Walpole, NH (March 14, 2023) – Monadnock Grows Together is a free local resource for gardeners and small-scale urban farmers looking for advice, information, and support. Monadnock Grows Together is excited to announce a free five-part spring workshop series, registration required!
Successful Seed Starting
When: March 18th, 2023, 1:00-2:00PM
Where: Keene Public Library, Heberton Hall
New to gardening? Want an early start or to try your hand at starting your seeds this season? Join us in Heberton Hall for this seed-starting workshop presented by Healthy Home Habitats.
You'll learn tips to successfully grow chemical-free vegetable starts with Keene Public Library kits or with your supplies. Choosing which vegetables, interpreting seed packets, understanding soil mixes, seed germination, and seedling care. We'll also go over the basics of Winter Sowing, which recycles many of the myriad plastic containers we use. Discover your options for growing with others in one of our fabulous Keene Community Gardens. Start your season with a glorious gift of practical knowledge. Gain an easier, cheaper, more successful beginning to growing your successful vegetables at home or in one of our fabulous Keene Community Gardens this season!
Participants can observe or participate and leave with seeds and soil. Participants will have the chance to learn more about the free seeds, gardening tools, and seed-starting kits available at the Keene Public Library.
BCS Tractor Training
When: April 18th, 2023, 9:00AM-12:00PM
Where: Cheshire County Farm, River Road, Westmoreland, NH
Cheshire County Conservation District (CCCD), in partnership with UNH Cooperative Extension, the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) Northeast, and Monadnock Grows Together will host one 3-hour BCS Tractor training.
To be eligible to rent the BCS Tractor through CCCD's equipment program in 2023, you must attend this training.
CCCD's Farm Equipment Rental program provides low-cost farm equipment rentals each year in and around Cheshire County. This is a valuable cost-saving service to local growers that supports the CCCD's mission of improving soil quality and management through the conservation and responsible use of natural and agricultural resources. Learn more about CCCD's Farm Equipment Rental program, here!
In 2019, the Cheshire County Conservation District (CCCD) expanded its fleet of farm rental equipment with the purchase of a walk-behind BCS Tractor to support local gardeners, homesteaders, small farms, and high tunnel operations. Walk-behind tractors, also known as two-wheel or hand tractors, are used world-wide for small-scale farm, landscaping, and home use.
The BCS Tractor comes with several soil health implements that include a 26” flail mower and 30” roller-crimper for mowing over or rolling down cover crops, a 30” power harrow for seedbed prep and tillage/weed control, a 30” drop seeder for seeding lawns, cover crops or full-width dense seeding operations, a disk harrow for seeding, leveling soil or light weed control, a rotary spreader for spreading wood ash, lime, and other soil amendments, and a rotary plow for breaking new ground and building raised beds.
Know Your Garden Tools
When: April 19th, 2023, 4:00-5:00PM
Where: Keene Public Library Huntress Auditorium and Virtual, Zoom
Monadnock Grows Together, Cheshire County Conservation District, & the Keene Public Library are excited to share the Know Your Garden Tools workshop. This free workshop will feature tools from the Keene Public Library makerspace tool lending library. Did you know that you can check out tools from the public library? Resources range from seed starting kits to pruners to broadforks and more! Come join us for a casual information session and try out the tools, ask questions, and get to know what resources are available in your community!
At this workshop, you will earn how to select, use, and maintain your garden tools. You will also learn how to save money by borrowing tools from the Keene Public Library.
This program will be presented in person at the library, but you can join virtually through Zoom. For an invitation, please register here and provide a valid email address. We will send you the Zoom link at least a day before the presentation.
Cover Cropping
When: April 22nd, 2023, 1:00-2:30PM
Where: Antioch University New England, 40 Avon Street, Keene, NH, 03431
Join Monadnock Grows Together and UNH Extension for a free workshop focusing on cover crops. Extension specialist Carl Majewski will be sharing his experience with participants.
About the Presenter:
Carl has been with UNH Extension in Cheshire County since 2002, and focuses on crop production and soil health. He’ll be covering the benefits of cover crops, and species selection and establishment techniques for home gardens. Over the years, Carl's been involved in programs focusing on pasture management, corn and forage production, and incorporating cover crops and no-till planting practices into crop rotations.
Easing Your Gardening
When: May 20th, 1:00-2:00PM
Where: Healthy Home Habitats' demonstration gardens, 25 Beech Street, Keene, NH 03431
We all know that gardening can be a healthy lifelong skill and passion to share from one generation to another. But the actual growing of vegetables can feel overwhelming for beginners!
Join the Monadnock Grows Together program at the Healthy Home Habitats’ demonstration gardens, 25 Beech Street, Keene, NH on Saturday, May 20th from 1-2 PM for a FREE workshop. Discover straightforward methods to make your first or next season of growing vegetables easier and more joyful.
We’ll look at different ways of locating, mulching, strategizing, and fertilizing your new vegetable plants. Let’s revisit your sense of wonder for growing food right at home -without breaking the bank!
Come to the HHH Gardens to Learn About:
Location-Location-Location: Sun, Access, Water, Options
Easy-Peasy First Year Plant Choices to Span the Growing Season
Miracle Mulch Options
Plant Companions for Many Reasons
Fertilizing: Both the Stinky & Invisible
Insects: Strategizing for the Beneficial and the Dastardly!
Please park on Beech Street. Please note: Limited registration spots available! Register today!
About the Presenter:
Michele Chalice is an Environmental Landscape Designer. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Illinois and a Master’s degree in Resource Management from Antioch University. She has practiced as a licensed Landscape Architect in Illinois and Wisconsin for over three decades. She now helps residential clients in the Monadnock region design and enjoy less yard-WORK in home landscapes that have less grass, fewer chemicals, more American/native plants, more seasonal color, and more nature…at home for a healthier family, a healthier landscape, and a healthier world. She offers home consultations on restorative landscape management, environmentally-friendly landscape designs, and co-gardening services. She is also available for public workshops and in-person or online public programs. You can find out more at www.HealthyHomeHabitats.com as well as on Facebook and Instagram @healthyhomehabitats.
Monadnock Grows Together is funded by the Urban Agriculture Conservation grant Initiative. The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) established the Urban Agriculture Conservation Grant Initiative in 2016 to help conservation districts and their partners provide much-needed technical assistance for agricultural conservation in developed or predominantly developing areas. Since July of 2016, NACD and NRCS have awarded six rounds of grants, totaling over $4 million to 81 conservation district projects across 34 states.
CCCD is working in partnership with Antioch University New England's Community Garden Connections (CGC), the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), Monadnock Farm and Community Coalition (MFCC), and the Keene Public Library within the city of Keene, NH to offer technical assistance, education, and gardening equipment to small-scale urban farmers and gardeners for growing their production capacity while conserving natural resources such as soil health, water quality, and pollinator habitat.
For questions or assistance in registration:
The Cheshire County Conservation District promotes the conservation and responsible use of our natural and agricultural resources for the people of Cheshire County by providing technical, financial, and educational assistance. Our goal is to encourage the stewardship of healthy soils, productive ecologically sound farms, diverse wildlife, productive sustainable forests, healthy watersheds, and clean water to ensure those resources are available for future generations. Established in 1945, the Conservation District operates out of Walpole, NH where we work alongside the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and other conservation partners. For more information, contact Amanda Littleton at 603-756-2988 ext.4 or email at amanda@cheshireconservation.org
###
