectures, and workshops all geared towards the
home gardener are currently open for registration at Berkshire Botanical
Garden.

A three-session lecture, The Home Vegetable Garden, provides an opportunity
to fine-tune garden plans in an informative and practical program on how to
grow food. This introduction to vegetable gardening will include site
selection, soil and nutrient management, seed selection, design, crop
rotation schemes, seeding and planting, pest management, and specific plant
cultivation. Taught by former Extension Vegetable Specialist for the
University of Massachusetts John Howell, the lecture meets February 26,
March 5, and March 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Cost for the series is
$108 Members / $135 Nonmembers.

The Wild Side of Gardening, an illustrated lecture/demonstration focusing on
growing summer bulbs, is scheduled for Saturday, March 5, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Horticulturist Matt Mattus will share his designs, ideas, and inspirations
for adding lesser-used summer bulbs to gardens and container plantings.
Participants will receive a plant resource list and growing tips to
successfully recreate summer bulb gardens at home. Cost: $20 Members / $25
Nonmembers.

Housescaping with Succulents, Orchids, and More is scheduled for Saturday,
March 12, 10:00 a.m. to noon. This hands-on demonstration/workshop explores
plants from around the world, including agaves, orchids, and other exotics,
which can be grown as low maintenance patio plants that double as
houseplants during the winter months. Under the direction of garden
designer Rob Gennari, students will practice dividing and repotting a
variety of specimen plants and take home divisions to incorporate into their
collections. Cost: Members $37 / Nonmembers $42.

Growing Under Glass, a lecture/discussion focusing on the practical home
greenhouse, will be held Saturday, March 12, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Designed for
all levels of growers, topics covered will include assessing and evaluating
different greenhouse designs, framing, glazing, ventilation, heating,
cooling, and accessory equipment necessary for a successful operation. The
program will conclude with a walking tour, led by instructor John Bartock,
of the various greenhouses on the grounds of Berkshire Botanical Garden,
including an historic Lord & Burnham glass house, a Lexan production
greenhouse, a solar pit greenhouse, a poly hoop house, and cold frames.
Cost is $20 Members / $25 Nonmembers.

Beginning gardeners and nascent market gardeners can learn how to create a
small, highly productive cutting garden Saturday, March 19, 10:00 a.m. -
noon at a discussion/workshop, Growing a Cutting Garden. Taught by Anne
Hunter, owner of Lastings, a specialty fresh and dried flower farm, the
program will include selecting varieties, sowing times and techniques,
planting and transplanting, cultivating and preparing for market.
Participants will sow seeds and transplant flower seedlings to take home.
Fee for the workshop is $25 Members / $30 Nonmembers.

A Plant Press Workshop taught by Berkshire Botanical staff, is scheduled for
Saturday, March 26, 10:00 a.m. - noon. This hands-on workshop involves
constructing a professional-sized herbarium plant press for preserving
flowers, fruits, ferns, and leaves from gardens, fields and forests. The
cost is $45 Members / $54 Nonmembers. Following the workshop, participants
are invited to join University of Massachusetts herbarium Director Karen
Searcy, for a discussion and demonstration, The Art and Science of Pressing
Plants. Students will then practice preserving plant material with their
newly constructed plant press. Students only interested in the
discussion/demonstration by Ms. Searcy can join the program from noon - 1:30
p.m.
The cost is: $22 Members / $27 Nonmembers.

All classes, lectures, and workshops are held at Berkshire Botanical
Garden's Education Center, 5 West Stockbridge Road, Stockbridge, MA. To
register, call the Garden at (413) 298-3926, or visit the web site:
www.berkshirebotanical.org Berkshire Botanical Garden offers year-round
programs to children and adults wishing to expand their knowledge of
gardening and the environment.

Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom is sponsoring a Statewide Winter Conference for teachers titled "Growing Minds Through Massachusetts Agriculture." The conference offers educational and networking resources, activity ideas and framework connections that can facilitate and enhance pre-K through 12th grade classroom teachers alike and help bring agriculture to the classroom.

The 10th Annual Growing Minds through Massachusetts Agriculture Conference offers educational and networking resources that can facilitate and enhance pre-K through 12th grade classroom teachers alike. This year’s conference will feature a choice of six concurrent workshops during each of four workshop sessions. Workshops will explore the many diverse commodity sectors of Massachusetts Agriculture while providing hands-on learning opportunities that bring agriculture alive in the classroom. Each will offer specific background and activities for either elementary, middle or high school level. Speakers, panels and activities will emphasize agriculture and hands-on activities for the classroom. Don’t miss this day of discussion, interaction and opportunities for exploring new ideas for your Massachusetts classroom.

