Nursery lends helping hand to Plant a Row campaign

Getting back to gardening's roots means exploring a time when people worked the land they lived on and helped their neighbors through tough times.

With that notion in mind, the owners of the Growing Place Nursery and Flower Farm in Aurora decided to help Plant a Row for the Hungry during their annual Old House Party on Saturday.

Folks who plan to attend the event-filled day are invited to bring fresh garden produce as a donation for the Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry, a Plant a Row drop-off site.

The Growing Place will match that gift with a $2 per pound donation of their own. The money will go to Hesed House, a homeless shelter connected with the food pantry.

"We wanted to do something garden-related that's a direct benefit to people in our area," said Carol Massat, who owns the nursery with her husband, Rich.

Growing vegetables and giving them to others fits that bill.

"This year we're thinking about the things our parents or grandparents did," she said. "They didn't throw a trowel or knife away, they sharpened it."

In addition to workshops on useful topics like how to harvest vegetables, how to divide perennials and how to make an herb bundle, garden center staff members will give tours to show heirloom plants on-site.

"It all relates to our gardening history," Massat said.

There will be activities to keep kids busy as well. Assuming that butterfly eggs they've incubated cooperate, staff members should be releasing butterflies. Kids also will hunt for bugs and toads at 10:30 a.m.

Massat said organizers wanted to make sure all members of the family had something interesting to explore.

If you go:

Where: Growing Place, 2000 Montgomery Road, Aurora

When: Saturday, Sept. 6

Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information: go to the Web site, www.thegrowingplace.com or (630) 355-4000.

Old House Party

This year's event at the Growing Place Nursery is co-sponsored by the Daily Herald and will benefit the Plant a Row for the Hungry campaign. Produce dropped off there Sept. 6 will go to Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry and the garden center will donate $2 for every pound of produce donated to Hesed House homeless shelter in Aurora.

Workshops are scheduled throughout the day to help gardeners with basic growing lessons.

Saturday

9:30 a.m. Harvesting and "putting up" vegetables and herbs

10:30 a.m. Sharpening your garden tools

10:30 a.m. Bug and toad hunt for children

11:30 a.m. Dividing perennials

1:30 p.m. Make cornhusk dolls

1:30 p.m. Heirloom garden tour

2:30 p.m. Make your own stepping stone

2:30-4:30 p.m. Music by the Jonnie Matt Trio

3:30 p.m. Make herb bundles

Source: The Growing Place