10:30am-11:30am Donna Balzer GROW ORDINARY FOOD IN EXTRAORDINARY WAYS: Tips for success
Anyone can grow a potato or a strawberry plant but can you grow them under trees, in a straw bale, or on a
fence? Join story-telling gardener Donna Balzer as she reveals fun growing secrets to make use all the nooks
and crannies in your condo, balcony or large-scale garden this summer. This entertaining new presentation
is full of tips to grow common foods in uncommon ways.
Truth is stranger than fiction so this talk also includes the latest ideas from 5,000 years ago and the hidden
ingredients in organic fertilizers that will help you grow food faster.
11:45am-12:45pm Kath Smyth Roots and Shoots
Growing carrots, beets, radishes or other root vegetables can be more challenging than, say, growing a
zucchini or pole bean, but these long-storing staples are worth mastering. What's the secret to growing root
crops, whether the most familiar kinds, or even a turnip or parsnip? Vegetables grown underground are
called root vegetables. These vegetables have an edible root or tubers to go along with the beautiful greenery
(which in some cases is edible too) above-ground that can make a garden look amazing. For many people,
root crops don't have much appeal, perhaps because they think of them as an unglamorous part of the plant
that grows underground. In fact, root crops are crisp, colorful vegetables that have been eaten by royalty,
warriors and merchants at least since the beginning of recorded history. Both the roots and leafy tops are
flavorful, as well as being excellent sources of vitamins.
1:00pm-2:00pm Julie Walker The plight of wild edible plants and why growing them in the garden is a healthy idea for you
and for nature!
Donna Balzer has an Agriculture degree from the University of Alberta with a specialty in Horticulture and a passion to help gardeners grow. She is a freelance garden consultant, author, speaker and journalist for print media, radio and television. Donna co-hosted the award winning, internationally broadcast, “Bugs & Blooms” on HGTV, answers garden questions on CBC radio, and is a regular columnist for the Calgary Herald.
Kath Smyth is a horticulturist with extensive experience in the horticultural industry. Kath brings a wealth of knowledge and her unique humour to radio and television appearances, public presentations. Kath is passionate about helping gardeners achieve gardening success and is currently working as a Horticulturist for The Calgary Horticultural Society. She has been working in the Horticulture Industry for over 40 years and is a regular on CBC radio - Eyeopener and Alberta at noon and Global Morning, Calgary.