The $50 fee includes lunch and all materials. ($55 on the day of the conference) Ten Professional Development Points are provided for those who attend the full day conference, carry out a related classroom activity, and send in a brief report of their experience. Scholarships are available to new teachers and teachers from urban schools thanks to funding from a Farm Credit East AgEnhancement Grant. For eligibility information and an application form, check the MAC website at www.aginclassroom.org, click on winter conference and then Scholarship link. We also thank Big Y Foods, Inc. of Springfield and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources for sponsoring our Winter Conference for Educators by providing funds to support some of the costs. We also thank the Ludlow Public Schools and Randall’s Farm in Ludlow for their support! A limited number of full and partial.

The day will begin with registration from 8:00 to 8:30 a.m., followed by a Welcome and Introductions. Choose from six workshops during each concurrent sessions from 9:00-10:10 a.m.; 10:20-11:30 a.m.; 12:50-2:00 p.m. and 2:10-3:20 p.m.9:00 to 10:10 Concurrent Workshop Session

At 9:00 a.m. the first of four concurrent workshop sessions will begin. (Choose one of six Workshops)

Workshop 1: Fund-Raising for Schoolyard Agriculture

This workshop will start with a primer on writing a successful grant proposal with Mary Greendale program development and grant writing consultant for the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. She will discuss locating grant sources, tailoring grant application to donor's interests and steps for writing a successful proposal. She will also discuss strategies for finding the community of likely local supporters for your project and engaging the school administrations and parents.
Then learn form other teachers who have been successful raising funds and developing community support for their school gardening programs. Finally, hear about MAC's mini-grant program and what we look for in a mini-grant application. Appropriate for all grades.
Workshop Facilitator: Bill Cassell, 3rd grade teacher and school farmer at the L.D. Batchelder School in North Reading.

Workshop 2: Making Cheese in the Classroom

Dairy Farmers, Marjorie Cooper and nephew James Cooper from Coopers’ Hilltop Dairy Farm in Rochdale will offer an overview of the dairy industry in Massachusetts today. Learn about the life cycle of the cow, milking, milk products, pricing and direct marketing. The making of cheese is a simple process that can be easily adapted to the classroom. Marjorie and James will demonstrate making cheese from the milk of the cow. They will also provide resources including information on where to purchase cheese-making kits. Appropriate for elementary and middle school.
Instructors: Marjorie and James Cooper, Coopers’ Hilltop Dairy Farm

Workshop 3: Teaching Sustainability Using the School Garden

For the past two years the Jackson Street School in Northampton has engaged in a school-wide garden initiative to promote environmental learning, healthy eating, and an awareness of caring for our earth through recycling and composting. Teachers use the garden as an outdoor classroom for science, nutrition, literacy, social studies and math. The school also has embarked on a school-wide garbage reduction program; students and staff recycle and compost school waste in the cafeteria and individual classrooms. Teachers Mary Bates, Mary Cowhey, Susan Ebitz, Mary Ellen Reed and Aaron Piziali are partnering with faculty, school administration, parents, the school PTO, the Northampton Education Foundation and Northampton city departments to make these efforts sustainable over the long term. Appropriate for Grades K-6.
Instructors: Mary Bates, Mary Cowhey, Susan Ebitz and Aaron Piziali from the Jackson Street School in Northampton

Workshop 4: Art Meets Agriculture in the Classroom

Two art teachers who participated in our 2010 Summer Graduate Course will share a variety of ideas and activities that they used to incorporate their summer of agricultural immersion into their art lessons. Kerry Bart-Raber from the Hubbardston Elementary School and Diana Billipp from the William Diamond Middle School in Lexington will show you how they use sketching and drawing, observational research, murals , printmaking and clay sculptures to connect the farm to the school. Targeted for elementary and middle school.
Instructors: Kerry Bart-Raber from the Hubbardston Elementary School and Diana Billipp from the William Diamond Middle School in Lexington.

Workshop 5: Mini-Chicken Coop from Pallets

Reduce waste by reusing pallets and recycle them into a small chicken coop. Backyard poultry has become very popular and is also a good way to introduce kids to agriculture in the classroom. In this hands-on workshop, Russ Anderson from Worcester Technical High School will work with participants to help build a low cost mini-chicken coop for home or schoolyard using recycled materials with hand tools & cordless drill. Limited to 12 participants.
Instructor: Russ Anderson has raised poultry for many years. He majored in Animal Science at Stockbridge and later Agricultural Education at UMass and has worked on large scale poultry farms and taught poultry keeping as a Peace Corps Volunteer in West Africa. He has a Masters in Tech Ed/Industrial Arts (FSU). He has a small farm in Leicester, Mass where he keeps poultry, game birds & rabbits and teaches Environmental Science & Technology at Worcester Technical High School.

