The Cochrane Environmental Action Committee (CEAC) is holding the second annual Gardening Expo on Sunday, April 27 at the Cochrane Lions Event Centre.
Whether you’re an experienced gardener, taking your first steps into gardening, or newly relocated to Cochrane and looking for a few tips for gardening in this zone – this event will get you excited about digging in the dirt.
Things to expect this year include: 30+ vendors selling seeds, seedlings, and gardening related products; the opportunity to chat with experienced local gardeners and subject matter experts about particular gardening challenges, and, a seed exchange table operated by the Cochrane & District Horticultural Society. Bring extra seeds to add to the exchange and/or purchase seeds (by donation) to fill the gaps in the garden.
Throughout the event attendees will be able to take a seat in the speaker’s zone and have the opportunity to hear local gardeners share their knowledge, tips and tricks for making their gardens flourish.
Local gardeners looking to sell seedlings, collected seeds or plants, makers of yard & garden handcrafts or other potential vendors/presenters can contact CEAC organizers at [email protected]. Vendor fee is $15 for a 6=foot table (provided).
“The Gardening Expo is a great opportunity for gardeners in Cochrane to network and learn a little about how to garden in one of the toughest territories in Canada, and listen to some very knowledgeable speakers,” said organizer Mark Denton, a Director at CEAC.
“Last year we had over 750 attendees and we’re hoping for quite a bit more this year,” he said.
“It’s a great community-building opportunity.”
The Cochrane Environmental Action Committee
Since 1989, the Cochrane Environmental Action Committee has been involved in local and regional environmental issues. CEAC has approached environmental concerns as opportunities to seek solutions by engaging stakeholders, other organizations and citizens.
CEAC is an apolitical organization with a mission to make Cochrane and area a more environmentally aware and active community. CEAC’s philosophy has been to leverage its small resources through a wide variety of projects and organizations to find workable solutions.
Cochrane Branches and Banks is the most well-known initiative of CEAC. Its mission was to promote environmental stewardship and community spirit in the Town of Cochrane through the planting of trees and environmental enhancement activities within the community.
Since the inception of this community project in 1996, over 6,500 volunteers have planted nearly 45,000 trees in Cochrane, most of which are native species. Volunteers also cleaned the creeks, riparian and planting areas of garbage. The project originated as a community event to promote the formation of the Cochrane Sustainable Communities Initiative (SCI). It was also a symbolic gesture of sustainability and the philosophy of this organization. Planting has been done along much of the Big Hill Springs Creek, Jumping Pound Creek, Bow River, and Mitford Park.
