by Connie Oswald Stofko Where else can you find gardening articles that are so timely and are focused on Western New York? This week Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com brought you an article about our warm weather and what it means for Western New York gardeners. We let you know what you should be doing– and should not be doing — in your garden right now. We always give you lots of tips and hints that really work in our area. We use lots…...
Are cinder blocks OK for vegetable gardens? Answers to that & other soil safety questions
by Connie Oswald Stofko Is it safe to use cinder blocks in a raised bed, or might chemicals from the concrete blocks leach out of the blocks to contaminate your soil and food plants you grow there? Can you use pressure treated lumber? Can you grow food plants in the hellstrip, the area between the street and sidewalk? John Farfaglia, extension educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension in Niagara County, responded to my questions on soil safety. Cinder blocks in raised…...
Spooky fairy garden workshops set at Mischler’s; includes discount on fairy items
Fairy garden workshops with a Halloween theme will be held on Saturday, Oct. 17 at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouse, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. The same workshop will be held at 10 a.m. and again at 2 p.m. The fee is $25, which includes a 12-inch bowl, potting mix, plants and a Halloween fairy figurine. Upon receipt of payment, you will receive a coupon redeemable for a one-time 10 percent discount on all items purchased from Mischler’s Fairy Nook. The…...
World on Your Plate conference to address food, environment, sustainability
The 12th annual World on Your Plate conference will be held Friday and Saturday, Oct. 9 and 10 in the Wick Campus Center at Daemen College, 4380 Main St., Amherst. Hours are 7 – 9:30 p.m. Friday and 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday. This year’s conference will celebrate the International Year of Soil. Jonathan Bloom, author of American Wasteland, will speak on “The Food Not Eaten” on Friday. Rowen White from SeedSavers will speak on “Seeds – Components to…...
Learn how to identify trees in one of a series of fall classes in Albion
Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extensive Master Gardeners will hold their fall education series at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds, 12690 NY-31, Albion. To register for classes contact Kim Hazel at (585) 798-4265, ext. 26 or mgorleanscce@cornell.edu. The classes will be: Basic tree identification 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19 – Harrington Classroom in the Education Center at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds The cost is $5. Bring the whole family and enjoy a walk through the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension’s grounds, followed by…...
You can raise chickens in your backyard; find out more in two classes
by Connie Oswald Stofko “Chickens are easy to take care of, they don’t cost a lot and they can be good pets, said Amanda Henning, Agriculture and Food Systems Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County. But before you run out and get a bunch of fuzzy chicks, find out what is really involved in raising chickens. Henning, who raises chickens herself, will teach two classes on “Backyard Chickens” in the small meeting room of the 4-H Training Center of…...
Decorate for fall by making a large still life; get fresh produce, too
Your perennials may be waning, but there are many ways you can have color and interest in your yard during autumn. One idea is to make a large still life. Start with some hay bales from Goodman’s Farm Market, 2227 Cayuga Drive Extension, Niagara Falls. Add other colorful items from Goodman’s that evoke the season, such as pumpkins, gourds and Indian corn. Arrange the items loosely on top of the bales or beside the bales, or group the items in…...
Make a pumpkin centerpiece and more in classes at Lockwood’s
Lockwood’s Greenhouses is holding a series of hands-on workshops at the garden center, 4484 Clark St., Hamburg. A favorite from past years is making a pumpkin centerpiece at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24. Lockwood’s has grown many specialty pumpkins for this project, where succulents are attached to the pumpkin. It will last all autumn– and beyond. The succulents can be transplanted into a pot to continue growing as houseplants. The class includes instruction, plants, pumpkins and care sheet. The class…...
Learn about biotechnology and its effects in a three-part webinar series
What is biotechnology? What effect does it have on our environment? Learn more in this three-part webinar series with a panel of six university researchers sharing their perspectives on biotechnology in our food production systems. Each session will end with an audience Q & A. Join the conversation. A webinar is a live meeting that takes place on the internet. You can listen to the presenters and type in your question at the end. Part 1: Wednesday, Sept. 23, noon – 1…...
Wondering how to tell which mushrooms are edible? Learn on the fall mushroom walk
How do you plan an event that requires rain when you can’t predict the weather? You invite folks to sign up if they are interested, then call them when the cool and rainy conditions needed are present and the mushrooms produced. Those are the plans of the Audubon Nature Center for their Fall Mushroom Walk, an event part of their Taste of Nature Series. The workshop will be at the Audubon Nature Center, 1600 Riverside Rd, one-quarter mile east of Route…...