Garden Matters: Talks Walks and Workshops on Native Plants and Eco-Friendly Gardening at Millbrook Library

The Millbrook Garden Club in partnership with Stonewood Farm and the Friends of the Millbrook Library presents “Garden Matters,” a series of talks, walks, and workshops focused on native plants and best practices for eco-friendly gardening.

Series speakers include certified forager and founder of Chicory Naturalist Chris Baker (Kingston); author Andrea Barnet (Ancram); garden designer Andrew J. Durbridge (Wassaic); Kristen Essig, Alex Kohler, and Maggie Thomas from Stonewood Farm (Millbrook); Dr. Joshua Ginsberg President of Cary Institute; Liselotte Vince from 80milesnorth Flower Farm (Millbrook); Jessica Williams of Odd Duck Farm (Highland), and more. 

The "Garden Matters" series will run February–December with more details about Fall 2026 programs coming soon.

• Garden Matters: Building Healthy Soil with Stonewood Farm — Feb. 21
A healthy garden starts with healthy soil. Learn the basic principles of soil health and best practices for building “closed-loop” regenerative soil fertility, including spring bed preparations, tillage and alternatives, and putting your garden to rest at the end of the growing season. Taught by Alex Kohler and Maggie Thomas, farm managers at Stonewood Farm.

• Garden Matters: Grocery to Garden with Odd Duck Farm — March 14
The perfect antidote to the gardener’s winter doldrums! Discover how to grow flowers from carrot tops, microgreens from soup mix, and tomatoes and potatoes for your garden from the produce aisle. Save money and learn how you can enjoy fresh herbs on your windowsill, and grow your own cat grass, garlic, and ginger all from your local grocery store! Taught by Jessica Williams of Odd Duck Farm.

• Garden Matters: Plant Communities in a Community Garden with Andy Durbridge — April 11
Join garden designer Andy Durbridge of Andrew J. Durbridge Garden Design for an introduction to the Millbrook Library’s Pollinator Garden project and plantings. Learn practical tips for selecting a mixed combination of plants to enhance growth and perform better as a plant community in your home garden. This program is for all levels of gardening experience. It will include a garden walk-through (weather permitting) and Q&A to answer participants’ own garden questions. In the event of rain, this program will move indoors. 

• Garden Matters: Root to Flower: Honoring the Whole Plant with Stonewood Farm — May 9
Explore the value of utilizing plants in their entirety, from underground roots to blossoms and seeds. Learn how whole-plant practices reduce waste, deepen your relationship with food, and support healthier soils, more resilient farms, and more equitable food systems. Learn practical ways that farmers, cooks, and communities can rethink abundance by honoring the full life cycle of the plants they grow. Taught by Kristen Essig, Director of Culinary Outreach and Development, Stonewood Farm.

• Garden Matters: Nurturing Nature with Odd Duck Farm — June 20
Walk through the Pollinator Garden with Jessica Williams from Odd Duck Farm. Are you ready to embrace the concept of inviting nature back to your garden? Even a tiny backyard can make a difference! Discover practical ideas for how to integrate your aesthetic desires with earth-friendly gardening. Learn which plants contribute the most to the local ecosystem and ways to create a more enriched environment by incorporating shelters and simple water features to attract frogs, birds and insects.

• Garden Matters: Planting a Native Meadow at Cary Institute — July 11
Meadows provide many important ecosystem services, including infiltration and filtration of stormwater, carbon storage, nutrient recycling, soil building, and provisioning of food and shelter for biodiverse communities of flora and fauna. Join Cary Institute President Joshua Ginsberg for a walk through Cary’s native meadow project and learn best practices for establishing a meadow with native perennials and grasses and minimal maintenance requirements. This program will meet at the Cary Institute. Please register for directions and more information.