Somerville Garden Club

June 14, 2011
by Head Gardener
Comments Off on Soil Composition 101 – Somerville Growing Center

Soil Composition 101 – Somerville Growing Center

The Somerville Growing Center is hosting an evening workshop on soil restoration, presented by the Northeast Organic Farming Association/Massachusetts Chapter.

Restoring Health to Compromised Soils: Soil Composition 101

Thursday, June 23
6:30pm-9:00pm
Somerville Growing Center,
22 Vinal Ave, Somerville, MA
www.thegrowingcenter.org

Soil health plays a critical role in both the quality and quantity of the food we produce. Unfortunately, many of us are faced with the reality of toxins in our soil, which limit our soil’s health and expose gardeners and consumers to risk. In this workshop, participants will learn about the possible contaminants gardeners face (from lead to residual herbicides and pesticides) and how to accurately test soil to assess potential risks. $25 NOFA members/$30 Non-members (suggested donation).

About the instructor: Derek Christianson is a farmer and community educator at Brix Bounty Farm in Dartmouth, MA (www.brixbounty.com).

To register for the workshop or for more information visit www.nofamass.org or contact Laura Eppstein at (617) 913-0538, or by email at laura@nofamass.org.

May 29, 2011
by Head Gardener
Comments Off on Meeting – June 8, 7-9pm

Meeting – June 8, 7-9pm

On Wednesday, June 8, Mass. Certified Horticulturist Trevor Smith will speak to the Somerville Garden Club on the topic of “Vertical Gardening”. Trevor will review major issues of “living walls”, such as selection of systems, installation issues, irrigation, growing medium, plant selection, maintenance, etc. – all in the context of limited or small spaces. He will also consider what works for shade as well as sunnier spots.

Trevor Smith has been a lifelong designer. For some years he worked in design at Winston Flowers. In 2002 he left to pursue his vision of a landscape design company that would recognize and include the human element in sustainable design. His company, Land Escapes (http://www.everydaygetwaway.com), is committed to develop and promote eco-technologies such as rainwater harvesting, living walls and urban farming. Recently Trevor and his company have become involved in Eco Event Design – to help reduce the enormous carbon footprint of the floral and event industry. Land Escapes is pledged to promoting local flower growers, rainforest protection and fair trade. Trevor Smith is currently the vice president of the Ecological Landscaping Association. The ELA advocates for environmentally responsible stewardship of land and natural resources among landscaping and horticultural professionals. Trevor also holds the title of LEED Green Associate, (U.S. Green Building Council) and is an Accredited Organic Land Care Professional, (awarded by the Northeast Organic Farmers’ Association). He is certified as a Green Living Technologies living roof and wall installer, an ICPI Level I Certified Concrete Paver Installer, and an Aquascape RainXchange rainwater harvesting system installer.