..:: Learning Stream ::..

Virtual and On Demand Programs

Month

Date

Upcoming Event

Foodscaping with Native Plants - Virtual On Demand
Thoughtful design and management of landscapes is more important than ever as concerns of climate, water quality and invasive plants increase. Brie will discuss how to create a foodscape using native plants mixed with favorite seasonal food crops. The best organic products are featured and easy, earth friendly maintenance strategies are highlighted. Learn about native edible plants and the pollinators they attract that aid in ecological restoration. Get inspired to see the potential every landscape offers by transforming them into purposeful spaces that embrace solutions to modern day landscape practices.

Keep the Animals (including deer) Out of Your Garden - Virtual On Demand
Mammal browse is one of the biggest challenges that gardeners face. And we all have critters that we are sharing our gardens with, including deer, rabbits, groundhogs, even cats and dogs! The reality is, our gardens are delicious- they are fertilized, irrigated and full of tasty plants, so of course the local wildlife will take delight in eating our hard work. In this fun webinar, author, and horticulturist Brie Arthur, will explain her approach to dealing with unwanted animals. She will cover it all, including a few things that you should NOT do! From the best repellents and inexpensive fencing solutions to using a few favorite veggies to help deter problem animals, attendees will learn easy-to-apply strategies. Brie aims to make you laugh and answer all your questions in this recorded virtual session.

Spring Veggie Garden Prep - Virtual On Demand
Are you ready for the growing season? Life-long home gardener Brie Arthur shares expert advice for success in the veggie garden. She will cover everything you need to cultivate an abundant harvest. From seed selection and sowing, to bed prep, fertilization and proper crop rotations, this informative program will inspire attendees to grow all the food they love to eat. Brie will also share tips for maximizing your homegrown harvest through easy to learn processing and preserving techniques. After this session you will be ready to grow like a pro!

August

8/23/2023
1:15 PM - 10/4/2023 4:30 PM

Virtual Visiting Artist Master Course: Rendering Textures in Graphite with Rogério Lupo
Registration Closed
A drawing done purely in graphite can by its very nature provide a spectacular result. But besides that, mastering the graphite technique yields us the tools for a detailed investigation of the subject by doing previous studies, so we can grasp the essentials of light and shade before working with other media such as colored pencils, pen and ink, or even watercolors. This workshop offers the fundamentals for that as well, but focuses specifically on the richness of textures found in nature with all their diversity, and how to represent them artistically either using only graphite on white paper or else graphite plus a light-colored pencil on toned paper.

September

9/28/2023
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Hybrid Lunchbox Talk: Saving Snakes - Snakes and the Evolution of a Field Naturalist
In this Lunchbox Talk, Dr. Nicolette Cagle will explore the mysteries of snakes, their conservation, and connect it to larger themes of environmental identity development and conservation ethics, sharing excerpts from her book, Saving Snakes.

October

10/4/2023
9:30 AM - 10/18/2023 12:30 PM

Flowering Plant Families
This course builds on the information covered in Plant Taxonomy and focuses on the study of plant diversity by targeting twenty major and fairly stable plant families of flowering plants found in North Carolina. Classroom discussions of evolutionary adaptations and relationships are combined with close-up examination of representative examples.

10/6/2023
1:15 PM - 10/27/2023 4:45 PM

Composition - Virtual
This course is a broad study in the elements that formulate a good artistic composition. Students learn how to make visual choices and determine how parts of a plant are arranged on the page to balance botanical accuracy and artistic sensitivity. Composition serves as a prerequisite for Integrating Composition and Color Theory. Note: This class involves homework assignments. The amount of time students need to spend on homework varies and usually ranges from five to 15 hours per week.

10/12/2023
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Virtual Lunchbox Talk: Okra and Collards: Saving and Savoring Two Southern Staples
The Utopian Seed Project has taken a deep dive into the varietal diversity and crop potential of many traditional southern vegetables. This class uses okra and collards to explore crop trialing, seed saving, culinary evaluations, regional and community seed work, climate adaptation, and crop development. The class aims to showcase the importance of regional seed sovereignty and share seed saving as a simple and accessible technology that all gardeners and farmers can engage with. The lessons learned here can be applied to any crop at any scale. Join us for an inspiring journey into the world of okra and collards.

10/19/2023
9:00 AM - 11/9/2023 12:30 PM

Intermediate Expressive Watercolor - Virtual
This class introduces students to fluid watercolor techniques such as wet-on-wet. Students will learn to work with more water in the beginning and middle of the painting process and then rely on the skills learned in Beginning Watercolor to refine and add detail towards the end of the process. Students will create textures for backgrounds, work on color mixing using a limited palette, and learn to use glazing and masking fluid. Techniques for correcting mistakes in watercolor will also be covered. Upon completion of this course, students will have knowledge/skill of the following: • Working with various amounts of water and watercolor paint; • Working wet-on-wet; • Working with masking fluid; • Making a variety of watercolor textures such as salt, plastic wrap, etc.; • Glazing; • Working with a limited palette; and • Color mixing

10/21/2023
1:15 PM - 11/11/2023 4:45 PM

Intermediate Expressive Colored Pencil - Virtual
This course makes use of the techniques and information covered in the Beginning Colored Pencil class. Students will continue developing skills in drawing in colored pencils with attention to form, texture and detail. Using live botanical specimens, students will apply their drawing skills to create botanical portraits of seasonal plants such as twigs, leaves, petals, flowers, pods, and fruit. We will develop personal and expressive aesthetic while maintaining scientific accuracy.

November

11/5/2023
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM

Annual Jenny Elder Fitch Memorial Lecture - A World of Discovery: How Science and Heart Can Make You a More Ecological Gardener
Much has been written about gardening for human senses, but how do plants and animals perceive the world around them? What do we miss when we landscape for human visual appeal but neglect the sensory experiences of our wild neighbors? Noise, light and odor pollution can have many unintended consequences. Through science, heart, and our powers of observation, we can learn to mitigate these disruptions and create sensory refuges in an increasingly noisy world.

11/9/2023
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Hybrid Lunchbox Talk: Salish Ethnobotany for Community Wellbeing
Rose Bear Don’t Walk is a researcher and educator who explores the connections between Salish people, plants, and health. In this talk, she will discuss how Salish people have cultivated and consumed local edible flora for generations, and how this practice has implications for their community health and cultural longevity.