Workshop 6: Let the Outside In: Hidden Hollow: An Outdoor Discovery Center

Learn about Hidden Hollow, a new innovative outdoor space at Heritage Museums and Gardens focused on low-tech, natural activity areas where children and their families connect to nature. Participants will learn about ways they can adapt this "Nature Explore" model to fit their site, and they will gather curriculum materials and ideas for outdoor learning; including changing weekly themes tied directly into Massachusetts Curriculum frameworks, booklists, community collaboration ideas and more. Join us in helping every school in Massachusetts create their very own outdoor discover space!
Instructor: Tobey Eugenio, M.Ed., Environmental Education Specialist, Heritage Museum of Sandwich

At 10:10 a.m. there will be a brief break and participants will choose a workshop for the next session concurrent session which will last from 10:20 to 11:30 a.m. (Choose one of six workshops).

Workshop 1: Managing a School Garden Program: Roundtable Discussion

This workshop offers an opportunity to share ideas, successes, challenges, and overall know-how with others who already have experience with gardening at a school. Participants are encouraged to bring copies of printed handouts of ideas, information, materials and resources that would be helpful to fellow school gardeners. Target age range: Pre-K through grade 8.
Discussion Leaders: Marian Hazzard, retired elementary teacher, current volunteer coordinator, four-season garden and greenhouse program, Touchstone Community School, Grafton, MA; Seth Mansur, middle school assistant science teacher, Touchstone Community School, Grafton, MA and Kelly Foss, school garden coordinator from the Wheeler School in Providence.

Workshop 2: Bringing American History to Life: Learning from Our Agricultural Past

Learn the story of Massachusetts farming and the people who worked the land with Dennis Picard, living history interpreter and Director of the Storrowton Village Museum in West Springfield. He'll trace our agricultural roots from the earliest European colonies to 18th and 19th century family farms and kitchen gardens to the shift to the cities due to industrialization and changes in technology. Some of these changes may surprise the attendees in light of our long held concepts of historic farming. Learn about life on these farms, the crops they planted, animals they tended and the life of the farmer in New England. Dennis will describe how these farmers made a living and the differences today and will offer activity ideas for teaching with tools in the classroom. Suitable for grades K-12.
Instructor: Dennis Picard, Living History Interpreter and Director of Storrowtown Village Museum

Workshop 3: Farm Literacy Workshop

Prudence Barton, the school librarian at Lanesborough Elementary School will introduce or remind teachers of books and websites about farming, farmers and farm animals. This is a great way to integrate reading with social studies and science. This presentation is targeted primarily to elementary level teachers, with some information for secondary level instruction.
Instructor: Prudence Barton, Librarian, Lanesborough Elementary School and owner of a small local farm focusing on Heritage Breeds.

Workshop 4: Grain and Breadmaking Workshop

During this hands-on multi-sensory lesson you will explore grains and grasses, learning about different types of breads that can be made in the classroom. During the session Laurie Amberman, children's educator from the Soule Homestead Education Center in Middleboro will make bread and herbal butter, while also exploring the social customs, etiquettes and storytelling around sharing food as you taste several home-made breads. Appropriate for all grades.
Instructor: Laurie Amberman, Children's Educator, Soule Homestead Education Center, Middleboro.

Workshop 5: Fiber to Fabric Workshop

This workshop will offer an introduction to spinning and an overview of fibers. Working with fiber is an excellent hands-on experience for students. Whether you are teaching a unit that can incorporate fiber production, or just looking for something to keep their fingers busy, come explore the fun you and your students can have with fiber! Explore different fibers such as wool, alpaca, angora, cotton and flax observing the differences and learning how each is grown and used. Brenda Loescher, experienced spinner from Amburgey Farm in Ashburnham, will show you how to card wool and spin using a drop spindle and spinning wheel. She'll offer a history of spinning and send you home with a kit that you can use with your students in the classroom. Appropriate for all grades. (Limited to 15 participants.) This workshop will be repeated in the afternoon.
Instructor: Brenda Loescher, Spinner, Amburgey Farm, Ashburnham

Workshop 6: Ornamental Plants for the School Landscape

Bright colorful flowers, fruits and twigs help create an enjoyable and interesting environment and also provide food and shelter for birds, butterflies and other desirable wildlife. Many school sites provide challenging cultural conditions for growing plants, such as shallow soil; poor soil structure and texture; road salts from parking lots; other toxins from previous construction in the area, as well as a lack of skilled horticultural maintenance. Horticulturist and garden designer Warren Leach from Tranquil Lake Nursery in Rehoboth will showcase a variety of tough plants for the schoolyard and provide examples of how each can be used to create a beautiful and inspirational landscape that also offers opportunities for educational links to the classroom.
Instructor: Warren Leach, horticulturist and garden designer, Tranquil Lake Nursery, Rehoboth, MA

11:30 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. Lunch, Awards and Speaker, followed by the opportunity to interact and visit exhibits.

