WALPOLE, N.H. – 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.
BCS Tractor Training- April 18, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Cheshire County Farm, River Road, Westmoreland, N.H.
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 three-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, www.cheshireconservation.org/farm-equipment-rentals.
In 2019, the 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 inch flail mower and 30 inch roller-crimper for mowing over or rolling down cover crops, a 30 inch power harrow for seedbed prep and tillage/weed control, a 30 inch 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.
Register here, www.eventbrite.com/e/bcs-tractor-training-tickets-551507312217.
Know Your Garden Tools, April 19, 4-5 p.m., Keene Public Library Huntress Auditorium, or Zoom.
Monadnock Grows Together, CCCD, and 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 broad forks, 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. We will send you the Zoom link at least a day before the presentation. For an invitation, please register here and provide a valid email address, www.eventbrite.com/e/cover-cropping-tickets-588382376527.
Cover Cropping, April 22, 1-2:30 p.m., Antioch University New England, 40 Avon St., Keene, N.H.
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.
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, 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. Register here, www.eventbrite.com/e/cover-cropping-tickets-588382376527.
Easing Your Gardening, May 20, 1-2 p.m., Healthy Home Habitats’ demonstration gardens, 25 Beech St., Keene, N.H.
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 on May 20 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, and options.
Easy-peasy first year plant choices to span the growing season.
Miracle mulch options.
Plant companions for many reasons.
Fertilizing: Both the stinky and invisible.
Insects: Strategizing for the beneficial and the dastardly.
Please park on Beech Street. 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. 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. Register here, www.eventbrite.com/e/easing-your-gardening-tickets-588376127837.
For questions or assistance in registration email info@cheshireconservation.org or call 603-756-2988 ext. 3011.