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Workshops
Let’s learn, grow, and inspire positive change together with a focus on sustainability and organic farming! Join us for workshops on local ecology, sustainable agriculture, wild crafting, gardening, climate change mitigation, cooking with farm-grown organic ingredients, and more.
Upcoming
• February 25 — Cultivating Pollinator and Songbird Conservation with Native Plants
• March 2 — Grow & Save: Learn Seed Saving with Free Seeds and Supplies
• March 8 — Dams, Power, and Ecology: Finding Balance in the Connecticut River Valley
• March 18 — Vermont’s Natural Communities
• April 5 — Learn How to Propagate Native Woody Shrubs
• April 19 — Grow & Save: Learn Seed Saving with Free Seeds and Supplies
• April 22 — Conservation in Your Backyard: How to Build Better Habitat for Pollinators
Financial Support Info
Cultivating Pollinator and Songbird Conservation with Native Plants
Date: Tuesday, February 25th
Time: 1:00–2:00 p.m.
Cost: Free
Location: Montshire Museum of Science, 1 Montshire Rd, Norwich, VT 05055
Gardens are created to be beautiful, but they can be ecologically functional as well. Strategically choosing native plants and nature-friendly management practices can transform the places we live, work, and play into living landscapes that sustain local food webs. In this talk, conservation scientist Dr. Desiree Narango will provide background on the ecological and evolutionary relationships between native plants and native insects, why insects matter to birds, and steps you can take in your yards and gardens to improve habitat for wildlife. She will also share her recent work comparing native and non-native plants and share evidence for why native plants are an essential component of wildlife habitat.
This workshop presentation is part of the Pollinator Learning Series, presented by the Vermont Center for Ecostudies, in collaboration with the Montshire Museum of Science and Cedar Circle Farm and Education Center, and made possible by One Hive Foundation.
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Grow & Save: Learn Seed Saving with Free Seeds and Supplies
Date: Sunday, March 2nd (also offered on 4/19)
Time: 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Cost: Free
Join Ruth Fleishman of Upper Valley Seed Savers for a free, informative workshop on seed saving! In partnership with Upper Valley Seed Savers, this event is open to all and offers a chance to explore the fascinating life cycles of plants, understand different pollination methods, and learn key techniques for preserving the seeds of both easy-to-save crops and those that present more challenges.
Members of UVSS will have seeds to share after the seed saving talk. Thanks to donations from Cedar Circle Farm and Education Center, attendees will also receive free gardening supplies, including seeds, pots, trays, and row covers, to take home and use in their own gardens. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, connect, and grow your gardening skills!
About the Presenter: Ruth Fleishman lives in West Hartford, Vermont and has been saving seeds in her home garden since 2009. After many years of just growing lots of food, saving seeds has added a fascinating new dimension to her gardens and a new layer of community-resilience. Ruth is one of the original members of the Upper Valley Seed Savers, a group that meets on the second Sunday of every month. She says, “We learn as we go, from each other, from books and, most importantly, from what happens in our own gardens. We welcome new members!”
Dams, Power, and Ecology: Finding Balance in the Connecticut River Valley
Date: Saturday, March 8th
Time: 1:00–2:00 p.m.
Cost: Free
Rivers have always been important to humans. But as we placed more demands on our rivers—travel, irrigation, and power—we increased our attempts to control them with corresponding impacts to the landscape, wildlife and other humans. Can we have our dams and the benefits they provide and keep our river systems healthy too?
This presentation is inspired by the current hydropower re-licensing process covering five power projects in the Connecticut River Valley. It started in 2012 and is only now nearing completion.
Vermont’s Natural Communities
Date: Tuesday, March 18th
Time: 4:00–5:00 p.m.
Cost: Free
Location: Montshire Museum of Science, 1 Montshire Rd, Norwich, VT 05055
Join Dr. Ryan Rebozo, the Vermont Center for Ecostudies’ Science Director, on an exciting journey through Vermont’s diverse natural communities. Together, we’ll uncover the unique plants and animals that call these ecosystems home, and explore their critical role in supporting biodiversity. Discover how these habitats evolve over time and why their conservation is vital for the future of Vermont’s wildlife. Whether you’re a seasoned nature enthusiast or a curious beginner, this presentation will deepen your connection to the wild world around us.