Cassie Uricchio from Mount Everett Regional High School in Sheffield is our Teacher of the Year.
The Lunch Time Speaker is Marian Hazzard on: Lessons from the Green School in Bali

12:50 to 2:00 p.m. Workshop Session Three (Concurrent sessions, choose one of six workshops)

Workshop 1: Gardening to Increase Biodiversity

Plant a garden at your school or home that will attract and support butterflies, frittilaries, moths and other herbivorous insects. In doing so, you will be able to enjoy and study the life cycles of these key members of the food web, while also help to increase biodiversity by providing the food for organisms such as birds, amphibian, reptiles and even mammals. Horticulturist Debi Hogan will offer an overview of some of these insects, showing their life cycle and the plants that will attract and feed the adults while also providing food for the larval stages. She will also suggest gardening practices that will encourage and support these insects.
Instructor: Debi Hogan, horticulturist and educator, Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom and Tranquil Lake Nursery

Workshop 2: Composting Workshop

This workshop will offer an overview of composting session. You will learn how to build a bin, the science of compost, adding the materials to the pile, turning and aeration and how to adapt composting to a larger school or municipal project. Composting educator Anne-Marie Runfola will also discuss how to teach science, math, civics and even art using the compost pile. Learn how to make a soda bottle bioreactor activity.
Instructor: Anne-Marie Runfola, Compost educator

Workshop 3: Fiber to Fabric Workshop

This workshop will offer an introduction to spinning and an overview of fibers. Working with fiber is an excellent hands-on experience for students. Whether you are teaching a unit that can incorporate fiber production, or just looking for something to keep their fingers busy, come explore the fun you and your students can have with fiber! Explore different fibers such as wool, alpaca, angora, cotton and flax observing the differences and learning how each is grown and used. Brenda Loescher, experienced spinner from Amburgey Farm in Ashburnham, will show you how to card wool and spin using a drop spindle and spinning wheel. She'll offer a history of spinning and send you home with a kit that you can use with your students in the classroom. Appropriate for all grades. (Limited to 15 participants.) Repeat of the morning workshop.
Instructor: Brenda Loescher, Spinner, Amburgey Farm, Ashburnham

Workshop 4: Embryology in the Classroom

Incubation of eggs in the classroom provides many cross curricular opportunities for teaching reading, writing, math, science and much more. It can also be a challenge for those who have not tried it before. Jessica Ouimet hatches eggs with her fifth grade students at the Coburn Elementary School in West Springfield. She will unravel the mystery, showing you how to set up the incubator, put in the eggs and turn the eggs for successful hatching. She will also present an overview of embryo development, life cycles and brooding of newly hatched chicks and share activities used in her classroom as she teaches this unit. Content is geared towards the elementary grades.
Instructor: Jessica Ouimet, teaches fifth grade at the Coburn Elementary School in West Springfield

Workshop 5: Dairy Farming in Massachusetts

This workshop will offer an overview of dairy farming in Massachusetts providing a history of milk production in the state from colonial to current times. Try out a couple of hands on activities for the classroom and meet a number of farms that offer educational programs and school tours. Connect to the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture's Google maps link and learn how to use it as a teaching tool.
Instructor: Krisanne Koebke, Massachusetts Dairy Promotions, Dudley

Workshop 6: Maple Sugaring Workshop

Late winter is the time to get outdoors, explore the local landscape and woodland, and find the perfect Sugar Maple tree to tap with your students. As you boil the sap into syrup, students can study the history of maple sugaring, draw and chart the boiling process, sing songs, write stories and generally immerse themselves in the maple season. Farm Educator Doug Cook, from Land's Sake in Weston will bring equipment and activity ideas offering ideas and answering questions to take you through the maple season. Targeted for elementary to middle school.
Instructor: Doug Cook, Education Director, Land's Sake, Weston

The last concurrent workshops session will be held from 2:10 to 3:20 p.m. Choose one of six workshops.

