Loose Leaf Notes

~ The following is a selection of photos from a group that first appeared in The Floyd Press on April 25, 2013.

NRV Master Gardener Coordinator, Wendy Silverman, presented an exhibit on identifying nutritional deficiencies in plants at the annual Earth Day Celebration, hosted by the Partnership for Floyd at the Floyd EcoVillage.  Silverman said her agency serves Montgomery, Floyd, Pulaski and Giles Counties.  They offer a master gardener program and are available to answer gardening questions.  

Speaker presentations took place in the Celebration Hall throughout the day and included director of SustainFloyd Mike Burton who gave a report of SustainFloyd projects for fostering sustainable local development and protecting natural and cultural resources in Floyd. Lydeana Martin, Floyd’s Director of Community and Economic Development, reported on the local Land Use Task Force’s recommendations for water, farms and forests in Floyd County.  Jason Rutledge of the Healing Harvest Foundation spoke on sustainable forestry and horse logging.

Author and biology teacher Fred First spoke about how the word ecology and economy come from the same root word (for household). “We should put Earth first in the design and operation of our economic machine,” First said.  SustainFloyd director Mike Burton is pictured behind First.

Barbara Pleasant, author of gardening books and a contributing editor of Mother Earth News magazine, was another featured speaker.  Pleasant is pictured signing books after her presentation on composting kitchen and garden waste.

The Blue Mountain School community partnered with Earth Day host group, the Partnership for Floyd, to provide a range of children’s activities, which included making garden hats, animal masks and field binoculars. Here, BMS parent, Elisha Reygle, helps a young attendee plant seeds.  

Seth Perry shows off his homemade hat and binoculars. His brother Kevin was more interested in looking at soil through a magnifying glass, but stopped briefly to pose. The boys are the sons of David and Kelly Perry.

Natalie Walker, daughter of Jon and Jacqueline Walker, smiles as she points to one of the two rabbits that were available for patting. 

Musician and music teacher Mike Mitchell and his eight year old son James opened for The Blackberries, a bluegrass band made up of Mike Mitchell’s students that provided entertainment from the Celebration Hall stage. 

A scene from the EcoVillage’s Conversation Cafe where Partnership for Floyd volunteers served lunch. Some of the menu items were made with locally sourced ingredients.

A young attendee checks out the 55 foot caterpillar bounce tunnel, a popular activity for youngest Earth Day goers. 

Earth Day celebrants socialized, shared ideas and received free seedlings.  There was an afternoon demonstration on chain saw safety by John Hairfield.  Geared towards providing something for everyone, the free family event was full of fun and learning.   ~ Colleen Redman