Home and Garden

Let’s walk the gardens and enjoy what has spring has on display.

The Unity of Columbus Resource Group for the Homeless is seeking compassionate volunteers who would like to help serve and uplift members of our homeless community. This group is dedicated to sharing kindness, resources, and support with individuals who may be experiencing difficult circumstances. Anyone with a heart for service is welcome to join us as we work together to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Community members are also invited to contribute by bringing helpful items for those in need. Donations of items can be contributed at the meeting and will be distributed to assist members of the homeless community. Please consider joining us and sharing this opportunity with friends, family, or associates who may also wish to help. Learn more about Unity of Columbus at www.unityofcolumbus.org or call (614) 267-4959. Together we can extend compassion, dignity, and support to our community. 💛

Our next much-awaited **COLUMBUS** meetup is **Tuesday April 21 from 7-10 pm EST at ACE OF CUPS**. Meet patients, cultivators, processors, dispensary managers/staff, physicians, home growers, educators, activists, nonprofits, artists, attorneys, business owners, writers, students, and supporters to network, share our knowledge, collaborate, support each other and make new ones! Hope you will be there too! Save the date and pass the word. **Please RSVP** so we know who is coming and how many to expect. Find us to say hi and we will introduce you to others. We should be easy to spot. (The happy-looking group wearing cool nametags! See photos from our past events.) Sign in, grab a name tag, start your own bar/food tab, meet old friends and make new ones! Everyone is welcome. SEE YOU THERE!

April 21, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Licking County Library Seed and Plant Swap Newark, Ohio LICKING COUNTY LIBRARY Seed & Plant Swap Tuesday, April 21, 2026 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Licking County Library | Newark Discovery Center (basement) 101 W. Main Street | Newark Bring your extra seeds & plants & swap with others! Invasive or potentially invasive plants are prohibited. [See prohibited list here ](https://www.oipc.info/list-of-assessed-species.html) To encourage participants to remove invasive plants and to plant native plants, Pollinator Pathway offers free native plants at the swap. Please label the plants you bring. Bring plants in soil or water (hydroponics) Bring plants propagated by: dividing (separating an already growing plant) rooting a leaf (typically done with succulents) rooting a cutting (a small stem with leaves) Label plants or seeds as best you can (common or scientific name, sun/shade, water, size, etc Participants can take one new plant for each one they bring

Join us for one of our favorite hikes this Tuesday (4/21/26) at 6:30 pm as we hike the Hoover Dam Scenic Trail, starting at the west end of the dam. This hike includes some paved paths/roads along with some dirt trails, with a few beautiful views of the reservoir. Join us for this 2 mile hike, finding us in the parking lot at the corner of Sunbury and Smoke Burr.

AI is changing how art is made. But when does it stop being your work and start being the machine’s? This month we're going to be doing a panel with with digital image, music, and written word artists, talking about at what point, while using AI in the creation process, does the work become not the artist creation? We encourage audience participation during this event that will be moderated by Chris Slee. Whether you’re deep in the field or just getting curious, come connect with others building and exploring AI in Columbus. Sponsored by [Transform Labs](https://www.transformlabs.com/services) Sign up also accessible via [Transform Labs Luma](https://luma.com/55umjqta)

5:45-7:45 in Conference Room B, Library lower level. Bring your yarn projects, meet new friends. If you plan to attend, please RSVP yes. If you can’t attend, please change your RSVP to no. This helps anyone who is waitlisted and it allows me to have an accurate count of attendees as our space is quite limited. Plenty of parking in the lot, in the overflow lot across the street, and on the street. See you there!

5th annual Earth Day Celebration! This year (2026) the Celebration is scheduled for April 25th with activities running from 10am-2pm. This is a non-ticketed event. Everyone is welcome! We will have food trucks, Birds of Prey, kids crafts, live music, raspberry plants, apple trees, and of course NATIVE PLANTS! Where: Lynd Fruit Farm, 9399 Morse Rd, Pataskala Ohio 43062 Time: Activities will be from 10am- 2pm. The Market will remain open until 5pm.

