A tiny pollinator feasts on flowers at Sweet Autumn Farm, Carlisle. Photograph by Katharine Endicott.
SEED SWAP GUIDELINES
This section describes what to bring, what to expect.
Q: Do I have to bring seeds to swap?
A: Nope, you can certainly take home some seeds from the selection that generous gardeners and seed companies offer. However, it is more fun when everyone brings a little something to share. Some good bets are extras from your favorite vegetable seed packets (tomatoes are always a great hit...you may have more squash seeds than you expect to plant...or varieties you're just trying and are willing to share with others...) And we'll be posting lists of good flowering plants for native pollinators under the Resources section below -- stay tuned. And if you invest in open-pollinated seeds or heirloom seeds this year, you could have extras at the end of the year that you can use or share next year.
Q: What else will I need?
A: Some sort of envelopes to pack each type of seed into, and markers to ID what you have. They can be small coin envelopes from office supply stores or online (these are the best buy; seed envelopes from seed houses can cost almost 10 cents apiece). Another option is the make-your own origami envelopes described here. You might also want a bring small notebook to jot down things you want to remember. Bring a small, easy-to-identify tote to collect your stuff in.
Q: What other kinds of things will I learn at the Swap?
A: We've assembled some great materials on gardening or farming with native pollinators in mind. Organizations like the Xerces society, The Pollinator Partnership, and Beyond Pesticides offer interesting online resources to help us rethink how we garden or farm. "Seedsaving 101" guidelines are available, thanks to pioneering work at the Concord Public Library and elsewhere. There will be revolving slideshows, group Q and A discussions, sample books, catalogs, and resource publications, with an open invitation to contribute or download materials from the Carlisle Garden Club website.
Q: Who will be there?
A: Representatives from Clark Farm, the Carlisle Garden Club, and the EAC of the First Religious Society -- as well as others who care about our natural environment & our food sources. Knowledgeable and enthusiastic Carlisle gardeners and small farmers. You'll find friends and neighbors to answer your questions and wonderful folks to chat with.
Q: May I invite friends from out of town?
A: Yes. If they plan to attend the potluck, they can either register on your invitation reply, or request an invitation of their own. To request an invitation, email cgc.potluck@gmail.com
A: Nope, you can certainly take home some seeds from the selection that generous gardeners and seed companies offer. However, it is more fun when everyone brings a little something to share. Some good bets are extras from your favorite vegetable seed packets (tomatoes are always a great hit...you may have more squash seeds than you expect to plant...or varieties you're just trying and are willing to share with others...) And we'll be posting lists of good flowering plants for native pollinators under the Resources section below -- stay tuned. And if you invest in open-pollinated seeds or heirloom seeds this year, you could have extras at the end of the year that you can use or share next year.
Q: What else will I need?
A: Some sort of envelopes to pack each type of seed into, and markers to ID what you have. They can be small coin envelopes from office supply stores or online (these are the best buy; seed envelopes from seed houses can cost almost 10 cents apiece). Another option is the make-your own origami envelopes described here. You might also want a bring small notebook to jot down things you want to remember. Bring a small, easy-to-identify tote to collect your stuff in.
Q: What other kinds of things will I learn at the Swap?
A: We've assembled some great materials on gardening or farming with native pollinators in mind. Organizations like the Xerces society, The Pollinator Partnership, and Beyond Pesticides offer interesting online resources to help us rethink how we garden or farm. "Seedsaving 101" guidelines are available, thanks to pioneering work at the Concord Public Library and elsewhere. There will be revolving slideshows, group Q and A discussions, sample books, catalogs, and resource publications, with an open invitation to contribute or download materials from the Carlisle Garden Club website.
Q: Who will be there?
A: Representatives from Clark Farm, the Carlisle Garden Club, and the EAC of the First Religious Society -- as well as others who care about our natural environment & our food sources. Knowledgeable and enthusiastic Carlisle gardeners and small farmers. You'll find friends and neighbors to answer your questions and wonderful folks to chat with.
Q: May I invite friends from out of town?
A: Yes. If they plan to attend the potluck, they can either register on your invitation reply, or request an invitation of their own. To request an invitation, email cgc.potluck@gmail.com
RESOURCES
GENERAL READING LISTS
NATIVE PLANTS - NEW ENGLAND
POLLINATORS
SEED STARTING AND SAVING
TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL
SPECIAL PROJECTS
- Some must-read gardening books. A list compiled by Leslie Thomas of Sweet Autumn Farm, Carlisle.
- Concord's Seed Lending Library booklist. Up-to-date book recommendations from the Concord Seed Lending Library, including some seed starting and saving how-to's, and a couple of good books about gardening with kids.
- A link to the Storey Publishing Country Wisdom series. A landmark series of Country Wisdom Bulletins covered every conceivable topic: How to garden; to homestead; to build a root cellar or a smokehouse; to keep chickens, bees, horses, pigs, or ducks... Follow this link to browse online through an endless series of guides. You can also search for good used copies through www.abebooks.com.
NATIVE PLANTS - NEW ENGLAND
- Tower Hill Botanic Garden native wetland plants. A guide to several dozen delightful wetland plants at Hope H. Spear Wildlife Refuge Pond at the garden in Boylston, MA. Visit them throughout the growing year; plant them in your own landscape.
- The Garden in the Woods in Framingham, MA reopens for the season on April 15 of each year.
- Native plants of New England: recommended books and websites. A thoughtful compilation by the nonprofit Grow Native Massachusetts. The Program tab of this website also contains a video archive of expert speakers addressing native habitats and species.
POLLINATORS
- Join the Million Pollinator garden challenge. A list from Pollinator.org.
- Fast facts about pollination. A reminder for National Pollinator Week, June 19-25, 2017.
- Questions to ask about pollinators, plants, pesticides. Some online resources collected by past CGC President Deb Van Walsum.
- A farmer's bill of rights. Written for the small farmer, these right also belong to anyone who wants to grow some or all of their own food.
SEED STARTING AND SAVING
- Seed Saving 101 reprint from the Concord, MA Seed Library. Scanned copy of pamphlet from the Concord Seed Lending Library.
- Seed help and other gardening FAQs from Margaret Roach. A summary of gardening info from the former garden editor of Martha Stewart Living. Based on her country property in Hudson River valley in Copake, NY.
- Some basics of seed starting and saving: How Carlisle benefits. Various links: A Way to Garden blog by Margaret Roach and to a NOFA (New England Organic Farming Association) reprint of Homegrown Seed Basics from Tevis Robertson-Goldberg of Crabapple Farm in Chesterfield, MA.
TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL
- "Figuring it out" in Concord's new climate. Some basics of sustainable organic farming in the new, challenging climates of Concord and Carlisle, presented by Ben Elliott and Mark Congdon of Salt Box Farm on Lowell Road in Concord.
- Sylvia Davatz and the Upper Valley Localvores of Hartland, VT. This active consortium has taken the local food movement to a whole new level by establishing a seed library and a catalog of open-pollinated seeds. They have even identified sources of local foods that are available year-round, using frozen local produce.
- Seed sharing at the Upper Valley Seed Library. Links to their website.
SPECIAL PROJECTS
- The Lost Ladybug Project. How to participate in the Cornell ladybug identification project. This could be a good project with kids.
- Carlisle's herbal mosquito solution. Try these flowers and herbs for organic protection against our town's favorite predator. Most of them can be rubbed directly on the skin or clothing for extra effect.