Workshops

Gardens don't have to end when frosts come in October. Expand your garden's production, and feel happier about your winter trips to the grocery store! September's the month for planting fall and winter greens, and there's still time to get some root crops in too. Come and get info on how to grow a bountiful winter garden, how to keep your veggies alive through zero-degree nights, and how to enjoy good harvests all the way until April! Emphasis will be on low-tech production ? floating row cover, mulch, a good thermometer, and an eye on the weather are all you need.

Herbalist and long-time master gardener Barbara Brousse returns with her ever-popular High Tea Workshop. Barbara tells the history of tea, explains about different kinds of tea, and demonstrates what she likes to call "The Elegant Art of Tea" - the proper way to serve this traditional beverage that is so important in many cultures. Barbara includes information and stories about using various herbs in teas and features black tea as well as others. "After all", she says,"Camellia sinensis is an herb, too!"

Late Summer and Early Fall Fruit Tasting
(This will be done at the Vintage Virginia Apples site)
by Tom Burford

Late stone fruits like the October peach and early summer apples such as Summer Rambo and Detroit Red extend the fruiting season when summer stone fruits and many apples and pears are between major production times.

Pairing Heritage Fruit and Artisan Cheese
by Tom Burford and Kate Collier

This focused tasting is designed for you to taste for yourself which fruits go best with which types of cheeses. The tasting is hosted by Tom Burford, one of the world's leading experts in Heritage apples and Kate Collier, artisan cheese expert and co-owner of Feast! All attendees will have the opportunity to taste many styles of cheese and a selection of our area's finest Heritage fruit. A worksheet of tasting notes and pairing guidelines is provided.

Enjoy an informal tour of the perennial gardens at Tufton Farm with Center for Historic Plants director Peggy Cornett and learn about the fall bloomers in the Center's collection.

Hands on Propagation of Woodland Medicinals
by Dr. Jeanine Davis

Learn from an expert how to divide and propagate woodland medicinals like Black Cohosh, Bloodroot, and Goldenseal. Then take your division home to get started growing your own forest medicinals. $10 Reservations required. Make payment and reservations at Monticello

Growing and Marketing Ginseng, Goldenseal, and Other Woodland Medicinals
by Dr. Jeanine Davis

Practical recommendations on methods of growing ginseng, goldenseal, black cohosh and other native forest medicinal plants. The workshop will also cover opportunities for both beginning and experienced growers to profit from sustainable non-timber crops from their woodlots. An equally valuable session for those looking to make a profit and those wanting a horticultural challenge.

Precious Refreshment: Cider-Making
by Kerry Gilmer and Tom Burford

It was a significant event when Americans began eating their fruit rather than drinking it. Fruit Gardener Kerry Gilmer and Tom Burford will first review our Virginia cider-making tradition, and then demonstrate the process itself in Monticello's South Orchard. Although you will need to help turn the crank, the cider made from the Hughes' Crab, described as "ambrosia" by one apple enthusiast, will be your just reward. Meets at Tufton Farm, 9:30 a.m. $10 Reservations required. Make payment and reservations at Monticello

Thomas Jefferson's Revolutionary Garden
by Peter Hatch

Thomas Jefferson's Kitchen Garden at Monticello was an Ellis Island of new and unusual plants from around the world. Learn about this experimental laboratory and some of the 330 vegetable varieties that provided the Monticello kitchen with the ingredients of a new American cuisine.

Well-Sweep Herb Farm: Tour of Rare and Unusual Herbs
by CYRUS HYDE of WELL-SWEEP FARM one of the premier herb collections on the East Coast.

Enjoy a slide tour of the rare and unusual herbs at Well-Sweep Herb Farm in Port Murray NJ with its proprietor, Cyrus Hyde. This is truly an exciting learning experience ? part herbal lesson, part horticulture history flashback, part taste test. Recognized as one of the premier herb farms in the United States, Hyde's 120 dazzling acres make herbal newcomers eager to learn more.

Join local herbalist and naturalist For a Medicinal herb walk through the field at the Tufton Farms. Learn some of the common weeds and medicinal herbs growing locally and how they can be used for health and food.