Workshop 1: Worm Composting in the Classroom

Take a step towards developing your own green classroom. Learn how food wastes from snack time or the cafeteria are composted in worm bins right in the classroom. Amy Donovan, the Program Director for Franklin County Solid Waste Management District in Greenfield, has started all types of composting and recycling programs at many Massachusetts schools. She’ll offer an overview of how to make an easy and inexpensive worm bin, what materials are acceptable for worm bins, why composting is important, student involvement, and following the waste materials from the school to the garden. Activity ideas related to composting will also be offered.
Instructor: Amy Donovan, Program Director, Franklin County Solid Waste Management District, Greenfield

Workshop 2: Using the Nutrition Label to Teach Science, Math & Nutrition

The workshop will focus on helping students to become informed food consumers by analyzing the information on the nutrition label. Linda Rohr, middle school nutrition educator will review concepts of math, science and nutrition providing opportunities for sharing and discussion. Participants will also prepare three easy-to-make snack foods: popcorn, pita chips and potato chips. These classroom made foods will then be compared to commercially made items for taste, cost and nutrition. You decide which food product is better! Targeted to middle School.
Instructor: Linda Rohr, Middle School Nutrition Educator

Workshop 3: Ornamental Plants for the School Landscape

Bright colorful flowers, fruits and twigs help create an enjoyable and interesting environment and also provide food and shelter for birds, butterflies and other desirable wildlife. Many school sites provide challenging cultural conditions for growing plants, such as shallow soil; poor soil structure and texture; road salts from parking lots; other toxins from previous construction in the area, as well as a lack of skilled horticultural maintenance. Horticulturist and garden designer Warren Leach from Tranquil Lake Nursery in Rehoboth will showcase a variety of tough plants for the schoolyard and provide examples of how each can be used to create a beautiful and inspirational landscape that also offers opportunities for educational links to the classroom.
Instructor: Warren Leach, horticulturist and garden designer, Tranquil Lake Nursery, Rehoboth, MA

Workshop 4: Connecting to the Curriculum Frameworks

The workshop will engage you in connecting food and agriculture to the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. While the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has recently adopted the Common Core State Standards, which can be found at www.corestandards.org, the frameworks will continue to be used by local communities to augment these standards and to develop more specific curriculum. Take advantage of this opportunity to bring your experiences and expertise to help us create a MAC compendium of relevant, real world activities and resources for teachers, students and parents to use in their schools and communities.
Facilitator: Rita Brennan Olson, M.S., Nutrition Education and Training Coordinator, Massachusetts Department of Education, Elementary and Secondary Education

Workshop 5: Starting a Community Garden Project

There are many ways to start a community garden. Using the Harvests From The Heart garden project located in Wrentham, as a model, Ken Oles will discuss the initial steps in planning, organizing and maintaining a community garden. Whether you are working with friends, neighbors, or a local organization, there are many factors to consider when beginning a new garden. From choosing a name for your project to starting seeds and initial cultivation, this workshop will facilitate planning while identifying pitfalls that may occur. The following specific items will be addressed: site selection and preparation, team-building, start-up costs, publicity, irrigation, food safety, selecting a sponsor, liability, disease and pest control, and data collection. Who should attend: gardeners, educators, volunteers, supporters of community garden projects, and others who are interested in promoting healthy communities. Meet others with similar interests, participate in discussions, and leave with new ideas.
Instructor: Ken Oles, a URI/MGA Master Gardener and retired educator, is the organizer and consultant for the Harvests From The Heart project in Wrentham. In 2010, project volunteers grew and harvested over 3,000 pounds of fresh produce for the Wrentham Food Pantry. Ken also serves on the Board of Directors for Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom.

Workshop 6: Horses

History was written on the back of the horse." No other animal, except perhaps the dog, has had as much influence on human development as the horse. Learn how horses helped shape civilization in the past and how they continue to shape society today. We may no longer need horses for transportation and "horsepower" as we did in previous centuries, but the animal continues to hold our fascination and respect. The equine industry is alive and well in the Northeast, generating billions of dollars of revenue. Horses provide a viable agricultural industry that is economically sustainable. This industry improves quality of life by preserving open spaces. Horses provide immeasurable benefits improving strength and independence to individuals with physical, mental and emotional challenges through therapeutic riding programs. They also provide tremendous pleasure to the people that own and are involved with them. Come and learn about the many ways you can include horses in your classroom from reading to math, biology, art and history. Suitable for all ages.
Instructors: Dale Perkins, of Mesa Farm in Rutland, offers many programs for children and adults focused on farming and equestrian activities, both recreational and therapeutic. Leonora Giguere is a life long horse enthusiast and equine artist from Leicester. Both are affiliated with City to Saddle, a local organization committed to providing funding and access to equestrian programs to underserved youth.