Watch movie trailer here: https://www.seedsthefilm.com/ SEEDS Documentary and Community Conversation Friday, April 24 | 5-9pm Locatjon: Ohio Dominican University | Matesich Theater in Erskine Hall 1216 Sunbury Rd Room 108, Columbus, OH 43219 Through dialogue and film, spend an evening explore the lives of Black generational farmers, the unjust history of land ownership, and local Black farmers creating new legacies today. Seeds Documentary and Community Conversation is the second event in Shepherd’s Corner Land Justice Series, where we welcome BIPOC artists, filmmakers, writers, and growers to teach us, through intentional programming, what it means to be on and part of the land. This event is sponsored with Ohio Dominican University and Ohio Dominican University’s Black Student Union. Click here to access a flyer to help spread the word about SEEDS Documentary and Community Conversation **ABOUT Seeds** Seeds is Director Brittany Shyne’s Sundance-winning lyrical documentary of Black farmers, legacy, and land. “Interweaving the stories of three Black generational farmers to create a collective and intimate portrait of farming today, Seeds is a moving and powerful exploration of their lives, joys and struggles as well as the fragility of legacy and owning land.” Seedsthefilm.com **PANEL DISCUSSION: LOCAL BLACK FARMERS CREATING NEW LEGACIES** * Moderator Holly Moten Fidler, M.A. in Social Justice & Public Theology (MASJ/MAPT) student at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio (MTSO) and Seminary Hill Farm worker * Julialynne Walker, Food Sovereignty Advocate and Market Manager Bronzeville Growers Market * Minister Aaron Hopkins, Visionary Farmer Planner of South Side Family Farms and Executive Director of ICANDO Community Development * Jada Terry, Founder of Mizizi Farm and Fresh Roots 614 SCHEDULE * 5 pm: Doors Open + Refreshments served. Informal Meet and Greet with Panelists and Guests * 6 pm: Opening + Panel Discussion * 7 pm: SEEDS Screening Free Admission. Registration Required. Register for free here: https://shepherdscorner.org/seeds/

Hosted by Dawes Arboretum and Community Cultures Learn How to Ferment Soda at Arbor Day (Free admission for Arbor Day Celebration and free tree seedlings while supplies last) **To sign up for these workshops, please sign up when you visit The Arboretum during Arbor Day at the Zand Garden Classroom.** **There will be three sessions:** **10 to 11 a.m.** **11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.** **1 to 2 p.m** Community Cultures is a Pittsburgh-based organization that has provided virtual and in-person fermentation workshops, private events, consulting and fermented products for over a decade. It began when Trevor Ring, its founder, was in college and tried kombucha for the first time. Ring was intrigued by the flavor and used a kombucha mother, which is necessary for kombucha brewing. Shortly after he tried it, batches of vinegary kombucha dotted the floor underneath his dorm bed. Since then, Ring has been creating fermented products and encouraging the community to learn about fermentation. “It became a passion where I was fascinated to see food evolve over time,” he said. “Whether it’s under your bed, or on your countertop, you can experience these wonderful flavor changes and then nutritional benefits.” The process of fermentation is a “metabolic process where microorganisms like yeast and bacteria convert sugars into alcohol, gases or acids.” Simply, fermentation is the breakdown of food through microbes, according to Ring. Fermentation is also considered food preservation. According to Ring, it’s likely one of the most ancient forms of food preservation aside from drying. Simply fermentation is engaging with the microscopic world so humans can preserve food, improve flavor and make it last longer. One of the most interesting things Ring has learned about fermentation is the exploration of people's origins and how they used fermentation as preservation historically. “There are so many ferments that exist all around the world,” he said. “A lot we don’t know about because they’re not shared in textbooks or aren’t studied. I encourage people when I’m teaching my workshops to reflect on their ancestry to explore what fermented products their ancestors were making.” Ring feels like, as a society, we generally have a fear of bacteria. Although there are bacteria to genuinely fear, he wants people to remember that, if done correctly, fermentation practices are very safe, and humans have been practicing them for thousands of years. Beginner fermentation activities include fermented vegetables or fermented sodas. On Arbor Day at The Dawes Arboretum, visitors will have the chance to meet Ring from Community Cultures and participate in his fermented soda workshop! The workshop will entail a brief overview of fermentation and a demonstration of how to make fermented soda at home using simple ingredients paired with a simple process. Participants will be able to taste various sodas and leave with knowledge and a recipe handout so they can practice fermentation on their own at home. Please email information@dawesarb.org if you have any questions.

Walk for Children - 2026 Save Soil Walkathon in Columbus 🌍 Over 52% of the world soil is degraded and scientists warn we may have only a few decades of fertile soil left. As Sadhguru shares, soil is a living system—and when it degrades, our food, health, and future are at risk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyT-6qiubd0 🚶‍♂️🌎This Earth Day, Join the Walk for Children-2026 SaveSoil 5K Walkathon here in Columbus and help raise awareness about soil for the future of our children! Every step you take helps: ✔️ 1. Raise awareness in your communities about protecting and restoring soil. ✔️ 2. Supports sustainable food systems. ✔️ 3. Helps secure our children’s future. 📅 Date: April 26, 2026 📍 Location: Scioto Audubon Metro Park Check-in address 400 W Whittier St, Columbus, OH 43215 ⏰ Time: 8:30 a.m. check-in event starts at 9:30 a.m. 👉 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walk-for-children-2026-save-soil-walkathon-in-columbus-registration-1986596534713?aff=oddtdtcreator 👉🏼Free and Open to All. Share this message and bring your neighbours, friends & family along to celebrate our planet! Let’s make it happen!