This workshop presentation is part of the Pollinator Learning Series, presented by the Vermont Center for Ecostudies, in collaboration with the Montshire Museum of Science and Cedar Circle Farm and Education Center, and made possible by One Hive Foundation.
Learn How to Propagate Native Woody Shrubs with Jacob Holzberg-Pill
Date: Saturday, April 5th (also offered on 3/2)
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Cost: Free
Join Jacob Holzberg-Pill, owner of Juneberry, a perennial agroforestry landscaping business in Burlington, Vermont, for a hands-on workshop on propagating woody shrubs. Jacob will share his expertise on successful rooting, maintenance, and planting techniques, focusing on native, perennial shrubs: Willow, Dogwood, Elderberry, Sycamore, and Grapes. Participants will leave with a variety of shrub cuttings to propagate and grow at home, gaining valuable knowledge for sustainable landscaping and conservation.
This workshop is presented in partnership with the Thetford and West Fairlee Conservation Commissions. Open to adults of all experience levels, it’s a great opportunity to learn new gardening skills while supporting local ecosystems.
About the Presenter: Jacob Holzberg-Pill, Juneberry, a perennial agroforestry landscaping business based out of Burlington, Vermont. Jacob has over twenty years of professional experience creating site and land use plans, climate-resilient farm and garden designs, and teaching people about how to propagate, plant, grow, tend, harvest, and fall in love with plants. He is passionate about helping people deepen relationships with the world around them. He has a Master’s of Forestry from Yale University, a Master’s of Education from Harvard University, and is passionate about helping people and the planet thrive together. He lives in Burlington, VT with his partner Grace and three kids on an urban homestead.
Grow & Save: Learn Seed Saving with Free Seeds and Supplies
Date: Saturday, April 19th (also offered on 3/2)
Time: 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Cost: Free
Join Ruth Fleishman of Upper Valley Seed Savers for a free, informative workshop on seed saving! In partnership with Upper Valley Seed Savers, this event is open to all and offers a chance to explore the fascinating life cycles of plants, understand different pollination methods, and learn key techniques for preserving the seeds of both easy-to-save crops and those that present more challenges.
Members of UVSS will have seeds to share after the seed saving talk. Thanks to donations from Cedar Circle Farm and Education Center, attendees will also receive free gardening supplies, including seeds, pots, trays, and row covers, to take home and use in their own gardens. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, connect, and grow your gardening skills!
About the Presenter: Ruth Fleishman lives in West Hartford, Vermont and has been saving seeds in her home garden since 2009. After many years of just growing lots of food, saving seeds has added a fascinating new dimension to her gardens and a new layer of community-resilience. Ruth is one of the original members of the Upper Valley Seed Savers, a group that meets on the second Sunday of every month. She says, “We learn as we go, from each other, from books and, most importantly, from what happens in our own gardens. We welcome new members!”
Conservation in Your Backyard: How to Build Better Habitat for Pollinators
Date: Tuesday, April 22nd
Time: 4:00–5:00 p.m.
Cost: Free
Location: Montshire Museum of Science, 1 Montshire Rd, Norwich, VT 05055
Vermont is home to hundreds of species of wild pollinators and some of them are living right in your backyard! Join the Vermont Center for Ecostudies’ Community Science Coordinator, Dr. Dana Williams, to explore which species live near you, what you can do to help them thrive throughout the year and how you can contribute to pollinator conservation across Vermont.
This workshop presentation is part of the Pollinator Learning Series, presented by the Vermont Center for Ecostudies, in collaboration with the Montshire Museum of Science and Cedar Circle Farm and Education Center, and made possible by One Hive Foundation.
Past workshops: Intermediate Gardening, Maple Sugaring: Backyard Basics, Design Your Own Annual Planter, Pollinators on Blueberry Farms, Identify and Manage Common Garden Pests, Harvest Taste Create Play, Farmer-Led Field Walk, Make Your Own Herb Planter, Create Your Own Flower Bouquet, Macrame & Lattes, Fiber Arts: Flower Printing
