Home Gardening School (March 28th)

From The Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Centre County:

Does winter have you looking forward to to bountiful blooms and gorgeous greenery? Get inspired and learn how to grow your greatest garden yet! The Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Centre County are excited to announce our first ever Home Gardening School. This one-day event will arm you with all you need to get your garden into shape.

Two learning tracks offer classes and presentations on a variety of subjects covering everything from the nuts-and-bolts of managing your home landscape, how to get creative with container gardening, and how you can support and enhance nature by developing your backyard habitat.

Event Details:

When:  March 28th from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm

Where:  Penn State University, Forest Resources Building, Bigler Road & Park Avenue
University Park, PA 16802

Registration:

If your interested, please Register on-line by March 21.

Questions?

For more information visit the event website or contact Molly Sturniolo by email or telephone at (814)355-4897.

Local Foods Grant Writing Workshops (Mar – Apr)

From Penn State Cooperative Extension:

Penn State Extension is pleased to be working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural in offering workshops that will help potential grant applicants understand, develop, and submit their Federal grant applications for the $30 million Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program.

As you may know, the USDA views the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program as a key to revitalizing rural economies by supporting local and regional food systems… This grant writing workshop will walk participants through all you need to know to navigate and apply for the upcoming 2015 USDA Farm Bill grants which provide funding for food system projects including the Local Food Promotion Program and The Farmers Market Promotion Program.

PA Training Location and Dates:

• March 16:  4184 Dorney Park Road, Allentown, PA 18104
• March 17: Sustainable Business Accelerator, Slippery Rock University, 165 Elm Street Slippery Rock, PA 16057
• March 24: 675 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19106
• April 17: 70 Old Harrisburg Road, Gettysburg, PA, 17325

Register on-line.  More information can be found on the Agricultural Marketing Service Technical Assistance (AMSTA) project website or facebook page.

Farmers’ Market Conference

Penn State Agricultural Extension will be sponsoring a Farmers’ Market Conference on March 21 in Ebensburg, PA.

The conference will cover topics including:

• Governance Basics
• The role of the Market Manager
• Farmers Market Promotion Program Grant Tips
• Developin Market Bucks
• Marketing Specialty Crops
• Creating Profitible Displays

The event will be held at the Imperial Room Restaurant, 2443 New Germany Rd, Ebensburg, PA from 10 am to 3 pm.

There is a $15 registration fee (which includes lunch).  You can register on-line or by calling (717)334-6271.

Questions?  Email Brian Moyer or Carla Snyder or call (717)334-6271.

PSU Community Garden Intern Needed

From Katie Ayers, President, PSU Community Garden:

The PSU Community Garden is looking for an intern for the 2015 season!

This is a paid position. Generally the intern is expected to help answer gardener questions, perform general garden maintenance, organize garden events, and work on our recently established Pollinator Garden. With the help of the garden officer team and club members, there is also the opportunity to present and execute a project that contributes positively to the Garden and community. This project could involve designing a more efficient composting system and educational signage, improving our website and overall web presence, or any new idea or skill you have to offer.

The intern duties generally require about 10-15 hours of work per week, and we can be flexible with your schedule. 

If you have questions, please contact Katie Ayers at kma5209@psu.edu. If you would like to apply please send me a copy of resume and a paragraph explaining why you would like to be the 2015 PSU Community Garden intern.

Thank you,

Katie Ayers

Friends School Seed Sale Fundraiser for Heifer International

From Spring Creek Homesteading Board Secretary Dana Stuchul:

Contact Dana to place your order by 5 p.m. Friday, February 20 (tomorrow).

*    *     *

Please purchase some or all of your 2015 garden seeds as part of the State College Friends School seed sale. The second/third grade class is co-sponsoring this year’s fundraiser in support of Heifer International and the Friends School gardens.

The seeds are from Fedco Seeds, a seed cooperative based in Maine. All seeds offered through the fundraiser are organic. Seed info here: Friends School Seed Sale Form

I have been purchasing from Fedco for years now and fully believe in the quality of their seeds and the principles upon which the company is based.

Each seed packet costs $2.40.

In the coming weeks, we can touch base about payment and seed distribution.  The ordering period for the sale ends on Friday, February 20.

PLEASE SHARE THIS EMAIL WIDELY, including the attached form (where you can find a description of each plant).

Here is a list of seeds for sale:

• Provider Green Bean
• Maxibel Haricot Vert
• Green Arrow Pea
• Sugar Ann Snap Pea
• Marketmore 76 Cucumber
• Costata Romanesca Zucchini
• Zeppelin Delicata Squash
• New England Pie Pumpkin
• Danvers Carrot
• Yaya Carrot
• Early Wonder Tall Top Beet
• Bloomsdale Spinach
• Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce
• Lettuce Mix
• Red Rhubarb Chard
• Fiesta Broccoli
• Red Russian Kale
• Cosmonaut Volkov Tomato
• Sweet Basil
• Caribe Cilantro
• Sensation Mix Cosmos
• Crackerjack Mix Marigold
• Jewel Mix Nasturtium
• Autumn Beauty Mix Sunflower
• Tiger’s Eye Sunflower

Two Permaculture Workshops with Jackie Bonomo on February 28

The MorningStar Permaculture Learning Centre, part of the Sustainability Experience Center at Penn State, is offering two workshops on Saturday, February 28 at the MorningStar Solar Home on Penn State’s campus.

9 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Introduction to Permaculture

This workshop will introduce you to the ethics and basic principles of permaculture, why permaculture is important, and the permaculture teaching plan for our one-acre site. Click here to register.

1 p.m. to 5 p.m. – The Permaculture Design Process 

Learn the concepts and methods of the permaculture design process using the MorningStar site. You’ll pratice drafting site specific base maps, learn to identify and label the permaculture zones, do sector overlays and much more! Click here to register.

Both workshops are free and open to anyone; university and non-university affiliates alike. Permaculture practitioner and educator Jackie Bonomo will be running the workshops. No prior experience is needed and snacks will be provided. Hope to see you there!

Two Master Gardener Workshops on March 28

From Master Gardener Justin Wheeler:

The Master Gardeners are planning an all-day Home Gardening School event on Saturday March 28 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the PSU Forest Resources Building.

There are two tracks, with one focusing on general nuts-and-bolts landscape management, and another on sustainable gardening and wildlife beneficial gardening.

I’m attaching the flyer – Home Gardening School Flier – March 28 – and here’s the link to register for the event.