It has already been an exciting week full of new prospects and events (there are more to come), but to add to that I am thrilled to announce that in early September I will be traveling to the Berkshires in New York State to conduct a full-day workshop on saving seed and preserving garden bounty in Margaret Roach’s [of Awaytogarden.com] garden.

Over the years, Margaret’s property has taken on near-mythical qualities in my mind’s eye and I am absolutely giddy with the prospect of having it blown apart by all that I imagine there is to discover in a well-loved and established garden built and tended by a creative force like Margaret.

I hope you will be able to join us for a day of fun, sharing, discovery, and learning, but since we know that not everyone can make the journey, Margaret is offering a giveaway of two copies of my most recent book, “Easy Growing: Organic Herbs and Edible Flowers from Small Spaces.” Please head over to her site to enter to win.

Banking the Bounty Workshop
Saving Seed and Preserving the Harvest
Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012
A Way to Garden HQ (Margaret Roach): Copake Falls, NY

Register for the workshop here.

Description:

Join me for a full day of hands-on learning in an inspiring indoor/outdoor space, the garden of host Margaret Roach of A Way to Garden. The focus is on preserving the garden’s bounty for the future, and our day will be broken up into two, 2½-hour workshops, plus light breakfast and full lunch:

9:30 to 10:00 – greeting and light breakfast
10-12:30 – first session: Seed Saving
12:30-1:30 – lunch with Q&A/discussion
1:30 to 4 – second workshop: Preserving Garden Bounty
4:00 – book signing, etc. (departure by 4:30)

Each jam-packed, 2½-hour learning session will cover everything you need to know with lots of thrifty tips and inspiring ideas pertinent to both large and small-scale gardens.

$165 for the day, including breakfast and lunch; limited to 15 students. Tickets can be purchased here, but will sell out fast as space is very limited.

Event details:

AM: Seed Saving

Whether your goal is to save money or preserve our botanical heritage, the morning’s workshop will cover everything you need to know about harvesting and storing seeds from your own garden. This session will begin with a romp through Margaret’s garden, identifying and collecting seed from a variety of sources – tomatoes, squash, herbs, flowers, and more – followed by hands-on demonstrations and discussion of a variety of simple methods, no specialized equipment required. We’ll even make colorful origami seed packets, perfect for gifting.

PM: Preserving the Garden’s Bounty

We’ll spend the afternoon learning how to harvest, preserve, and store delicious, in-season delights that can be enjoyed now and straight through until next year. We’ll cover herbs, edible flowers, vegetables, and fruits, including a range of methods from drying, to pickling, making herbal vinegars and oils, freezing, vodka and honey infusions, and more. This course is designed for a small group with emphasis on one-on-one support and interaction. Leave with the know-how and confidence to start preserving at home.

Register for the workshop here.

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And in case you need further tempting to make the trip to visit us, here’s a peek at Margaret’s property. It looks lush, tranquil, and inviting. I can’t wait to see it in person! [All photos below are courtesy of Margaret Roach]

Aren’t these chairs gorgeous? According to Margaret they are Wave Hill Chairs. The pattern is available for $10 at WaveHill.org.

See you in the garden!