Upcoming events for spring 2022

Spring is upon us, and with it comes a flurry of activity in the world of gardening!  Check out this array of events to complement, inspire, or enhance your garden plans:

Gardening Matters Day

Saturday, April 9, 2022, 10am – noon at the Yates County Building Auditorium

Admission: $20.00 or donation

Program Topics:

• Growing Peanuts in New York State - Cheryl Flynn, Yates County Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator
• Companion Planting - Beverly Barnwell, Master Gardener Volunteer
• Gardening in Climate Change – Arlene Wilson, Yates County Cornell Cooperative Extension Executive Director, Master Gardener Volunteer
• Growing Apples for Hard Cider - Lindsey Dawkins, apple cider orchard owner
• Everything You Wanted to Know About Pollinators - Caroline Boutard-Hunt, Agricultural Educator

This event will be held indoors at the Yates County Building Auditorium (face coverings are encouraged, but not required) with social distancing protocols in place. All attendees will receive a free “Garden in a Bag" collection of vegetable, herb, and flower seeds.

Pre-registration is required, as space is limited.  To RSVP, visit https://bit.ly/gmday2022 or call Cornell Cooperative Extension-Yates County at (315) 536-5123.  For questions or additional information, contact Caroline Boutard-Hunt at cb239@cornell.edu.

Native Plant Sale

Saturday, May 21, 9am – noon at the Penn Yan Public Library gazebo

Penn Yan Community Garden Vegetable Varieties Project 2022

At the Garden (Pleasant Ave, Penn Yan)

Our 2022 trial will feature vegetables with connections to cultures from Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and Indigenous Peoples of New York. We have chosen the five-bed trail that features:

• First Peoples – Sunflower and Bean
• Herbs for People and Pollinators
• Central America – Salsa Bed
• South Americas – Fingerling Potato
• Central Americas – Summer Squash

The seeds are provided from Harris Seed Company and True Love Seeds. There will be signage on all the garden beds and recipes will be provided for all the produce grown, which will be printed and distributed to the Hope Center Food Pantry.  Cheryl's goal is to donate over 600 pounds of produce this year!

New Master Gardener Projects 2022

The Master Gardeners will be growing pepper, garlic, potatoes, and tomatoes to donate to Milly’s Pantry this year! There will be a total of twenty beds to be maintained and harvested from. Master Gardeners will also be working with Habitat for Humanity’s new homeowner, designing the front landscaping, helping them plant and maintain a garden, and educating them on gardening practices. Penn Yan School FFA and Agriculture class will be building raised vegetable garden beds in the backyard.

This will be an exciting year! If you would like to be part of our gardening family and purchase a garden bed for $25.00 (including soil, water, use of gardening tools) at the Penn Yan Community Garden, please contact Cheryl Flynn at cj348@cornell.edu.