Oh, to stop and smell the roses…In the hustle and bustle of this day and age, our machine-minded, fast-paced locomotive bodies are far more likely to blindly trample every innocent flora in our path rather than saunter slowly in admiration of their delicate scent. But vegetation shapes our metallic world and wired-up psyches far more than we give them credit; we have many a tree to thank for shade and paper and clothing and food and oxygen – yes, that’s a pretty big one, too. Recent years, though, have found an encouraging trend of renewed interest in urban farming, home-grown gardens and even backyard chicken keeping. Considering a batch of summer-fresh tomatoes? Let the Louisville Free Public Library give you a free botanical boost; stop by the Library’s Main branch this Wednesday, February 8th at 6pm for My Farm Life, and hear from a host of folks who successfully blend life in the city and hands in the soil.
Hosted by Wayne Long, an agricultural extension agent from the University of Kentucky, My Farm Life will feature a full panel of locals sharing their experiences, resources, stories and tips to jumpstart a successful venture into farming – everything from vegetables, beekeeping and raising chickens. Hear the firsthand accounts of real people using farming as a helpful and therapeutic hobby and tool, including Tommee Clark, a microbiologist and a Fern Creek farmer and Debbie Galloway a long-time Louisvillian recently re-settled in a Shelby County farm who blogs about her experience with country life. Also participating is vegetable gardener extraordinaire, Tomese Buthod, as well as popular restaurateur, Ramsi Kamar, in the process of creating an organic farm reconnecting him to his culinary roots in the Middle East. A question and answer session will follow the discussion to answer all your cultivation queries.
The green leafys are important, my friends – for body, mind and soul. My Farm Life kicks off February's Boom Series theme titled My Other Life – three different perspectives, offering those entering the golden years to enrich their minds and lives in addition to their bodies. Break out the gardening shoes, pick out some seeds and head down to the Library for this great opportunity to give your green thumb a shiny, new coat of polish (and then, of course, get it nice and dirty).
The Louisville Free Public Library’s Main branch is located at 301 York Street
For more information on the Boom Time Series, visit the event page
Image: Courtesy of Louisville Free Public Library website www.lfpl.org