The day will end at 3:00 p.m.
with a Poster Viewing Session, Evaluations and Distribution of Educational Materials related to Massachusetts Agriculture.

The mission of Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom is to foster an awareness and learning in all areas related to the food and agriculture industries and the economic and social importance of agriculture to the state, nation and the world. In addition to the Annual Winter Conference for Educators, Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom offers a seasonal newsletter; workshops on the farm for educators; A fall "Greening the School Conference" for teachers; a Summer Graduate Course; a Directory of agricultural materials and providers; mini-grants for teachers and educators; an interactive website; an various manuals and curriculum. For more information on the Growing Minds through Massachusetts Agriculture Conference or on Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom, contact
Debi Hogan
Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom, Inc.
P. O. Box 345
Seekonk, MA 02771
e-mail: massaginclasssroom@earthlink.net
Web Site: www.aginclassroom.org
Phone: 508-336-4426
Fax: 508-336-0682

Stockbridge, MA. . .Classes, lectures, and workshops all geared towards the home gardener are currently open for registration at Berkshire Botanical Garden.

A three-session lecture, The Home Vegetable Garden, provides an opportunity to fine-tune garden plans in an informative and practical program on how to grow food. This introduction to vegetable gardening will include site selection, soil and nutrient management, seed selection, design, crop rotation schemes, seeding and planting, pest management, and specific plant cultivation. Taught by former Extension Vegetable Specialist for the University of Massachusetts John Howell, the lecture meets February 26, March 5, and March 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Cost for the series is $108 Members / $135 Nonmembers.

The Wild Side of Gardening, an illustrated lecture/demonstration focusing on growing summer bulbs, is scheduled for Saturday, March 5, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Horticulturist Matt Mattus will share his designs, ideas, and inspirations for adding lesser-used summer bulbs to gardens and container plantings. Participants will receive a plant resource list and growing tips to successfully recreate summer bulb gardens at home. Cost: $20 Members / $25 Nonmembers.

Housescaping with Succulents, Orchids, and More is scheduled for Saturday, March 12, 10:00 a.m. to noon. This hands-on demonstration/workshop explores plants from around the world, including agaves, orchids, and other exotics, which can be grown as low maintenance patio plants that double as houseplants during the winter months. Under the direction of garden designer Rob Gennari, students will practice dividing and repotting a variety of specimen plants and take home divisions to incorporate into their collections. Cost: Members $37 / Nonmembers $42.

Growing Under Glass, a lecture/discussion focusing on the practical home greenhouse, will be held Saturday, March 12, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Designed for all levels of growers, topics covered will include assessing and evaluating different greenhouse designs, framing, glazing, ventilation, heating, cooling, and accessory equipment necessary for a successful operation. The program will conclude with a walking tour, led by instructor John Bartock, of the various greenhouses on the grounds of Berkshire Botanical Garden, including an historic Lord & Burnham glass house, a Lexan production greenhouse, a solar pit greenhouse, a poly hoop house, and cold frames. Cost is $20 Members / $25 Nonmembers.

Beginning gardeners and nascent market gardeners can learn how to create a small, highly productive cutting garden Saturday, March 19, 10:00 a.m. – noon at a discussion/workshop, Growing a Cutting Garden. Taught by Anne Hunter, owner of Lastings, a specialty fresh and dried flower farm, the program will include selecting varieties, sowing times and techniques, planting and transplanting, cultivating and preparing for market. Participants will sow seeds and transplant flower seedlings to take home. Fee for the workshop is $25 Members / $30 Nonmembers.

A Plant Press Workshop taught by Berkshire Botanical staff, is scheduled for Saturday, March 26, 10:00 a.m. – noon. This hands-on workshop involves constructing a professional-sized herbarium plant press for preserving flowers, fruits, ferns, and leaves from gardens, fields and forests. The cost is $45 Members / $54 Nonmembers. Following the workshop, participants are invited to join University of Massachusetts herbarium Director Karen Searcy, for a discussion and demonstration, The Art and Science of Pressing Plants. Students will then practice preserving plant material with their newly constructed plant press. Students only interested in the discussion/demonstration by Ms. Searcy can join the program from noon – 1:30 p.m.

The cost is: $22 Members / $27 Nonmembers.

