Planning under way for Spring Festival - May 10th

The Sixth Annual East Farm Spring Festival featuring plant sales, workshops and a host of presentations by the various departments in the College of the Environment and Life Sciences will be held Saturday, May 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The event, started in 2002 by a group of URI Master Gardeners who volunteered at the farm, has grown into CELS' biggest public showcase and annually draws close to 2,000 visitors to the 70-acre research facility.

More than 100 Master Gardeners volunteer their time in preparation and operation of the event and staff from the CELS Outreach Center coordinates the program.

The festival is the major fundraiser for the Master Gardener Program. Since early February, Master Gardeners have been working daily in their two greenhouses, raising annuals and perennials and also vegetable plants that will be sold that day. Many of the varieties being offered are unusual-there are 47 different varieties of tomatoes, for example.

The free event attracts visitors from all over the state who come to buy plants but are then exposed to the various CELS research and outreach programs. Several large tents are erected to cover exhibits and presentations in case of inclement weather.

One special tent houses free activities for children.

At the Commercial Fisheries Center of RI headquarters, seafood will be offered for modest donations.

The fisheries department will have activities too.

Two commercial vendors will sell refreshments. Music will be provided by a band and a couple of strolling musicians and vendors offering "green" products will be housed in another tent.

Visitors to the East Farm Spring festival usually come with many questions about gardening and the environment at the CELS tent where many informational booths are housed.

Short workshops on container gardening, composting, tree planting and vegetable gardening will be part of the educational offerings. Free pH soil testing will be available for those who bring soil samples from home. Rain barrels and compost bins will be on sale. Plant information booths will be staffed by Master Gardeners and in one building the Southern RI Conservation District will hold its pre-ordered seedling sale.

Festival planners urge people who plan on making multiple plant purchases to bring their own conveyances such as carts or wagons as the parking areas are remote from the sales area. Youth groups, such as Boy Scouts, will be available to help some people with transporting their purchases. Visitors are urged to wear comfortable walking shoes. The event will be held rain or shine.

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