Learn about starting seeds, foraging wild plants, making cut flower bouquets and more when you attend spring and summer programs co-sponsored by Stearns Farm and the Sudbury Valley Trustees.
The programs, which are listed below, cost $5 for Stearns Farm and SVT members and $15 for non members, unless otherwise noted. All are open to the public. Most programs require advance registration. If there is a fee, payment online or by check is required in advance to secure your spot. Register online for these and dozens more SVT programs, or call 978-443-5588, ext. 123.
Starting Seeds Indoors for the Home Gardener
Sat., March 11, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Stearns Farm
Farm Manager Melanie Hardy will cover the basics of starting seeds at home for your home garden: selecting seed, storing seed, choosing soil, using heat mats and grow lights, etc. Registration is required, and space is limited.
[CANCELLED] Permaculture at Stearns Farm
Sat., May 6, 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Stearns Farm
Andrew Whittaker of Green Abundance by Design will discuss the core principles of permaculture, or the design and management of gardens and landscapes in harmony with nature. Registration is required.
Foraging at Stearns Farm
Wed., June 14, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Stearns Farm
Foraging expert Rachel Goclawski returns for a walk to collect wild plants and learn how to prepare and preserve them. Rachel will also focus on how to forage safely and sustainably. Registration is required.
Fermentation
Sat., June 24, 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Wolbach Farm, Sudbury
Fermenting vegetables extends their life and adds nutritional value. Mel will lead a workshop where participants will earn the basic science of fermentation, and make a jar of fermented goodies to take home. Registration is required.
Birds, Bees, & Butterflies in the Garden
Wed., July 19, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Christa McAuliffe Library, Framingham
Learn more about attracting pollinators to your garden with Lisa Vernegaard, SVT Executive Director. Using a stunning collection of photographs, Lisa will introduce some of the many winged creatures that benefit from nature-based gardening, and she will provide tips for increasing wildlife sightings. This program is free.
Cut Flower Basics
Sat., August 19, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Stearns Farm
Mel will lead a tour through the Stearns Farm pick-your-own flower field. Participants will learn the basics of flower cutting and make a large “farm style” bouquet to take home. Registration is required.
About the Stearns Farm and SVT partnership
The partnership between Stearns Farm and SVT to bring outdoor educational events to sharers continues a relationship that goes all the way back to 1959, when Margaret Welch donated 87 acres to SVT– then a relatively new regional land trust–for protection. The gift included the agricultural field where her close friend Penelope Turton grew organic vegetables and flowers—the land we now treasure as Stearns Farm.
SVT is a member-supported non-profit that conserves land and wildlife habitat in 36 communities. In all, SVT owns and cares for 4300 acres of conservation land surrounding the Concord, Assabet, and Sudbury Rivers. Some of these properties are working farms, whose protection enabled local families to continue farming their land instead of selling it for development. Other conserved lands include some of the region’s most important forests, wetlands, and grasslands—natural areas that support wildlife habitat and recreational trails.
