Programs

From the smallest window box to multi-acre efforts, gardening is a magnificent obsession and a powerful creative act. Fulfilling our mission as a 501-(c) (3), BGC’s workshops help newbies, veterans, and garden watchers hone their skills and widen their understanding. Everyone is welcome.

These talks occur on the third Tuesday of each month, January to May, and October to November. All programs convene in the street-level Abbott Room at the Belfast Free Library, 106 High Street in Belfast. The noon meetings occur before the scheduled 1:30pm membership meeting. We also sponsor one evening program, by Zoom only. Check our calendar for details about Zoom and in-person attendance. Browse past programs.

April 15, 2025 at Noon
Ron Howard: Farming the Wild Blueberry
Ron Howard’s family members settled part of what is now Brodis Blueberries in Hope in the
1750’s. He will explore how this 9th generation farm evolved from 13 diverse family farmsteads
into their current 800 acres of wild blueberries. Not only are wild blueberries one of the world’s
most nutritious foods, they are remarkable and unique plants that Brodis has worked to diversify
into innovative products. The farm has survived by sustainably modernizing with the times, and
Ron will discuss what’s on the horizon for the next generation.
Ron Howard serves as Farm Manager for family-owned wild blueberry farm Brodis Blueberries
in Hope, Maine.

Zoom link for this meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89467428018?pwd=1Rkvvvz9k2wzhDkTvayY26pAkbaguv.1

October 21, 2025 at Noon
Megan Pinette: Belfast’s Ghost Gardens
Join Megan Pinette for a seasonable foray into the past as we explore the ghosts of gardens that
once graced the backyards of some of Belfast’s historic homes. Though Belfast’s first gardens
were likely composed mostly of edible plants, by the time Belfast became a city in 1850, the
ideal of bringing botanical beauty to one’s own spot of land was an established New England
tradition. The famed rose garden of Admiral Veazie Pratt on Primrose Hill will be a feature of
the talk.
Megan Pinette is President of the Belfast Historical Society and Museum and also serves as
curator of the Belfast Museum. Active with the historical society for the past twenty-five years,
Megan has worked on “The Museum in the Streets,” the thirty interpretive panels along the
waterfront, downtown, and residential streets, and on the Church Street architectural and history
walking tour brochure.

Zoom link for this meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87268530094?pwd=JEAdiX3RFGpl4v6OHzTsqjRP6oaubb.1

November 18, 2025 at Noon
Jen Ries: Trees For the Home Landscape
Are you looking for native, fruiting, ornamental or shade trees for your yard? Jen Ries from
Fedco will explore the possibilities for your zone with considerations for purpose, mature size,
climate resilience, and ecological significance. She will also give tips for how to ensure a
successful tree gardening experience.
Jen Ries coordinates the bare root tree nursery at Fedco Seeds, Inc, a small agricultural
cooperative in Clinton, Maine. She and her husband homestead in Montville with extensive
gardens and a small tree nursery.

Zoom link for this meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87016145169?pwd=Elpukgwx13cDf0ZLsDDKJ6A3XjVPMj.1