April 14th: Native Edibles for People and Pollinators

featuring Irene Brady Barber of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

6:00 - 7:30PM ON ZOOM

Irene Brady Barber will join us to speak about “Native Edibles for People and Pollinators.” Many native edible plants provide nutritional and medicinal benefit to humans, and especially to native insects and birds, many of whom are important pollinators. We often hear about the importance of pollinators for agriculture, but do we know who these pollinators are, and what their host habitats are? This essential information will help us support them and ourselves in a changing environment.  While we enjoy our dinners, Irene will feature a selection of native edible shrubs and perennials that we can plant in our gardens in either urban or rural settings to help bring in the pollinators.

Irene is an educator, landscape designer and Horticultural Therapist at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. She grew up in Newcastle along the Damariscotta River and now lives and gardens on a 6-acre woodland in Durham, Maine with her furniture-designer husband. Her passion for connecting people to plants brought her to the practice of Horticultural Therapy. As a landscape designer, she specializes in ecological, therapeutic and accessible gardening. 

With the arrival of spring, our “Spring Green and Local White” meal theme will inspire you to include the freshest, most vibrant shades of green on your plate accentuated by white. Perhaps a microgreen salad with local goat cheese? Pesto over white fish?  Rice and sautéed green veggies? As always, the goal—incorporate as many local ingredients into your meal as possible! Prizes will be awarded for the most use of local food in the meal, creative recipe choice and photo submissions, best use of theme, as well as a random drawing of all ticket holders.

The prizes for this event include two gift cards to Crossroads Coffee, a Veggies to Table apron, goodies from Coppertail Farm, and a Veggies to Table Mini-truck hat.

Elderberry Photo: Tea By The Lake