Daily Archives: March 23, 2011

Sunday, April 3, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Bioluminescent Animals: Flashlight Fish, Fireflies, and the World of Light Emitting Organisms

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You have probably seen the marvelous flashing of fireflies at dusk in summer, but less well-known are the many different types of luminous organisms in the oceans, and some others on land. On Sunday, April 3, beginning at 2 pm, Harvard’s Woody Hastings, a pioneer in the study of bioluminescence, will explore how and why creatures do this, show live specimens from his collection of glowing dinoflagellates (a type of plankton), and discuss how scientists are discovering new benefits of bioluminescence for medical research. Free with Harvard Museum of Natural History (26 Oxford St., Cambridge) admission. Log on to www.hmnh.harvard.edu, or call 617-495-3045 for more information.

Friday, April 1, 7:00 pm, and Saturday, April 2, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm – Edible Ecosystem Weekend

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Get your hands dirty as you help implement Wellesley College Botanic Gardens’ Edible Ecosystem Demonstration Garden, located on the slope below Whitin Observatory.  This landscape, designed by permaculture experts Dave Jacke and Keith Zaltzberg with the assistance of several Wellesley students, mimics the forest in structure and function while providing diverse yields of food, habitat, and research opportunities.  Begin with an introductory talk Friday evening on the theory behind “edible ecosystems.”  Then join us for as much of Saturday as you can, immersed in a mix of hands-on learning and formal presentations on the design process, land management strategies, and ecosystem design.  Gain valuable experience as part of a work team planting baby trees, transplanting and propagating existing vegetation, and laying down the largest week-suppressing sheet-mulch the town of Wellesley has ever seen.  Workshop participants should dress for a day of work in the garden.  Long pants and sturdy, close-toed shoes are required.  Plan to bring a hat, work gloves, you own tools (label them, please), sunscreen, bug repellent, lunch, water and snacks.  Introductory talk: $10 Wellesley College Friends of Horticulture members, $15 non-members.  Workshop: $60 Wellesley College Friends of Horticulture members, $75 non-members.  Pre-registration required – call 781-283-3094, or email horticulture@wellesley.edu.

Sunday, March 27, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Soil Remediation Workshop

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Soil health plays a critical role in both the quality and quantity of the food we produce. Unfortunately, many of us are faced with the reality of toxins in our soil, which limit our soil’s health and expose gardeners and consumers to risk. In this Sunday, March 27 workshop, beginning at 2 pm at the Codman Community Farms, 58 Codman Road in Lincoln,  you will learn about the possible contaminants gardeners face (from lead to residual herbicides and pesticides) and how to accurately test soil to assess potential risks. Instructor Derek Christianson (below) will then go over strategies on how to exclude, mitigate, and/or remediate compromised soils. Underlying his conversation will be discussions and hands-on activity designed to help you understand the basics of soil chemistry and build an understanding of soil amendments used to correct mineral deficiencies in our soils. Cost: $30.  Derek Christianson is a farmer and community educator at Brix Bounty Farm in Dartmouth, MA (www.brixbounty.com).

To register for the workshop or for more information please visit www.nofamass.org or contact Laura Eppstein at (617) 913-0538, or by email at laura@nofamass.org.