Sustainable living gets the green thumb at Olds College’s upcoming 48th annual Hort Week.
“We have added some new course categories, seeming as how growing your own food is popular again,” said Tina Overwater, Hort Week organizer with Olds College Continuing Education.
Hort Week runs from July 16 to 20, offering people a choice of 40 workshops on gardening, growing and creating things for the outdoors.
“We have added a berry series of lectures so you can learn how to grow cherries or blueberries or other small fruits,” Overwater said.
Hort Week also offers courses on sustainable living with a focus on residential landscape design.
Each course is scheduled at different times during the week. Some courses go for half the day and others for the full day.
Overwater says many people stay in Olds for the week and have typically stayed in student housing or camped near the college.
Olds College will also be hosting botanic garden tours at their Botanic Gardens III and Treatment Wetlands research facility.
The tours are on July 17 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and July 18 from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
The tours are $10 or free for those who have registered for Hort Week courses.
Overwater also made mention of a herb walk through the botanic gardens.
Lead by a herbalist, people will learn about weeds and herbs. One walk is already full so organizers have added another on July 18 from 6 to 8 p.m. for $35.
“There is so much we can consume that you grow in a garden whether it is weeds or planted material,” Overwater said,
“I am glad to see that this is as popular as it should be.”
For more information or for a full course listing, visit www.oldscollege.ca/hortweek or contact, 1-800-661-6537 extension 4677.
jjones@www.reddeeradvocate.com