The Eighth Annual East Farm Spring Festival is organized and hosted by The Master Gardener Association and URI College of the Environment & Life Sciences. The event, started in 2002 by a group of URI Master Gardeners who volunteered at the farm, has grown into the biggest public showcase for the College of the Environment & Life Sciences and the Master Gardener Association drawing close to 3,000 visitors to the 72-acre research facility. The festival's main goal is to educate the public on sound environmental practices through workshops and informational booths.
Since early February, Master Gardeners have been working daily in their two greenhouses, growing sustainably raised annuals and perennials and also vegetable plants that will be sold that day. Don't forget to bring a wagon or a cart to carry all your plants!
Exhibitors
Vendors from various organizations will be showcasing their "green" ideas and some will have products for sale. Free pH soil testing, for those that bring samples from home, will be provided by Master Gardeners. Be sure to bring those tricky questions for Master Gardeners and Master Composter & Recyclers!
Exhibitors interested in registering please click here.
Workshops
Free workshops on various topics ranging from current energy issues to composting will be part of the educational offerings.
In the Workshop tent
10:15-11:00 "Worm Composting" By The Worm Ladies
11:15-12:00 "Bee Keeping" By Betty Meccucci
12:15-1:00 "Managing Home Energy Consumption"-Robert Cerio
1:15-2:00 "Landscape Design with the Big 3 in Mind: Habitat, Stormwater & Natural Resources-Kate Venturini
On Site Demonstrations
11:30 "Water Gardens" at East Farm's Water Garden-Barnabus Webster
12:30 "Composting 101" at East Farm's Veggie Demonstration Garden-Nan Quinlan
Children's Tent
One special tent houses free activites for children, such as "How to Grow a Vegetable", an opportunity to get hands on experience with composting worms, and lots of crafts and educational opportunities.
Compost Bins & Rain Barrels
RI Resource Recovery Corp. will be selling compost bins, compost aerators and scrap pales in limited quantities. Rain barrels from the RI Water Lady can also be purchased at the festival.
Raffle
Raffle tickets will be sold at the festival for a chance to win fabulous prizes such as a rain barrel, a large worm bin filled with worms, plastic lumber window boxes",a "Taste of Green" gift bag, flower & veggie container gardens, ornamental plants & more!!! Proceeds will go towards funding the festival. Please contact Sejal if you are interested in donating an item for the raffle.
"The Alternative Food Co-op" will offer "Fogbuster", a hot fair-trade organic coffee, along with muffins and other delicious goodies!
"The Burger Shack" of URI Emporium will be offering tasty burgers (including vegetarian!)