All classes, lectures, and workshops are held at Berkshire Botanical Garden’s Education Center, 5 West Stockbridge Road, Stockbridge, MA. To register, call the Garden at (413) 298-3926, or visit the web site: www.berkshirebotanical.org Berkshire Botanical Garden offers year-round programs to children and adults wishing to expand their knowledge of gardening and the environment.

NEWBURYPORT, MA - The 10th annual Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) Course in Organic Land Care will be held on January 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 2011 (snow date Jan. 20) at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Newburyport, Massachusetts, a sustainably-constructed “green” building with a state-of-the-art theater and multi-purpose classroom where the course will be held. The refuge was established in 1942 to provide feeding, resting and nesting habitat for migratory birds, and is of special significance to waterfowl and shorebirds.

Sponsored and organized by the NOFA Organic Land Care Program, this five-day, (accreditation optional) intensive courseStandards for Organic Land Care: Practices for Design and Maintenance of Ecological Landscapes, written by NOFA’s Organic Land Care Committee. These Standards, first published in 2001, are the first of their kind in the country.

Course faculty include respected scientists and experienced organic land care practitioners, who instruct the following classes: Principles and Procedures; Site Analysis, Design, and Maintenance; Rain Gardens/Storm Water Infiltration; Soil Health; the Soil Foodweb; Fertilizer and Soil Amendments; Composting; Lawns; Lawn Alternatives; Planting and Plant Care; Wetlands; Pest Management; Wildlife Management; Disease Control; Mulches; Invasive Plants; Client Relations and Running a Business. Four hands-on case studies are also included in the course.

At the end of the course, attendees will be able to incorporate methods and materials that respect natural ecology and the long-term health of the environment into the care of their own landscapes or ones that they manage. Those who pass the optional exam offered at the conclusion of the course can become NOFA Accredited Organic Land Care Professionals (AOLCPs), able to use the NOFA Organic Land Care AOLCP logo, be listed in the new AOLCP Online Searchable Database at www.organiclandcare.net and have the opportunity to represent NOFA at organic land care events.

Over 1,200 land care professionals from 22 states have taken NOFA’s course. These professionals include landscapers from large and small firms, landscape architects, garden center employees, municipal groundskeepers and property managers. Small business owners, entrepreneurs, homeowners, land trust and conservation organization staff and many others have also found the course extremely valuable.

For more information or to receive registration brochures, contact Kathy Litchfield, NOFA/Mass Organic Land Care Course Coordinator, at (413) 773-3830, kathy@nofamass.org or visit www.organiclandcare.net to register online.

24th ANNUAL NOFA/MASS WINTER CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN WORCESTER

“Celebration of Sustainability”

Over 900 people from central New England are expected to attend the Northeast Organic Farming Association/Massachusetts Chapter, Inc. (NOFA/Mass) 24th Annual Winter Conference on Saturday, January 15, at the Worcester Technical High School on Skyline Drive. The conference has doubled in size over the past five years, indicative of a growing interest in regional food systems. Everyone from beginning to advanced farmers, gardeners and anyone interested in sustainability can participate in seminars or workshops, a lively exhibit area, a delicious potluck lunch, and a children’s program.

Michael Phillips,of Heartsong Farm and Lost Nation Orchard, in Groveton, New Hampshire, will keynote the conference. Michael Phillips and his wife, Nancy, grow 65-80 varieties of organic apples in their orchard and direct-market their products to local consumers who can purchase apples on the farm or through an apple-share buying program. Nancy is a well-known herbalist and educator who manages the family farm’s production of medicinal herbs. Michael will lead an all-day seminar on Organic Orcharding. Nancy will lead an all-day seminar on Herbs for Family Health. Participants can register for either of the all-day seminars or choose to attend any of 60 workshops.

For beginning gardeners there are workshops on soil fertility, gardening in small spaces, and seed saving. Livestock workshops include raising cows, poultry, dairy goats and bees. For more advanced farmers there are workshops covering weed management, cardboard mulch, draft animals and income taxes. For those interested in raising and preparing their own food there are workshops on food preservation, making condiments at home and making naturally fermented non-alcoholic drinks.

Somerville resident and Slow Money board member Eric Becker attended the NOFA/Mass Winter Conference in 2009. After attending a workshop on beekeeping by Jean-Claude Bourrut of Natick Community Organic Farm, Eric fell in love with bees and installed a beehive on his front porch. “Raising bees has been such a rewarding activity for me and my kids. My kids have learned how to handle them and care for our hive. The NOFA conference was a turning point for my family. It’s definitely possible to live an urban lifestyle and raise your own food.”

Conference registration is $65 per person with discounts available for NOFA members, certified farmers, students, teens and children; seminar registration is $120. Complete conference information is available at www.nofamass.org.

