Young artist from Afton blends the arts of ceramics and gardening

Kira Call is a young artist from Afton and is spending summer break from Utah State University working at Afton's Hi Mountain Floral. Some of her recent artwork blends her interests in ceramics and growing fruits and veggies. You can see her work on her Facebook page. I would post samples here but Blogger is not letting me post photos today. What gives, Blogger?

Here's Kira's artist's statement from Facebook:

Art is my life. I honestly have no idea where I would be without it. I love drawing, CERAMICS, painting, sculpting, and pretty much anything else that I can get my hands on. I love to play guitar-- but more specifically, I can get lost in the world of classical guitar music. I love the intricacy and emotion in it. I have become literally obsessed with ceramics... and making teapots, to be more specific-- I don't think my first teapots look too terrible. The best way to learn is to keep challenging myself to go further ;) I believe in doing things for my own reasons. I enjoy walking alone in the forest, drinking tea, bike riding, and surprising people. I dare you to try and find someone just like me ;)

Artsy fun for families at Cheyenne Botanic Gardens

Albin promotes the ag arts at expo March 22

Spring must be on its way! National Ag Day is March 15 and we're in the midst of National Ag Week. The Southeastern Wyoming Home and Garden Farm and Crop Expo will be held in Albin in Laramie County on Tuesday, March 22, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Prizes given away every hour. Get more information at http://albinwyo.com/calender_view.aspx?id=47, (307) 632-8411 or agrecruit@juno.com. Find more ag-oriented arts & crafts activities in The Fence Post.

Can a modern-day Victory Garden be "folk art?"

Pamela Price at the Red, White and Grew blog continues to make her case to consider contemporary Victory Gardens as a folk art. She's trying to refine her definition, at one point calling this history-based garden of the World War II home front a "folk arts installation." Here is what she came up with in today's post:

Having let the idea of victory gardens as folk art sink in further to my grey matter, I’ve come up with the realization that not all gardens would fit that definition.

So, here are the two main criteria:

• The garden must be given the “victory garden” name by the gardener. Of course, if someone wants to call it kitchen garden, potager, etc. and still meet the criteria below, then they’d still likely be folk art, too–just not victory gardens as folk art. The choice of the name suggest a conscious desire to engage with a particular history, in this case American garden history over the last century.

• The garden must be suited to the micro-climate. In other words, rather than being a formulaic bed (or beds) laid out precisely in keeping with the suggestion of someone else (a landscape designer, garden book author, extension agent), the garden must reflect the gardener’s conscientious choice to grow food in harmony with the particular site. Now, the garden may not begin this way–first-timers like formulas, but over-time and with practice, the garden should become more reflective of place. This evolution suggests a unique (and hopefully fruitful) dialogue is taking place between gardener and environment.

"Wildflower gardening" is the next topic of the Slosson Lecture Series at WTP Historic Site

Press release from the Wyoming Territorial Prison Historic Site in Laramie:

Beth Babcock has more than 20 years of master gardening experience and will present her collection of pressed and dried wildflowers and share tips and hints on wildflower gardening August 17 at the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site. This Free public event begins at 6 p.m. at the Prison Building Dining Hall.

Beth Babcock speaks nationwide as the Native Plant and Wildflower Chairperson for the Wyoming, Rocky Mountain Region, and National Federation of Garden Clubs. Her research takes her into local mountain ranges and community gardens where she continues to learn the best ways to grow and preserve wildflowers.

This will be the third lecture of the 2010 May Preston Slosson Lecture Series, a new event this year at the Wyoming Territorial Prison.

The May Preston Slosson Lecture Series brings to life the historic lectures of May Preston Slosson, who became America’s first female Prison Chaplain when she was appointed to her post at the Wyoming Territorial Prison in 1899. Her lecture topics included religion, chemistry, poetry, and classical literature, and were presented in the Prison Dining Hall for the enjoyment and education of inmates and community members.

The Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site, 975 Snowy Range Rd. Laramie, is open daily 9 a.m.-6 p.m. For more information, call Misty Stoll, (307) 745 -3733.

Locavores gather in Laramie April 11

Local Food Gathering will be held in Laramie on Sunday, April 11, 12:30-5 p.m. in the UW Classroom Building, Fremont and 9th Street. "Fresh," the film, to be shown at 7 p.m., in Classroom 129. Free admission.

Join us for the second annual Laramie Local Foods Gathering. Our keynote address will be given by Mike and Cindy Ridenour from Meadow Maid Foods in Yoder, WY on the topic of "Seeing the New in Old: A Progressive Step Backward in Food Production."

Sessions will run from 1:30-4:45 and include home gardening challenges in the high mountain West, running a small ag business, home brewing, backyard chickens, preserving foods, how to grow fruit trees and more! Door prize drawing at 4:45 p.m. followed by a closing presentation from Laramie Dance Center.

Fee is $5 for public, $3 for seniors and free for students. Registration begins at 12 pm.

Full details are at http://laramielocalfood.webs.com/

Dinner break 5-7 p.m. (no-host dinner at The Library Restaurant and Brewery for those interested)