Green File Episode 35: Ben and Mark Spring Plans.

In this episode Ben chats with Lee Anne Downey of Stonewell Farm (https://www.stonewellfarm.ca/), a lavender growing operation outside Erin, Ontario. Lee Anne is also former President of the Ontario Lavender Association and a current Master Gardener, and she joins Ben to talk about this unique plant the various opportunities it presents for the Canadian gardener. 

Shane Jones is a professor or horticulture, food, and farming at Durham College and the new The Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture. Shane is helping to oversee the Barrett Centre's mission: Enhance the existing urban farm at the Durham College Whitby campus.Become a source for information, support and coaching for traditionally underserved and marginalized communities when it comes to urban agriculture initiatives including food security. Create a comprehensive and connected array of educational programs and materials in urban agriculture will be to meet growing employment needs.Create dozens of new opportunities in the years ahead for students to gain experience working on urban farms and in roles supporting the operations.Become home to a team of highly respected experts working to establish it as an internationally recognized hub of knowledge around sustainable urban agriculture. 

This week we talking with Helen Battersby: writer, gardener, garden speaker, TorontoGardens.com blogger, Gardener's Journal co-publisher, and a power-walker – though not always in that order! Helen is also a committed volunteer – for more than 18 years with the Toronto Master Gardeners, and as the Director of the international region for GardenComm, Garden Communicators InternationalYou can find Helen at https://www.torontogardens.com/

Returning guest Lorraine Johnson returns to talk with Ben about her new book A Garden for the Rusty Patched Bumblebee: Creating Habitat for Native Pollinators, co-authored with Sheila Colla. We talk about species at risk, and the unique relationship between pollinators we depend on and the plants they depend on in turn. https://lorrainejohnson.ca/https://douglas-mcintyre.com/products/9781771623230

Annabel is a lifelong educator, publisher, and environmentalist who is a Founding Chair of ClearWater Farm- the flagship project for Ontario Water Centre and a home for place based learning, educational farming, water conservation, regenerative agriculture, and economic development. Learn more by listening to our conversation and at https://clearwaterfarm.ca/

As Ben and Mark tackle two new gardens, looking to the season ahead.

This week Ben and Mark are celebrating 2022 - Year of the Garden! https://livethegardenlife.gardenscanada.ca/

This week we are chatting Dave Harvey, Executive Director of Park People, a non-profit supporting and mobilizing community park groups, community organizers, non-profits, park professionals and funders who activate the power of parks. Through Canada-wide and city-specific programs and events, funding, resources, research and professional services we help realize the power of parks to build strong communities, healthy environments, and resilient cities.

This is a must listen for anybody dealing with difficult soils: Mark's journey establishing a new garden in the "claybelt" of Markham, ON