The conference is sponsored by Whole Foods Markets, Stonyfield, Farm Family, Greenleaf Foundation, Clements Law Office, Boston Organics, Green Fields Market, Suzanne’s Specialties, Nature’s Best Organic Feeds, Groton Wellness, Harris Seeds, Vermont Compost, Groundscapes Express, Fertrell, Bejo Organic, Lancaster Agricultural Products and Neighboring Food Coop.

Under the guidance of Boston Natural Areas Network (BNAN) and its Boston Gardeners Council, community gardeners throughout the city are growing, harvesting and bringing produce to two Mattapan food pantries to support the Haitian community in Boston. Fresh food will be delivered to the Haitian American Public Health Initiative and to the Voice of the Gospel Tabernacle Church from mid July through October 15.

Since the disaster, many Haitian residents of Boston have either been sending money back to Haiti or feeding additional family members who have left Haiti and are now living with them. For some, the decision has become a difficult choice between buying fresh food for their family in Boston or sending additional funds to their family in Haiti. To help, the Plant a Row for Haiti program has already, in the first two weeks of the program, delivered 800 pounds of free fresh produce to local pantries providing a great benefit to Boston's Haitian community and resulting in savings they can pass on to family back in their homeland.

With Plant a Row for Haiti the Boston Gardeners Council has expanded last year's successful "Produce to Pantry" pilot initiative which delivered hundreds of pounds of fresh garden produce to a variety of Boston Food Pantries. This year community gardeners have set aside special rows to plant vegetables suited for Haitian cooking and diets. The produce is delivered to BNAN's City Natives Nursery where it is readied for delivery to the food pantries. BNAN is also working with its affiliate, The Trustees of Reservations, to arrange delivery of fresh produce from The Trustees' Powisset Farm in Dover and Appleton Farms in Ipswich to the local pantries. The Brookwood Farm CSA in Milton has also been an active produce partner and contributor.

To learn more, donate produce, or help with the preparation and delivery, contact Karen Chaffee at BNAN at 617-542-7696 ext 19 or by email at karen@bostonnatural.org

Boston Natural Areas Network (BNAN) is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing together local residents, partner organizations, public officials and foundations to preserve, expand, and enhance urban open space, including community gardens, greenways, and urban wilds. BNAN also is an affiliate with The Trustees of Reservations, a statewide land trust and non profit conservation organization with over 100 properties located around the state for public use and enjoyment. For more information visit www.bostonnatural.org

CARLISLE, MA – On Sunday, August 1, Northeast Organic Farming Association/ Massachusetts Chapter (NOFA/Mass), is sponsoring a wild edibles foraging walk led by Russ Cohen at Great Brook Farm State Park on 984 Lowell Street in Carlisle from 9:30am to 12:30pm.

“Great Brook Farm State Park is one of the best places I know to lead foraging walks,” said Cohen. “The reason we chose this site over other options is that I have documented 66 different species of wild edibles plants at the park. This number is greater than any other single site that I’ve visited.”

Cohen explained that the huge variety of edible species results from the diversity of the landscape at the park, which contains a working farm, forested areas, a wetland area, and multiple field edges.“At the farm there are many wonderful garden weeds that are edible, including stinging nettle, which is classically associated with dairy farms. The woodland species include blueberries, huckleberries, wintergreen berries, raspberries, black raspberries, blackberries, and sumac. Along the River Meadow Brook, which runs through the park, there are cattail, elderberry, water chestnut, and groundnut.”

“Groundnut is the plant that allowed the Pilgrims to survive the lean winter of 1620 to 1621 when they first arrived on this continent, and it remained an important food crop for many years. Despite the stories we learned in grammar school, corn was not even in the picture,” said Cohen.Along with many native species like groundnut, the park is home to what are considered invasive species such as the Autumn Olive, whose copious berries can be made into a delicious fruit leather or jam. Cohen remarked: “When it comes to the difference between native species and invasive species, the approach I take in my workshop is to ask whether the plant edible -- not to ask for its birth certificate. The generally dry conditions we’ve been experiencing this summer severely limit mushroom yields. If the rain pick up, it’s possible that we’ll see them.”

Registration for the walk is $30, and it is open to the public on a first come, first served basis. Workshop registration is limited to 35 people. There is a $5 discount for NOFA members. To register online or by check (these options are available if received by Saturday, July 31), visit www.nofamass.org and look under “Upcoming Events.” The cost for on-site registration is $35, and last minute registrants are asked to contact event organizer, Ben Grosscup, at 413-658-5374 to check on space availability.