***LOVE SOUP?*** Souper Heroes is back! Folks donate homemade soups and we get to sample and vote on our favorite! Now, put a donation in the collection (or Venmo). Suggested donation to local food pantry: $5+ (depending on how many samples you enjoy) ### April 23: “Spring Fling” As spring starts to bloom, Souper Heroes will embrace fresh, vibrant flavors with the “Spring Fling” event in April. This is your chance to dive into the season with soups that are as colorful and lively as spring itself. Bold ingredients, bright flavors, and a touch of creativity will make this event the perfect celebration of renewal and growth. ### How It Works **Soup Makers:** Bring your A-game (and your pre-heated slow cooker) filled with your best soup. You’ll be serving samples to attendees who are ready to fall in love with your creation. Registration is open now! **Soup Eaters:** For a small donation (cash or Venmo), you can taste up to 15 soups and vote for your favorite in the People’s Choice Award. The host location will supply all the essentials: extension cords, soup cups, spoons, napkins, and even cup carriers. *Plus, bread and beverages will be on hand to round out the experience.* [Seventh Son](https://www.seventhsonbrewing.com/) brings delicious beer to the city and state that we love—Columbus, Ohio—and offers a unique taproom space to enjoy with our friends and neighbors. Food trucks, live plants, good music, excellent people, award-winning beers, and cocktails.

Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Free Communal Garden Class Series GROWING MUSHROOMS In this class, we will discuss how to raise mushrooms on logs outdoors as a way to raise food in parts of your yard that are usually too shady to grow vegetables or other crops. We will discuss what mushroom species can be cultivated, what tree species they can grow on, and demonstrate how to prepare and inoculate the logs. By following these steps, you can have your own bountiful mushroom harvest! APRIL 27 | 6:00-7:30 PM | WELLS BARN 1851 E BROAD ST, COLUMBUS, OH 43205 INSTRUCTOR: MARC AMANTE Mare Amante is an Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Educator with Central State University who is also currently serving as CSU Extension's Agriculture and Natural Resources Interim Program Leader. He has worked on and managed diversified vegetable farms across the Midwest and currently owns and operates an urban farm here in Ohio where he raises microgreens, vegetables, raspberries, and log-grown mushrooms for sale to local markets and restaurants. Registerefor free here https://www.fpconservatory.org/events/cg-growing-mushrooms/

Annual plant sale to support the Inniswood Volunteers Inc., giving back to the gardens. Offering mostly perennials, herbs and a few shrubs. Day 1: Saturday May 2, 2026 8am-4pm Day 2: Sunday May 3, 2026: 11a-3pm rain or shine. Bring a wagon if you have one!

Annual plant sale to support the Inniswood Volunteers Inc., giving back to the gardens. Offering mostly perennials, herbs and a few shrubs. Day 1: Saturday May 2, 2026 8am-4pm Day 2: Sunday May 3, 2026: 11a-3pm rain or shine. Bring a wagon if you have one!

GRANVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY Plant Swap May 3, 2026 3-4 p.m. Granville Public Library | 217 E. Broadway Is your perennial garden overflowing? Did you start too many native plant or vegetable seeds? Bring your extras to trade with other gardeners. Participants will be able to walk away with one new plant for each one they bring. Plants considered invasive are prohibited from the plant swap. [Click here to read list of prohibited plants ](https://www.oipc.info/list-of-assessed-species.html) To encourage participants to remove invasive plants & plant native plants, Pollinator Pathway will be offering free native plants at the swap. Please label the plants you bring.

**Pagans on the Patio! Summer/Fall Series** A casual gathering the first Thursday of each month. Time to relax, meet new people, and reconnect with old friends. There is no charge for the event itself and all are welcome but there are a few guidelines: 1. **You are expected to purchase food and/or drink to compensate the Cantina and our server.** 2. **No soliciting. Do not bring samples of your wares or brochures of your services.** 3. **Please respect the spiritual and political views of others that are present. No disruption of the peace.** In case of inclement weather, we will find seating indoors. I hope to see you there. Blessed be! \~ Cynthia ❤️---

12:45-3:45 p.m. in Conference Room A, Library lower level. Bring your yarn projects, meet new friends. If you plan to attend, please RSVP yes. If you can’t attend, please change your RSVP to no. This helps anyone who is waitlisted and it allows me to have an accurate count of attendees as our space is quite limited. Plenty of parking in the lot, in the overflow lot across the street, and on the street. See you there!