BoroGreen Presents Tomato Tips at Discover Food Conference March 9

BoroGreen, a grass-roots environmental group in Hillsborough, will hold a hands-on workshop on “Growing Great Tomatoes,” on Sunday, March 9, at Duke Farms as part of BoroGreen’s sustainable food conference, “Discover Food: Explore, Experience, Engage.”

Speakers will share information on the health and environmental benefits of using locally produced foods, how this practice strengthens the Hillsborough economy, and what everyone can do to become more proactive about the food they eat.

At the conference, attendees can experience foods from Lima Farms, Agricola Restaurant, Shibumi Farms, Fulper Farms, Tre Piani Restaurant, Beechtree Farm, VonThun’s Country Farm Market, Mallery’s Grazin’ Meats, Exo Energy Bars, Brick Farm Market, Rawfully Tempting, Dogwood Farms, Foodergies & Food Family Health, Norz Hill Farm & Market, Basil Bandwagon, and Applegate Farms.

Participants will learn how to grow their own Jersey tomatoes in containers, on their balconies, patios or decks. Containers will be provided at the workshop and participants will receive coupons entitling them to amended soil and appropriate tomato plants from Ambleside Gardens, Route 206, in Hillsborough.

”Gardening in containers has several advantages, such as fewer weeds, and fewer problems with soil-borne diseases and local wildlife browsing the foliage,” said BoroGreen’s Thuy Anh Le. “People with disabilities will find it easier to garden because they can sit in a chair, rather than bending to the ground. Also, since people can easily cover their tomato plants with newspapers for frost protection, container gardeners get a head-start on the growing season compared to gardeners limited to growing in the earth.”The conference will be held in the Coach Barn of Duke Farms in Hillsborough from 1 to 4:30 p.m. The tomato gardening workshop, and others, will be held from 4 to 4:30 p.m.

Pre-registration and pre-payment of $10 is required. Space is limited to the first 100 attendees. For information contact Heidi Cyr at heidicyr@gmail.com.