Gardening for Self Sustainability
Join us for MERA’s Annual Garden Day May 24th
Spring is returning and whether you have a green thumb or not, there’s so much to learn about nature through gardening. Having a self-sufficient garden probably means something a little different to everyone. Developing skills and implementing systems for self sustainability can help your garden thrive and depend less on external sources. On Saturday May 24th, join us at the MERA Schoolhouse (974 Dalhousie Concession 9A, McDonald’s Corners) for the Annual Garden Day from 10 am to 2 pm.
Bring your seedlings and plants to sell starting at 10 am. You can either set up a table for sale (donating some of your proceeds to MERA), swap, or donate your seedlings to the MERA table. If you would like a table please email Tim Booth timothybooth9@gmail.com.
10:30 am – Melissa Cornacchia, Honey Bee Homestead: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme
These classic herbs are good for more than tomato sauce, stuffing, or roasted veggies! We’ll explore creative, everyday ways to grow, work with, and celebrate parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme—bringing their flavor, fragrance, and wellness benefits into your daily life.
11:00am Ankaret Dean, McDonalds Corners Basketry Museum: Make Your Own Garden Broom – Demonstration on how to make a garden broom using natural materials.
11:30am Bill Barrett: Foraging for Food – Bill moved here in the 1960’s and knows this area well. Come to his talk to learn about how to find, prepare and eat everything from cattails to wild garlic! Bill will also cook up something for us to try.
12:00pm Lunch is served by the MERA Cafe. The MERA Café will provide coffee, tea and snacks. Starting at noon, enjoy a lunch with beverage and dessert.
12:30pm Jennifer Ferris, Lost Lanark Legacy Fruit Trees: Seeking lost heritage fruit trees, to identify, and save, before they die off. These trees will be living where planted 75+ years ago, on old farms and homesteads in Lanark and Renfrew counties. Names nearly lost to time such as Black Gilliflower, King, Ontario, Princess Louise, Baldwin, St Lawrence, Haas, and Lanark Greening and many more (www.lostlanarklegacy.ca).
