Rethinking Lifestyle

Tim and Janet Kroeker are supporters of the South Eastman Transition Initiative, even though they live at Roseau River. There’s a group of enthusiastic home gardeners in that area, and they are welcoming spring with a gardening workshop and plant sale. This is what Janet writes.

Have you never gardened but would like to start, or are you looking for some new ideas injected into your many years of gardening? Welcome May by attending a free workshop and plant exchange in Roseau River, at the Roseau River Park Hall, May 1st 6:30-9. The hall is on highway 59 south end of the village (road 12N). Brought to you by the Woodmore Women’s Institute Food Security Initiative.

We will start the first hour by introducing new gardeners to the basics of having a successful first garden. Experienced gardeners, this is your chance to bring your child or grandchild. Brenda Dyck, (long time gardener and Cobren Greenhouse operator), along with Jean Charney, (half of the dynamic Charney duo who live along the Roseau River and who tend a large vegetable garden and many sprawling flowerbeds), will be our instructors. These Roseau River residents will be sure to inspire and instruct you into the art of keeping your first garden.

About 7:30 we will begin the second part of our evening.

We have invited Jenafor Siemens from Woodmore to let us in on her best tips on how to grow sweet potatoes in Manitoba. Jenafor has been successful in coaxing this heat- loving vegetable into a bountiful harvest, even in our northern climate.

Have you heard of crop rotation gardening? Put simply, crop rotation is a systematic method of deciding what to plant where in your vegetable garden from one year to the next, based on plant groups. Planting the same thing in the same place year after year drains the nutrients from the soil that the plant needs in order to thrive and produce big harvests. Peter Elias from Roseau River has first hand experience in using this method and is ready and willing to pass on his knowledge.

Is getting down on your hand and knees becoming too difficult when gardening? Our last presenter, Barbara Shewchuk from Morris, a long time gardener and gardening communicator, found it so. She tells a very touching story of how her husband, in his last months of life, designed and built her some raised garden beds to help her with her disability. Her words to him often while he was in palliative care… “Thank you for my raised beds, your parting gift to me”. As you can imagine, they mean a great deal to her. Barbara promises that you will go away knowing the details of building your own raised beds.

The plant exchange. If you need to thin out your perennial fruits, vegetables, herbs or flowers, we invite you to bring them. Cuttings or rooted plants are welcome. We ask you to please not water your plants the day of the exchange and bring bags and containers to take your plants home in. If you come without plants – no problem… we will invite to you to leave something in the charity donation bin.

No registration is necessary. We hope to welcome you to Roseau River. Let Spring begin!