Tiny seeds plant food for thought
TOWNSEND » There is nothing like the taste of homegrown vegetables, herbs, and fruits and even though we have a few more months before we can plant in the ground, it is never too late to start thinking about your garden.
Judith Taylor has been gardening in Massachusetts for over 30
years and has hands-on experience with growing all sorts of perennials, fruits, and vegetables as well as landscape design.
She is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Green School, the owner of Seeds2Plate, and enjoys sharing her passion with new gardeners as well as exchanging tips and tricks with those more experienced.
“Seeds2Plate is about appreciating the miracle of a tiny seed, connecting with Nature and enjoying the results,” Taylor said. “The science community continues to produce research that supports the fact that gardening is a healthy sport.”
“Time spent in nature, digging in the dirt and breathing fresh air certainly helped me survive and thrive during this past year of lockdown,” she said. “The physical and mental health benefits are substantial. Then you also have the benefit of hyperfresh vegetables, fruit, greens, flowers, and herbs straight out of the garden to feed your body and soul.” Taylor said all of this can be done for little to no investment — the only requirement — a desire to learn and observe.
Taylor left the corporate world as a supply chain executive a few years ago and decided to follow her gardening passion. She lives on a 3-acre property in Littleton, where she has been growing and experimenting with all sorts of perennials, shrubs, and vegetable gardens for the last 19 years.
Last summer Taylor started selling organically grown herbs and tea blends that she grew and packaged. In the spring, she plans to sell organically grown seedlings that include heirloom tomatoes, peppers, greens, herbs, and interesting plants that you don’t typically find in the large nurseries.
Sales are online at www.seeds2plate.com and contactless with pickup appointments in Littleton.
Taylor said she admittedly has a gardening “problem” and decided that she could combine her love of teaching and gardening to get other people hooked on gardening.
“Having managed supply chains for many years, I understand how important it is to pay attention to each step a product takes along the path from beginning to end” she said. “In the food supply chain, it starts with a seed and healthy soil and ends with a delicious and nutritious meal on your plate.”
Taylor is excited to spread the word on seed starting and saving, growing your own food, and creative ways to use the plants that you grow during virtual classes being hosted by local libraries and garden clubs.
“Adventures in Seed Starting” will be offered via Zoom on Monday, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., hosted by the Townsend Public Library. That will be followed by two more presentations on Wednesday, hosted by the Chelmsford Public Library, and Thursday, hosted by the Westford Public Library. Both of those run from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
“There is nothing like the taste of homegrown fruits and vegetables and the varieties are endless when you start your plants from seed,” Taylor said. “Whether you are new to gardening or a vegetable growing veteran, I invite you to join these presentations to learn lots of seed starting tips and tricks and get inspired to start your garden planning.”
Although presentations are being hosted by different libraries, they will include the same content including details on seed germination, potting up, indoor growing versus direct seeding, lighting, fertilization, and transplanting.
A list of classes can be found on Seeds2Plate.com. There is a link for each class that will take you to the library website so you can register. A Zoom link will be sent out via e-mail to registrants prior to the presentation.
Taylor is also thrilled to present a two-part series titled “Adventures in the Vegetable Garden — Tips and Tricks for Spring Planting!” which helps you move to the next step after your seedlings are growing.
This two-part series covers step-by-step “how-to’s” for selecting, preparing, and planting a garden site, and provides tips and tricks for making your garden adventures a success!
The first presentation will be held on Monday, April 19, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., followed by the second session on Monday, April 26, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Both are being hosted by the Townsend Public Library.
“Growing your own food is a rewarding and a tasty way to spend a summer in your yard, it’s also a good way to reduce your grocery bills and provide food for your family in uncertain times,” she said. “When the COVID-19 pandemic began last spring, there was a lot of panic buying and worry about getting needed food and supplies. The seed companies even sold out of seeds when everyone decided to start a garden. Since I’m a seed saver, I had plenty of seeds which grew into a bountiful harvest and I had enough vegetables to share with neighbors and the local food pantry.”
There are some hazards in the sport of gardening, so another important topic that Taylor likes to get out to the public is tick prevention.
“Last year I was diagnosed with Lyme disease and I didn’t even know I had been bitten by a tick,” she said. “Climate change is contributing to an abundance of ticks and enlarging their territory. New England is a hot spot for Lyme and other tick-borne diseases so it’s important to protect yourself while outdoors.”
Why talk about ticks in the middle of winter?
“Because my friend Larry Dapsis, an entomologist that works for Barnstable County Extension, has taught me that ticks are a serious threat and active all year round,” said Taylor.
Taylor hosted “Mis-Adventures with Ticks” by Dapsis which can be viewed at www.seeds2plate.com/blog.
“Larry is great at presenting factual information and outlining practical strategies to help you, your family and your pets to prevent tick bites,” she said. “We received rave reviews on his presentation.”
The Townsend Public Library staff say they are delighted to have Taylor present this program for the library’s community and patrons.
“Gardening is such a wonderful way to be active and get outside, but it can also be intimidat
ing or seem too complicated to start,” said Molly Benevides, Children’s Librarian at the Townsend Public Library. “Judith is a practical and supportive guide on your gardening journey. What I love about her philosophy is that anyone can be a gardener, and a garden can be anything you want; it doesn’t need to look like a magazine, or your neighbor’s perfect patch.”
“We hope you will join us for all of these upcoming events, and let’s get growing,” Benevides said with a smile.
Events have been funded by the Friends of the Townsend Library and are free to all attendees. Gardening is a process
which means we can always learn more.
“It all starts with a seed — started indoors or sowed directly in the garden, nurtured into a plant that yields the garden’s bounty. Along the way we water, feed, prune, weed and care for the plants and after due time, we harvest and prepare the fruits and vegetables for eating now or later — there’s nothing like enjoying the fruits of your labor and it’s my mission to inspire people to get hooked on gardening,” Taylor concludes.
To register for any one of these presentations, visit each library’s website for detailed information on the programs.