SHELBURNE, Vt. — On Nov. 2 gardeners will have an opportunity to hear from several horticultural experts at the University of Vermont (UVM) Extension Master Gardener Conference in Shelburne, including keynote speaker Gary Oppenheimer, founder of AmpleHarvest.org.
Oppenheimer will describe how his national non-profit organization uses technology to connect gardeners who have extra fruit and vegetables with food pantries to help end food waste and hunger in the U.S. The conference will take place at the Pizzagalli Center for Art and Education at the Shelburne Museum (6000 Shelburne Rd.) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Anyone interested in gardening is invited to attend the conference, which is sponsored annually by the UVM Extension Master Gardener Program. This year’s theme is Caring for People, Plants and Our Planet.
Registration to attend in person is $70 ($60 for Master Gardeners) and includes a light breakfast, lunch and access to the Shelburne Museum and exhibits in the Pizzagalli Center. New this year is the option to watch the conference online for a $58 fee ($48 for Master Gardeners).
The registration deadline is Oct. 25 or Nov. 1 for the online option. For conference information or to register, visit http://go.uvm.edu/emgconference. To request a disability-related accommodation to participate, please call Beret Halverson at (802) 656-1777 by Oct. 11.
The program will feature talks by Julie Moir Messervy, a Bellows Falls landscape designer, on creating beautiful and meaningful landscapes, and Matthew Benson, a New York photographer, writer and organic farmer, on growing extraordinary vegetables and fruits. Benson also is the co-founder of Cultivate Apothecary, a farm-grown botanical beauty and wellness brand.
Ann Hazelrigg and Victor Izzo, UVM Plant and Soil Science Department, will discuss pests and plant diseases in a changing climate. Charlie Nardozzi, a nationally recognized horticultural consultant, speaker and radio and TV host, will provide tips to help gardeners identify native, weed and invasive plants in their gardens.
For more information contact the UVM Extension Master Gardener Program office at (802) 656-9562 or master.gardener@uvm.edu.
–UVM Extension
Master Gardener Program Office
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