Slide presentation and discussion led by one of most active tomato enthusiasts in the Southeast. Get some fascinating background before you head for the Tomato Tasting event.

Medicinal Uses of Native Plants and Their Propagation Needs
by Kathleen Maier,Director of Sacred Plant Traditions

Herbalist Kathleen Maier will describe medicinal uses of well-loved native plants such as Black & Blue Cohosh, Panax spp, Aralia spp., Wild Ginger, Bloodroot and others. Representing the United Plant Savers, she will also discuss ways to help ensure the proliferation of these useful plants, and ecological harvesting techniques.

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Description coming soon!

Cricket emphasizes the importance of timing of seed harvesting, and post-harvest handling, to the preservation and vigor of heirloom seeds. Curing, threshing, roguing, and methods of seed storage will be covered. He will focus mainly on wet seeds like tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. Cricket will also show some small farm-scale equipment and plans for building your own.

A panel of experts and avid amateurs give tips and answer your questions about growing fruit in the backyard.

No-till techniques and practices for reducing tillage and building soil at the home garden scale.

Expert gardening "personality" and prolific author Felder Rushing explains Slow Gardening.

Slow gardening isn't lazy or passive. Your activities areproductive, not just senseless, repetitive chores. Focusing onseasonal rhythms and local conditions helps you get more from thegarden while appreciating how your time and energy arespent. Life has lots of pressures - why include them in the garden?

In 50 years we've gone from eating mostlyhome-cooked food, and gardening with mostly local resources, toroutine fast-food and "mow-and-blow" landscapes.

Slow Gardening to the rescue! Similar to Slow Food, a movement started in the 1980s by convivial connoisseurs whosavor traditional in-season dishes,a "slow-gardening" approach helps us enjoy our gardens year in andyear out.

Marie Taylor and Jillian Davis present this workshop about saving the harvest through freezing, canning, drying, pickling, and cold storage. Learn about the science, tools and techniques needed to safely store away vegetables and fruits for winter use. Learn which books to read and where you can buy the pressure cookers, canning jars, etc., that you will need. Taste home preserved treats like Pickled Watermelon Rind, Dill Pickles, Rhubarb Jam, Black Haw Jelly, sun-dried tomatoes, and sauerkraut fresh from the crock.

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Drawing on an ancient Igbo proverb from Nigeria, we look at African American heirlooms, heritage plants and wild resources and ways that we can promote awareness about their origin and significance. Drawing on models from living history and historical research combined with contemporary analysis of gardens cultivated by African Americans from rural communities today, we can reconstruct the gardens of the past and enhance the present-day eater's experience of produce and plate. We will discuss identifying African American heirlooms, traditional growing patterns, the origins of those crops and their links to West and Central Africa, cross-cultural links with Native American and European gardening traditions, and ways to energize people of color to participate in organic gardening, environmental stewardship, biodiversity and slow-eatin . Historically prepared food samples that utilize African American heirlooms and traditional recipes will be available.

Heirloom Garlic and Onions: How to Grow These Culinary Essentials
by Ira Wallace of www.SouthernExposure.com

Multiplier onions are easier to grow than most storage onions and can produce a greater yield per area than any other vegetable except staked tomatoes. Learn how to add these hardy, productive perennials to your farm or garden plans. In addition, learn about different heirloom garlic varieties and their planting, cultivation and harvest.

Identification of New and Exotic Insects
by Peter Warren

Description coming soon!

Potpourri: Using Herbs, Fragrant Flowers, and Spices
by Dennis Whetzel

Dennis will demonstrate an eighteenth-century recipe for making potpourri from old garden roses, fragrant heirloom flowers and herbs, and exotic spices. His workshop will include a discussion on the use of essential oils and fixatives for long-lasting fragrance. $10 Reservations required. Make payment and reservations at Monticello

You can easily save seeds from your (non-hybrid) beans and they offer the beginning seed saver a good chance for successful seed saving. This workshop offers tips for successful bean seed saving at home and an opportunity to see some of the many heirloom beans a gardener might grow and save.