Sponsoring Organization: MSU Extension
Date: April 6 - April 8
Start Time: 5 pm
End Time: 2 pm
Location : Ruth Butler Building, Upper Peninsula State Fairgrounds, 2401 12th Ave. N, Escanaba, MI 49829
Description of the Event: Date: April 6, 2018 - April 8, 2018
Time:
Friday, April 6 from 5-9 p.m.;
Saturday, April 7 from 9-7 p.m.;
Sunday, April 8 from 9-2 p.m.
**Attendees at all Smart Gardening presentations can enter to win different garden-themed door prizes. Must be present to win! Please see following list of sponsors for businesses who have donated.**
Friday, April 6
Showtime: 5–8 p.m.
Staff on duty: Stephanie Ostrenga
5:30 – 6:00 p.m. How to safely preserve your harvest, Stephanie Ostrenga, MSU Extension food safety educator - Fresh produce provides many nutritional benefits, yet we often end up with more vegetables than what we can eat. Different methods of food preservation provide wonderful options to save the excess. Stephanie will show you tips and tricks, so you can safely preserve your harvest.
Saturday, April 7
Showtime: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Staff on duty: Liz Slajus
9:00 - 9:45 a.m. Dig into Soil Health with the Escanaba Community Garden Case Study by Monica Jean, MSU Extension field crop educator - Soil is the foundation to healthy and productive vegetables. Discover smart gardening practices you can use to create your own healthy soil while hearing about what is happening at the MSU Extension's Community Garden in Escanaba to build healthy soil.
10:15 – 11:00 a.m. "Starting Small" by Elizabeth Slajus, Advanced Extension Master Gardener, MSU Extension consumer horticulture support staff - Easy steps for successful gardening with children of all ages. Explore what children at the Woodland Childcare Center in Kingsford, see, hear and do in the school garden that Liz created and manages as her Extension Master Gardener volunteer project.
12:15 – 1:00 p.m. Inviting Birds into the Landscape by Joe Kaplan, director, Common Coast – Research and Conservation - Learn how to attract a diversity of birds to your yard or garden through the use of native landscaping, feeding, nest box placement and water features. Explore the importance of "stop-over" habitat and the rich dynamic of bird migration in our region. Joe will share insight from 30 years of tree planting and bird-related experience (including an Escanaba yard list boasting nearly 200 species!) on how to make your yard more enticing to our feathered friends.
2:15 – 3:00 p.m. "Smart" Composting to Balance Economic and Environmental Sustainability for Gardens, Farms or Communities by Brad Morgan, owner, Morgan Composting - If you want to start or improve your composting program in a garden, on the farm or within a community, join composting expert Brad Morgan who will share how you can build and maintain a successful composting program that follows the state requirements for temperatures and turning times to maximize your natural resources. Discover how to compost in your garden, farm, or community to build healthy soil.
3:00 – 3:45 p.m. Inviting Birds into the Landscape by Joe Kaplan, director, Common Coast – Research andConservation – repeat of Joe's 12:15 p.m. presentation.
5:15 – 6:00 p.m. Inviting Mason Bees to your Backyard by Jim Wilson, Brushy Mountain Bee Farm, Pennsylvania - Join Jim to learn more about mason bees and the importance of these native pollinators. Home gardeners will discover ways to invite them into the landscape and gardens. One lucky attendee can win a mason bee hotel donated by Brushy Mountain Bee Farm.
Sunday, April 8
Showtime: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Staff on duty: Stephanie Ostrenga from 9 a.m.–12 p.m.; Liz Slajus from 12 p.m. – clean-up
9:30 – 10:15 a.m. Inviting Mason Bees to your Backyard by Jim Wilson, Brushy Mountain Bee Farm, Pennsylvania - Join Jim to learn more about mason bees and the importance of these native pollinators. Home gardeners will discover ways to invite them into the landscape and gardens. One lucky attendee can win a mason bee hotel donated by Brushy Mountain Bee Farm.
11:30 – 12:15 p.m. How to safely preserve your harvest by Stephanie Ostrenga, MSU Extension food safety educator - Fresh produce provides many nutritional benefits, yet we often end up with more vegetables than what we can eat. Different methods of food preservation provide wonderful options to save the excess. Stephanie will share tips and tricks, so you can safely preserve your harvest.
Contact: Rebecca Krans, kransr@anr.msu.edu, 906-875-0606
Education Credit Hours: Depends on number of sessions attended.
