Growing the Pea, Carrot, and Lettuce Families

Did you know that less than 1% of the insect species in the world are the so-called bad bugs that eat us, our livestock, and/or our food? The other 99% are necessary to keeping a healthy environment in our gardens. They help pollinate our crops, eat the bad bugs, and help keep our gardens healthy in many ways.

Learn how to save money by growing your own transplants.

This class in the Growing Groceries series will focus on growing all things Cucurbit!

Growing Tomatoes, Potatoes, Peppers & Eggplant We'll cover the Nightshade (Solanaceae) family which includes tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and peppers. Being mostly heat lovers, each member of the family has unique requirements to achieve good production in our marine climate. Topics covered include variety selection, cultural requirements, as well as the major disease and pests affecting these species. Jeff Thompson, Master Gardener and Growing Groceries Instructor has been growing tomatoes since he was a child and has developed techniques that help coax an impressive harvest of luscious, ripe tomatoes…

Register early to save your spot; space in the three hands-on workshops is limited to ensure a quality experience. Basics of Safe Canning Wed. May 15; 6:30-9pm With the right recipes and methods, it’s easy to provide your family with safe, nutritious home-canned products. Learn the basics of food safety and canning skills, including bacteria and food spoilage, canning equipment, and canning high/low acid foods. This class is essential for anyone new to the science of canning as well as for…

Register early to save your spot; space in the three hands-on workshops is limited to ensure a quality experience. Basics of Safe Canning Thur. May 30; 6:30-9pm With the right recipes and methods, it’s easy to provide your family with safe, nutritious home-canned products. Learn the basics of food safety and canning skills, including bacteria and food spoilage, canning equipment, and canning high/low acid foods. This class is essential for anyone new to the science of canning as well as for…

Register early to save your spot; space in the three hands-on workshops is limited to ensure a quality experience. Jams, Jellies, and Spreads Wed. June 12; 6:30-9pm Delight in the bright flavors of fresh fruit and discover how easy it is to capture sunshine in a jar. Learn how to create that perfect balance of fruit, sweetener, and other ingredients to enhance flavor and shelf life with research-based recipes. Low and no sugar recipes covered. After a short presentation on the basics, teams of…

Register early to save your spot; space in the three hands-on workshops is limited to ensure a quality experience. Jams, Jellies, and Spreads Thur. June 27; 6:30-9pm Delight in the bright flavors of fresh fruit and discover how easy it is to capture sunshine in a jar. Learn how to create that perfect balance of fruit, sweetener, and other ingredients to enhance flavor and shelf life with research-based recipes. Low and no sugar recipes covered. After a short presentation on the basics, teams of…

Register early to save your spot; space in the three hands-on workshops is limited to ensure a quality experience. Pickling and Fermenting Wed. July 10; 6:30-9pm Crisp, tasty pickles are the ultimate test of a canner’s skill. Learn how to make a great product every time. In addition, we’ll look at the traditional art of fermentation with a hands-on sauerkraut-making session. After a short presentation on the basics, teams of no more than four will work together to make and process a…

Register early to save your spot; space in the three hands-on workshops is limited to ensure a quality experience. Pickling and Fermenting Thur. July 25; 6:30-9pm Crisp, tasty pickles are the ultimate test of a canner’s skill. Learn how to make a great product every time. In addition, we’ll look at the traditional art of fermentation with a hands-on sauerkraut-making session. After a short presentation on the basics, teams of no more than four will work together to make and process a…

Register early to save your spot; space in the three hands-on workshops is limited to ensure a quality experience. Tomatoes, Salsa, & Relish Wed. July 31; 6:30-9pm Learn how to turn the local abundance of tomatoes and fresh vegetables into jars of color and flavor for the dreary days of winter. After a short presentation on the basics, teams of no more than four will work together to make and process a batch of salsa from locally grown fresh ingredients. Everyone…

Register early to save your spot; space in the three hands-on workshops is limited to ensure a quality experience. Tomatoes, Salsa, & Relish Thur. Aug 8; 6:30-9pm Learn how to turn the local abundance of tomatoes and fresh vegetables into jars of color and flavor for the dreary days of winter. After a short presentation on the basics, teams of no more than four will work together to make and process a batch of salsa from locally grown fresh ingredients. Everyone…