Anyone Can Garden

“Anyone Can Garden!” a half-day free symposium focusing on the ease of creating simple, beautiful, and healthy gardens on a balcony, in a yard, or even in a straw bale, will be held at Harford Community College’s Chesapeake Center on Saturday, March 26, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The event promises to be entertaining as well as informative. Seating is limited and registration is required. Masking is mandatory and COVID protocols, such as social distancing, will be employed. Inclement weather date is Saturday, April 16.

“Anyone Can Garden!” features speaker Joyce Browning, University of Maryland Extension Horticulturalist and local YouTube personality. Ms. Browning also coordinates the UMD Harford County Extension’s Master Gardener Program. In addition, Andy Kness, Agricultural Agent for University of Maryland Extension, Harford County, will provide his expertise on a variety of topics. Additional presenters include Bari Klein, Executive Director of Healthy Harford, and Greg Murrell, Director of North Harford High School’s Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences Program, plus a panel of experts to answer your gardening questions.

The event will feature how to test your soil, sprout microgreens indoors, raise a salad in a milk jug, and how to cultivate vegetables in a straw bale. In the spirit of garden to table, we will demonstrate how to make your own salad dressing as a delicious addition to homegrown vegetables. Registrants will receive a “grow your own salad greens kit” to take home.

The symposium will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a free breakfast, and will feature local agricultural products and a Gardening Marketplace at which attendees can buy local products from a variety of vendors.

The symposium will take place in the Chesapeake Theater and Dining Rooms on the Harford Community College campus. There is no cost but attendees must register at tickets.harford.edu or call the College’s Ticket Office at 443.412.2211. Questions about the “Anyone Can Garden!” Symposium should be directed to Dr. Sharon Stowers at sstowers@harford.edu.

These popular annual Symposiums are a centerpiece of a multi-year collaboration between Harford County Government and Harford Community College that aims to educate and engage the community in the local agriculture and food system. To help fulfill this mission, this collaboration brings together a work group called the Farmers and Community Partnership of Harford County that consists of a variety of local nonprofit organizations.

Harford Community College offers more than 90 affordable degree and certificate programs of study both in-person and online, as well as a variety of noncredit community education and workforce development courses. Located on 352 acres near Bel Air, Harford Community College has been helping Harford Countians achieve their goals since 1957.