On a sunny morning in mid-September in the suburbs of Los AngelesThe great and good of the squash world descended on the Ventura County Fairgrounds, ready for the National Heritage Exhibition to start. It was the first time the fair was held outside of its usual location in Sonoma County, visitors were greeted by a towering pyramid of cucurbits of all shapes, colors and sizes – a kaleidoscope of yellows and oranges heralding the arrival of autumn in all its facets. glory.
But of course, the eclectic audience gathered to exchange notes on the weird and wonderful secrets of the plant kingdom was there not only to admire, but also to learn.
First, they flocked to the heirloom fowl festival, showcasing America’s rarest and most fabulous birds: judging took place on day one, while the full lineup remained available for be seen throughout the event, of course. Next, the undisputed highlight among attendees was the seed exchange, started by author and herbalist Bevin Cohen of Small Farm House in Michigan and his wife Heather, and was held daily between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Where some arrived early and calmly arranged their pre-packaged, carefully labeled packets on the table, it didn’t take long for it to become a delightful sort of chaos, with many scrambling to grab as many of them as possible. varieties – some grown in participants’ families for generations –. The only No-seeds in the mixture? A bucket full of pineapple sage clippings to propagate, which happened to have been brought in by a local.
Elsewhere, exhibitors lined the convention center halls to provide insight into the latest developments in everything from organic gardening to sustainable farming to community development, while vendors offered everything from from vegan skincare to ancient pastas and local honey. And for those feeling a little more curious, discussions throughout the week covered everything from African diaspora legacies to holistic gardening to discovering new paths to wellness through gardening for nutrition.
But the biggest crowds gathered for John Kohler of Growing Your Greens – something of a seed nerd, it turned out, thanks to his wildly popular organic gardening series on YouTube. Another lecture was held thanks to Helen Juarez, professor at the University of Guadalajara, who spoke about her work with inmates and young people in drug rehabilitation programs, and how she witnessed of the power of gardening and plant care when it comes to improving mental health. . Meanwhile, Joseph Lofthouse, a Mormon who took a vow of poverty to become a farmer, expounded on the benefits of home gardening, a form of plant breeding and cross-pollination that any home gardener can try their hand at.
