PROGRAMS, EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS
2024-2025
Monday, September 16, 2024
Bedford Library – McAllaster Room
9:30 AM Breakfast, Social & Meeting
“We might think we’re nurturing our garden; but it is our gardens that are nurturing us.”
Breakfast Social & Club Meeting
The BGC 2024-2025 year begins with a breakfast social and club meeting. PLEASE BRING A BREAKFAST DISH TO SHARE WITH THE MEMBERS. The Hospitality Committee will offer coffee, tea, juice and water. This meeting is an opportunity to re-establish friendships, get to know our newest members and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow gardeners. The business meeting will provide a brief history of the club, discuss our community gardens, the years’ programs, events and workshops, the proposed budget and any important information that may need to be relayed to the membership.
Monday, October 21, 2024
Bedford Library – McAllaster Room
6:00 PM Social, 6:30 PM Program, 7:30 PM Meeting
“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” Audrey Hepburn
Let’s Embrace the Fall Foliage
Judy Faucher
Judy Faucher of Chalifour’s Flowers will show us how to make a fall centerpiece with local foliage, which should be a welcome addition to anyone’s holiday table. In addition, Judy will provide some hands-on instruction for fashioning easy bows. Chalifour’s is an award-winning, family-owned florist located in Manchester, New Hampshire, that has been providing farm-fresh flowers for almost 80 years. Their showroom is home to Chalifour’s’ popular DIY flower design classes, offered weekly where anyone can find Grab-N-Go rose specials, loose stems, plants, and coolers stocked with exclusive designs for pick-up anytime. Please note that the finished centerpiece will be raffled off, so come and try your luck.
Monday, November 18, 2024
Bedford Old Town Hall
5:30 PM Social, 6:00 PM Meeting, 6:30 PM Program
“Lavender – the Color and Scent of Relaxation, Youthfulness, Creativity, Imagination and Optimism.”
Alina Panetta- Product Developer of Lavender Fields (Warner, NH)
Lavender Fields was featured this year on the WMUR program, New Hampshire Chronicle. Alina, who appeared on the program, will discuss the art of lavender farming, harvesting and the creation of numerous decorative and edible products. Come taste some teas made with Lavender.
Monday, December 2, 2024
Bedford Old Town Hall
1:30-2:00 PM Unloading and Sorting
2:00-3:00 PM Decorating
3:00-4:30 PM Distribution of Town and Member Wreaths
“A Christmas Garden” There’s a special winter garden and it blossoms each December. It’s planted with the seed of every Christmas we remember. There’s mistletoe for laugher, there’s holly for good cheer, there’s evergreen to symbolize the hope of the new year and there’s poinsettia for beauty. May the harvest of all these, and more, be yours this Christmas Day
Holiday Wreath Decorating Workshop
Kathy Nelson and Deborah Troy
Members will enjoy holiday music, refreshments and fun while decorating wreaths for several Town of Bedford Locations such as the town offices, Bedford Library, Police and Fire Department complex and many more. Members that have pre-ordered wreaths may pick up their wreaths either at the workshop or curbside at the Town Hall from 3:00-4:30 PM. Members can also bring their own decorations to complete decorating their pre-ordered wreaths at the workshop.
Sunday, December 15, 2024
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Hosted by: Becki & Dave Kuhns
Holiday Social
“Christmas is the season for Kindling the Fire of Hospitality.”
Join the members and guests to celebrate the spirit of the season at our annual holiday social. Enjoy the holiday season as you mingle and chat with members and their significant others. Please RSVP when requested to let our host know if you will be bringing an hors d’oeuvre or dessert. Members are responsible for bringing their own beverage bottle. Look forward to seeing everyone at this event!
Monday, January 27, 2025
Bedford Library—McAllaster Room
9:30 AM Social, 10:15 AM Program, 11:30 AM Meeting
“The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep…” Robert Frost
A New Year; A New You
Nicole Gagliardi, Co-Owner of the Spice and Tea Exchange
Don’t let the winter doldrums get you down. Come out and hear what Nicole Gagliardi of the Spice and Tea Exchange of Portsmouth, NH has to say about her life’s venture into spices, sugars and teas. Nicole will provide you with everything you ever wanted to know (and then some) about the development and growth of tea leaves and indigenous spices, and how they have flourished in NH from colonial days to the present. The early history as well as the continued use of teas for medicinal, relaxation and food complement purposes will be highlighted. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience a variety of these specialties.
Monday, February 24, 2025
Bedford Library—McAllaster Room
9:30 AM Social, 10:15 AM Program, 11:30 AM Meeting
“The farmer has to be an optimist, or he wouldn’t still be a farmer.” – Will Rogers.
Devriendt Farms –A Field of Dreams
Lea Devriendt – Goffstown, NH
Lea Devriendt will make a presentation on soil and fertilizer selections, container gardening, plants and insects in addition to relaying the interesting story behind the birth of her family’s farm.
Filled with a lot of determination, Lea and her husband Dan in 1995 opened a farm stand with one greenhouse. This beginning evolved into today’s thriving family farm consisting of 14 greenhouses and acreage used to grow flowers, plants, vegetables and fruit.
