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FRIENDS OF THE CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM
Farm Notes - May 2018
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Master Gardener Lectures
The tradition
expands with new fall lectures!
Every year the Friends partner with the
Master Gardeners of Ottawa Carleton to offer timely and informative presentations. This year's Tuesday night lectures include:
with Julianne Labreche (photo)
All presentations are from 7pm to 9pm in
Building 72
just east of the Prince of Wales roundabout with free parking.
Lectures can be purchased individually $12 members and $15 non-members.
For more information, email info@friendsofthefarm.ca or call 613-230-3276.
NEW this fall - two added lectures!
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Friends' Plant Sale
Sunday May 13 from 9am to 1pm
Get everything you need for your garden at our spectacular Friends' Plant Sale (formerly known as Rare and Unusual Plant Sale). N
ew and returning specialty growers and nursery vendors offer hundreds of beautiful plants. Garden accessory vendors will add that touch of inspiration.
Master Gardeners are once again on hand to answer any gardening questions. The 'plant coat check' service under the Friends' canopy keep you 'hands free'. Drop off your plants at the canopy and when you're done shopping, our volunteers help carry the new treasures to your vehicle.
The sale is located in the K.W. Neatby Building
parking lot
at Maple and Carling Ave. Free admission however any donations to Friends of the Farm are gratefully accepted. A refreshment table with Bridgehead coffee and delicious baked goods will keep you nourished while shopping.
Don't miss this chance to add an unusual plant to your collection, purchase a stunning hanging basket, discover the perfect garden accessory or find the right perennial for your hard-to-grow area.
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Call for Plants and Baked Goods
Drop donated materials on Sat May 12
Take stock of your garden this spring and share your extra plant material. The Friends will have a table with donated perennials as part of the Friends' Plant Sale. Plants should be potted (not in bags) and labelled. No house plants please.
We are also looking for
"snack size" treats that can be sold to our vendors and visitors. Squares, muffins, cookies, tarts, fudge or any other sweet treat would be perfect for this event.
If possible, it would be appreciated if your goodies are ready to sell in
plastic wrap or sealable baggies.
Please bring your donated plant material and baked goods on Saturday, May 12 from 9am to 11am at
Building 72 in the Arboretum just east of the Prince of Wales roundabout.
Thank you all for your continued support in our fundraising efforts!
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Guided Arboretum Tree Tours
Explore this urban gem with tour leaders
Our guides help you get started with identification and knowing how to find out more about the trees.
The emerging flowers and leaves of Spring are an added bonus for this tour.
Although the tours are free and open to the public, please register in advance.
Why do trees usually not live much more than 2 or 3 human lifespans, if lucky? Our guides will explore many damaging agents and other causes of tree mortality via a tour of the Dominion Arboretum. Although the tours are free and open to the public, please register in advance.
Thursday July 12 at 3:30pm Canadian Institute of Forestry Tour (Ottawa Valley Section)
Saturday July 14 at 8pm Got Bats?
Friday July 20 at 8:30pm A Night With the Moths
All tours start at
Building 72 in the Arboretum.
Although the tours are free and open to the public, please register in advance on each tree tour website page. Donations to the Friends of the Farm are gratefully accepted during the tour.
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Lilac Walk Garden Tour
Saturday May 19 at 2pm
J
oin Friends of the Farm
Lilac Team
for a free guided tour of over 200 lilac varieties in the
Lilac Walk
of the CEF
Ornamental Gardens. The tour is free and open to the public.
Did you know that lilacs, native to the European Balkans, were carried along the spice route and the history of lilacs traces the first collection to the Austrian court in 1563?
Meet at the Macoun Garden, park in the lot at
Canada Agriculture and Food Museum (Pay and Display) off Prince of Wales and follow the signs. Donations are gratefully accepted during the tour.
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Friends' Used Book Sale
Saturday and Sunday, June 16 and 17, from 10am to 4pm
Thousands of the best used books in Ottawa are for sale at the Friends annual
Used Book Sale. Enjoy browsing outstanding selections culled from the home libraries of friends and families from around the region. It's a 2-day sale for a reason!
Stock up now for your summer reading, find that very special elusive title, and don't forget to bring a friend. All fiction is alphabetized with
18 categories of non-fiction plus vintage books. Great selection, great prices -
$1 for paperbacks, $2 for trade paperback and hardback, $3 for new releases.
Your support in donating books at our annual book drop-off makes it possible for this to be our biggest event every year. Heartfelt thanks to all our generous donors and tireless volunteers who sort and stack them!
Have more books to donate? Hang on to them for the Fall Used Book Drop-off on Saturday October 20 (mark your calendar).
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June Blooms Garden Tours
Stroll Through Garden History on June 24
Friends of the Farm invite you to
June Blooms
Saturday June 24 from 10am to 2pm,
with 1pm launch of the historic replanted portions of the Macoun Garden.
Join the
Friends' expert garden volunteers for free guided tours of the CEF Ornamental Gardens.
Although there is no charge for the tours, donations are always gratefully appreciated.
Park at the
Agriculture Museum parking lot
(Pay and Display). The Friends will be at the Farm entrance near the parking area with additional information on garden tours.
