NEWBERRY COUNTY — The Newberry Soil and Water Conservation District will host the third and final Gardening Series class for the year on Dec. 6.

This year’s first class dealt with vermicomposting, which is the process of of composting using various worms, usually red wigglers, white worms and other earthworms, to create a heterogeneous mixture of decomposing vegetable or food waste, bedding materials, and Vermicast. The second class dealt with growing fruit trees and berries.

This final class will discuss preserving seeds for the future.

“Basically anything you plant that is in your garden like tomatoes, you can take the seeds out of the tomato and save them for next year, but you have to know how to store them, how to keep them for next year,” said Danielle Rowe, district coordinator with the Newberry Soil and Water Conservation District. “There are only certain ones you can do that to, you can only do that to heirloom plants, you cannot do it to hybrids.”

Mike Dipner with Chappells Nursery, located at 1629 Wilson Road in Newberry, will be giving the presentation.

“I think everything he plants, he uses what he has already grown, which is kind of cool,” Rowe said.

Rowe said Dipner will walk attendees step by step through what plants you can use, how to find the seeds, how to take the seeds out, how to clean them up, how to store them and how to preserve them.

Rowe said those attending can bring their own seeds, and if they have any questions Dipner will be happy to answer.

“I am definitely looking forward to be able to find out which plants I can plant to do this because I did not know you could not use any type of plant until recently,” Rowe said. “I am excited to learn about the basics of what plants I can get, and then figure out how to re-grow it without having to go back every year and purchase seeds.”

During the second class Rowe partnered with the South Carolina New and Beginning Farmers (SCNBF), which she is doing again.

Thanks to that partnership, Rowe had 45 individuals attend the second class, with only about 15 to 20 of them being Newberry Soil and Water Conservation District members.

“They were from all over. The furthest person was from Charleston,” she said. “They were in Columbia for a class that day, they scooted over after that class.”

Due to the increased number of people attending the class, Rowe will utilize a bigger space, as opposed to her office on Kendall Road. The class will be held at Piedmont Technical College, 1922 Wilson Road. She will also provide a chili bar this time, which she says is perfect with the cold weather.

Rowe said anyone attending should let her know of any allergies or food preferences.

The deadline to RSVP is Dec. 2 by either contacting Rowe by email at newberrysoilandwater@gmail.com or by phone at 803-940-6001. Rowe said she can even accept texted RSVPs. Just include your name, how many people will be attending, if you are a member or a New and Beginning Farmer and a contact number.

The Gardening series is free to SCNBF and to NSWCD members. The cost is $10 for all others.

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By Andrew Wigger

awigger@civitasmedia.com

What is the S.C. New and Beginning Farmer Program?

The S.C. New and Beginning Farmer program is focused on enabling new and beginning farmers to be successful, productive and innovative members of their local agricultural community by providing them with the tools, knowledge and skills necessary to be successful entrepreneurs; sound business managers; exemplary stewards of SWAPA (soil, water, air, plants, and animals), and successful marketers of the unique products they create; and, perhaps most importantly, individuals who have a sense of pride and quality of life as a result of their investment and participation in the agricultural community of South Carolina.

Reach Andrew Wigger at 803-276-0625 ext. 1867 or on Twitter @ TheNBOnews.