Currently, they work with their 3 adult children, who have been farming with their parents since they were old enough to pick vegetables. The Devriendts are still at their original location where they start and grow all their own annuals, bedding plants, hanging plants, patio pots, perennials, shrubs, roses and vegetable plants. In addition to the 14 greenhouses, they also have outdoor growing spaces filled with chrysanthemums, vegetables, cut flowers, Christmas trees and a seasonal pick-your-own (PYO) area.
Monday, March 17, 2025
Bedford Library—McAllaster Room
9:30 AM Social, 10:15 AM Program, 11:30 AM Meeting
“Nature alone is Antique, And the oldest Art is a Mushroom.’” Thomas Carlyle
Elevate A Maine Mushroom Company
Stephanie Doyle
Stephanie is a Milford NH native who started foraging mushrooms in 2008. She then went to the University of West Florida where her passion for mushrooms led her to start a Mushroom Club (UWF Mycology Club) while she focused on Environmental Studies. Previously, Stephanie worked for the NH Mushroom Company in Tamworth NH for 6 years where she helped grow edible specialty mushrooms, plan classes and organized events.
In 2015, Stephanie co-founded the Fantastic Forage Mushroom Festival that takes place in Laconia NH. This will be its 9th year. Stephanie now works for Elevate, a mushroom company out of Portland Maine selling functional mushroom products such as coffee, chai and tinctures.
Monday, April 21, 2025
Bedford Library—McAllaster Room
9:30 AM Social, 10:15 AM Program, 11:30 Meeting
“Worms have played a more important role in the history of the world than humans would have first supposed.” –Charles Darwin
Worm Castings and How to use them in your Garden
Lori Ann Burnham
Dunbarton, NH
Our speaker will describe what constitutes worm castings and their beneficial use in creating healthy soils for growing plants and vegetables.
Lori Ann Burnham is an experienced worm composting (vermicomposting) enthusiast. With over a decade of hands-on experimentation, Lori Ann has explored worm composting on various scales and in different environments, including homes and schools. Her work focuses on composting food waste organically, diverting it from landfills and turning it into nutrient-rich compost. She recently shared her expertise on worm composting at the Goffstown Ace Hardware and plans to continue engaging with the local community.
Saturday, May 17, 2025
Bedford Village Common, 15 Bell Hill Road Bedford
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
“May is a bridge between winter and summer.”. “May, is,the month of sunshine, blooming flowers, and endless possibilities”.
Plant Sale
The plant sale is our primary major fundraising activity to support all our charitable endeavors, education and scholarships. Each member is asked to provide five labelled plants (either from their garden or purchased) or provide a $20.00 financial donation. All financial donations of $20.00 will be required by May 1 (checks or cash can be given to the treasurer at the April meeting or mailed into the BGC Meetinghouse address). The financial donations are used to purchase annuals at a NH grower for the sale. Members are encouraged to volunteer and help the digging teams to divide and pot plants from the numerous gardens of either members or Bedford Residents. This can take place either in the fall or in the spring. The generosity of spirit, hard work and support from our loyal members has earned respect and admiration from the community. Please join the Plant Sale Team to make the 2025 sale bigger than the previous year!
Monday, May 19, 2025
Bedford Library—McAllaster Room
6:00 PM Social, 6:30 Membership Meeting
“Look deep into nature, and you will understand everything better. The proliferation of technology can cause stress and strain for those caught in its rush. You may find it useful to take a break from social media and reconnect authentically with life, being mindful of the natural world and the sense of connectedness it instills.” Albert Einstein
Membership Business Meeting
The BCG Executive Board encourages ALL members to attend the annual business meeting to elect the BGC 2025-2026 Officers, Board of Directors and a 2026 Nominating Committee. The annual budget, fundraising results and the May Plant Sale will be discussed, as well as the annual 2024-2025 Community Gardens’ Report. Summer activities will be announced – the June Luncheon sign up, details of the Garden Tour and sign up, tour of Sanborn Mills Farm, Garden Hops and other planned events. Your enthusiastic participation is what makes our Garden Club blossom!
Monday, June 16, 2025
Sandy and David Mackey’s Home
12:30-2:30PM
Annual Garden Party
Join the members at the annual garden party luncheon! The Mackeys are graciously opening their home and garden to the members, so we can end a successful garden year with good food and friends in an outdoor garden setting. Please RSVP when requested to let our hosts know what you will plan to bring to the party.
Thursday September 4, 2025
Bedford Village Common
8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
“Autumn is a second spring when Every Leaf is a Flower” Albert Camus
Mum Sale
BGC’s second major fundraising activity of the year, the fall Mum Sale is held the first Thursday after Labor Day. Proceeds from the sale help to support the club’s educational programs and maintenance of its eight community gardens. Our beautiful 9” potted mums are NH grown. The Mum Sale is by order and pre- payment only with a sale period from June to late August. Order forms are available on our website and in the Bedford Public Library foyer. Members are encouraged to purchase mums for their own use and to contact neighbors, friends and family about the sale.
On September 4, a one-day, drive-up/pick up operation for all pre-paid orders will take place at the Bedford Village Common parking lot from 1:30 – 4:30 pm. In August, members will be asked to volunteer for the event including the set-up, unloading the mums from the delivery truck in the morning, placing orders in customer’s vehicles in the afternoon, and cleanup. We look forward to all the members volunteering their time and enjoying the fellowship of other members!