Light refreshments will also be available.
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Fletcher Wildlife Garden - Native Plant Sale
Saturday June 2 from 9:30am to 12:30pm
Visit the
Fletcher Wildlife Garden for their
Annual Native Plant Sale. Hundreds of beautiful local wildflowers grow in the Ottawa area. These native plants attract and support local wildlife, including pollinators such as birds, bees, and butterflies. Loss of natural spaces has resulted in the decline of many species.
FWG encourages growing native plants so that pollinators and other wildlife can find shelter and food.
A wide variety of native plants creates a garden that flowers throughout the summer and whose ecological balance makes herbicides, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers unnecessary.
Volunteers will be on hand to advise about which plants suit your garden.
The sale is located at FWG building on the east side of Prince of Wales Drive, just south of the Arboretum.
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You are invited to exhibit at Art on the Farm
Saturday August 11 from 10am to 4pm in the Arboretum
Rain Date: Sunday Aug 12
Friends of the Farm's premier summer event
Art on the Farm
showcases local and regional artists. There isn't a more beautiful and peaceful setting in Ottawa than under the luxurious canopy of the Arboretum next to
Building 72 on the Central Experimental Farm. A wide range of original media is accepted.
The event is
FREE
to the public and runs from
10am to 4pm Saturday August 11
with a rain date on Sunday August 12 (10am to 4pm).
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Over 10,000 hours donated each year
Did you know that Friends' volunteers donate over 10,000 hours every year
to support its mission and activities? Every month a different volunteer is highlighted on the Friends website. We invite you to read the stories of our volunteers such as
Diane McClymont Peace
,
our Volunteer of the Month.
Previous spotlights
are also listed.
Each volunteer has an interesting story to tell and a unique connection and commitment to the Farm. Your efforts are greatly appreciated by the entire community! Thank you.
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Merivale Shelterbelt
Last opportunity for plaque inscription is July 31!
Thousands of trees once marked the northern and western boundaries of the Central Experimental Farm. The Friends of the Farm have been working diligently on the
Merivale Shelterbelt to recreate a boundary forest at the western edge of this National Historic Site. It beautifies the surroundings, provides a recreational path, protects the fields from salt and soil erosion, and helps clean the air at the Farm and neighbourhoods nearby.
The project is almost finished, thanks to a major contribution by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, so this year will be the last opportunity to help complete this important project.
Until July 31, 2018 you can donate to this beautification project in the name of someone or something you care about. An
inscription on a plaque will acknowledge your contribution. Plaques are on a commemorative wall in the plaza or rest area on the pathway. The wall acknowledges the official opening of the Shelterbelt and pavilion by the Governor-General of Canada in 2005.
Thanks to many generous donors, the Friends' volunteers have planted new trees and shrubs each year. We have room for one more year's donations. Help us build this beautiful green space and place a personalized inscription to a loved one or a special cause.
Donations must be made by July 31, 2018, to be included in the final annual celebration in September 2018. For more information please visit the
Shelterbelt page.
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Are You a Member?
Join our mission to protect and preserve the Farm
Join the Friends of the Farm
to influence decision-makers to preserve the integrity of this cherished National Historic Site and its exceptional setting in the heart of Ottawa.
The future of the Farm as we know it is more important than ever.
Over the past number of years, there has been continued pressure on research projects and jobs from budgetary constraints. While the core research areas remain, the Farm lands, Dominion Arboretum, Ornamental Gardens and historical buildings still need constant care and protection. If lost, this jewel can never be replaced.
Become a member today and support the Friends'
mission
to bring the Arboretum and Ornamental Gardens to their full potential. Membership benefits include
free admission to the
Canada Agriculture and Food Museum, a quarterly newsletter, discounted events, and more
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Blooms for your Garden
For the Love of Trees Companion Book
Friends of the Farm presents
Blooms, a book about the Central Experimental Farm's Ornamental Gardens, introducing these heritage plants and the fascinating stories behind their creation.
Localize your garden this year with made-in-Ottawa flowers, shrubs. By local author, Richard Hinchcliff, this book makes a great gift all year, and is the perfect read to prepare for spring. Cost is $35 plus GST. Take a
peek inside for a preview.
How do you get a copy?
Come to the Friends office in
Building 72
weekdays
Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays from 9am to 2pm
and purchase with cash, cheque, or credit and take it home!
Or purchase it online on our website with a credit card and pick up at the Friends' office in Building 72 or have it shipped to a location of your choice
. For local booksellers, please see Blooms. For the Love of Trees and Ottawa's Farm are
also available for purchase in the Boutique for $25 each plus GST. Need more information? Call 613-230-3276 or e
mail
boutique@friendsofthefarm.ca
.
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New Office Hours
Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 9am-2pm
We are now open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am to 2pm.
Learn more about the Friends'
events,
volunteer and
membership opportunities, or check out our assortment of greeting cards and
books by local authors featuring the history of the Farm, Arboretum and Ornamental Gardens.
You can reach us by phone at 613-230-3276, email info@friendsofthefarm.ca
or stop by in person for a visit during
office hours.
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