MEETINGS & EVENTS 2024
Garden Club meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month beginning in February. Meeting locations may vary depending on activity/availability. Some meetings may be held via Zoom, or locations may change. Guests are always welcome!. (scroll down to current month)
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JANUARY -- No Meeting
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FEBRUARY 13th 2024 -- Luncheon at St. Olaf College, Buntrock Commons Bldg, Valhalla Rm.
TIME: 11:30am
SPEAKER: Dave and Diana Hering, Backyard Maple Syrup
TOPIC: Enjoy a Minnesota themed meal while hearing from the Herings about making Maple syrup in the backyard.
MARCH 12th -- Northfield Depot / 12:45 pm
Ins and Outs of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
Speakers: Erin Johnson and Ben Dougherty Owners of Open Hands Farm
Description: Hear from Erin and Ben, who own a 17 acre certified organic farm just north of town.
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APRIL 9th -- Northfield Depot / 12:45pm
The Top Ten Peony Questions
Swenson Gardens - Howard Lake
Description: The Swensons have been growing peonies for 21 years, and are one of the main hybridizers in the market.
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MAY 14th -- St Olaf College / Special time: 9:45 am
(Meet the group in front of Buntrock Commons at 9:45 am, we will walk over to the site together)
10 am: Tour of St Olaf rooftop gardens and Greenhouse
Speaker/Guide: Charles Umbanhower PhD Botany
St Olaf Biology Department
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JUNE 11th -- FiftyNorth, Conf Rm 103/105 / 12 noon
1651 Jefferson Pkwy Northfield, MN 55057
Potluck & Flower Show
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JULY 13th & 14th -- Northfield Area Garden Tour
TIME: 11AM TO 4PM Sat & Sun
Tour of Six beautiful Northfield area gardens. Just get your ticket at the first stop, only $10.
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​AUGUST 13th -- St Olaf natural land guided tour / 12:45 pm
Guided Tour of St Olaf’s Natural Lands
Guide: Charles Umbanhower, St. Olaf Natural Lands
Description: Explore a portion of St Olaf Natural Land (there are 430 acres adjacent to the college). A vast majority of the land that is now forests, prairies, and wetlands was restored from agricultural land. Hear from Wes Braker about the unique plants there, local adaptations of Little Bluestem Grasses and restoration ecology.
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SEPTEMBER 10th -- Northfield Depot / 12:45pm
Speaker: Rachel Kinney, Paisley Gardens
Keeping color in your yard through fall & beyond.
Due to construction, please park on streets nearby.
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​​OCTOBER 8th -- Brosseau Farm / 12:45 pm
Fall Wreaths: Heidi Brosseau, CNLP + NGC Business Meeting
Description: This is a hand-on event. Learn how to use natural items to design beautiful fall wreaths of grapevine or branches. Bring Autumn’s contribution to your own yard and collectively create something new.
Suggested Contributions: birch branches, dogwood twigs, seed pods, decorative grasses, dried apple slices, dried oranges slices, berry sprigs, sunflower heads, sedum heads, oak leaves
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NOVEMBER 12th / Departure: 11am for 12pm program -- bus leaving from Canon Valley Theatre parking lot by 11 am.
Como Conservatory and Wise Acre Eatery Field Trip
Description: Travel through the many gardens of the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory as you explore the Jewel of Como and learn about their rich history. Go behind-the-scenes and uncover how the garden staff keep the conservatory looking lush and green all year long and produce the many spectacular and beloved Sunken Garden flower shows.
Then enjoy an afternoon snack at the Wise Acre Eatery.
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DECEMBER 10th -- Northfield Depot / 12:45 pm
Holiday Seed Wreaths
Come join your garden club friends for a homey holiday party. There will be treats and we will create wreaths from seed - some grown in our own gardens. These will be given to nursing homes and retirement centers in town to bring nature to the resident’s winter landscape.
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