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Events, Programs and Workshops
Now Available: Register Online
Annual and Seasonal Events
Annual and seasonal events occur once a year or for a seasonal timeframe. For example, the Farmers Market runs each year from May to September.
Bumblebee Jamboree
Bumblebee Jamboree is metro Richmond’s premier National Pollinator Week event hosted by the Chesterfield County Master Gardeners and Virginia Cooperative Extension, along with other community partners tied to pollinator conservation. At this family-friendly event, children learn about the importance of bees, butterflies, birds, beetles and bats as they enjoy pollinator-related crafts, snacks and games, as well as other engaging actives. Adults can learn about native plants and other ways to encourage pollinators in their own backyards.
Date: Saturday, June 17, 2023, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Location: Maymont Park, Children’s Farm Entrance, 1000 Spottswood Ave., Richmond, VA 23220
Cost: Free and open to the public during Maymont’s hours.
For more information, visit us on our Bumblebee Jamboree Facebook page (@bumbleejamboree).
Chesterfield County Farmers Market
Virginia farmers markets are an important resource for communities to provide access to local fresh produce, food, horticultural goods and hygiene products. You also support local businesses by shopping at a farmers market. Visit the Chesterfield County Farmers Market Facebook additional information.
2023 Season
The Chesterfield County Farmers Market will be held on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. beginning May 10 to and ending Sept. 27. For more information, view the county calendar and visit the Chesterfield County Farmers Market Facebook for weekly updates and vendor lists.
Become a 2023 Vendor
Join us for the 2023 Chesterfield County Farmers Market! Those interested in being a 2023 farmers market vendor (or food truck for events on Chesterfield County property) should complete the Food Truck and Farmers Market Vendor application. For questions regarding farmers market applications, contact the farmers market manager.
Location
6707 Mimms Loop, Chesterfield, VA 23832
Shopping Farmers Markets Benefits
Shop local because farmers markets:
- Have better taste and nutrition: Products are grown locally and picked at the peak of the season, making nutrients more abundant.
- Give opportunities to meet your farmers: The same people who grow the food sell their products and have a wealth of knowledge to share.
- Support local business: When you shop at local farmers markets, you’re keeping money in your own community going directly to the farmer.
First Saturdays in the Garden
Join Chesterfield Master Gardeners on the following Saturdays from 10-11 a.m. at the Cooperative Extension demonstration garden to learn about sound gardening practices that you can use in your own landscapes and gardens. Monthly topics will be discussed, and questions will be welcomed as we tour the gardens for some real-time demonstrations of these gardening practices.
First Saturdays are free and for all ages. Registration is required and will open on Monday, April 24.
Dates and Demonstration Topics
Plant a Row for the Hungry
Join Cooperative Extension and Chesterfield Master Gardeners in support of Plant A Row for the Hungry (PAR), a national people-helping-people program that encourages gardeners to grow a little extra and donate the produce. Chesterfield gardeners can help feed the hungry by donating extra produce at the Cooperative Extension office, Mondays from 9-10:30 a.m. and first Saturdays from 10-11 a.m., from May 1 to Nov. 4 (excluding county holidays - check the county calendar for all dates). Donated produce should:
- be recently harvested
- have no signs of mold, spoilage, bruising or insects
- have excess dirt brushed off, but remain unwashed
- be brought in clean paper bags (preferred) or plastic bags
Donations are given to partner organizations such as SevaTruck RVA, Cartias and A Place of Miracles Cafe, which turn the produce into fresh nutritious meals to feed the hungry in Chesterfield and RVA.
Workshops and Classes
Cooperative Extension offers workshops and classes taught by staff and trained volunteers. More information and registration is available in the Cooperative Extension ActiveNet. If you would like to suggest as topic for a class or workshop, email Cooperative Extension.
Regenerative Gardening - Saturday, May 6
Regenerative gardening improves the soil system and our environment - while also producing plentiful harvests. Better soil helps plants and gardeners thrive! Learn soil-building methods, including adding organic matter, rotating crops, managing cover crops and mulch, and limiting soil disturbance. These are particularly well suited for backyard gardens and can lower water, pesticide and fertilizer bills. Presentation by Susan Atkins, Master Gardener.
View the county calendar for time, location and registration details.
Tomato Talk - Saturday, May 6
Join us as we take a journey toward the holy grail of gardening - the perfect tomato! We will move through each of the steps beginning with plant selection. We will discuss plant selection, practices to maintain healthy plants and common problems you may face, focusing on natural and organic remedies and integrated pest management. Master Gardener Jim Myracle presents.
View the county calendar for time, location and registration details.
Composting Made Easy - Saturday, May 20
Join a Chesterfield Master Gardener and Master Composter for an informative discussion of home composting. Learn how to make beneficial compost out of household waste and have a positive impact on the environment while helping your own garden and yard. A free GeoBin® will be provided to all attendees so you can start composting right away.
View the county calendar for time, location and registration details.
Veggie Trail - Saturday, June 24
Join Master Gardener Jim Myracle for a photographic tour of vegetable gardens: the good, the bad and the challenging. We will focus on the most common challenges presented by insects and plant diseases throughout a growing season. Using photographs that display nature’s remedies in action, we will discuss integrated pest management, plant pruning techniques and other organic and natural methods that are literally at our fingertips.
View the county calendar for time, location and registration details.
Intro to Fall Gardening - Saturday, July 15
The best is yet to come! Prepare the fall flower garden with bulbs and perennials. Topics include extending the season, pest prevention, what to plant for a fall harvest, interplanting and making the most of your garden space. Presented by Master Gardener Gail Coltes.
View the county calendar for time, location and registration details.
"Seed" You in September - Cool Season Lawn Care - Wednesday, Aug. 2
Prepare to enjoy a lush lawn by getting a head start on your fall lawncare this summer. A carefully timed schedule is one of the most important factors in grass germination success with August being the ideal month for some tasks. Master Gardener Lela Martin will share timing and techniques to grow cool-season grasses.
View the county calendar for time, location and registration details.
Fall Garden Activities - Tuesday, Aug. 15
Fall is a time for harvesting, cleaning up, seed saving, dividing perennials, planting greens and winterizing. Learn cost-effective and labor-saving ways to make the most of your efforts. Consider fall gardening for great tasting lettuce and raising your own seedlings for enticing variety. Typical activities will be reviewed, as well as preparation ideas for the next year. Presentation by Susan Atkins, Master Gardener.
View the county calendar for time, location and registration details.
The Marvelous Monarch - Saturday, Aug 19
Elizabeth Bock, Master Gardener, will introduce you to this iconic orange and black pollinator. Appropriate for all ages, her interactive presentation will explore the butterflies' life cycle, relationship to milkweed, migration, history and relevance to sustaining our ecosystem.
View the county calendar for time, location and registration details.
Programs
Cooperative Extension offers both one-time and annual programs and services that assist with educating attendees about topics such as landscaping, lawncare and well water testing.
Demonstration Garden
Master Gardeners are developing gardens to teach homeowners, gardeners, youth, green industry professionals and others about a range of issues including water conservation, pollinator preservation, food production, sustainable maintenance practices and locally adapted plants.
Grass Roots
Get a healthier lawn with the Grass Roots program!
Are you frustrated with the condition of your lawn? Tired of throwing away money on seed and fertilizer, only to see no improvements? Get to the root of the problem through the Grass Roots program! Grass Roots offers residents the opportunity to learn about and remedy specific problems contributing to your lawn’s current condition. The program includes:
- A site visit by a Master Gardener who measures your lawn area and takes soil sample(s).
- A detailed site evaluation of lawn, including soil compaction and weed cover.
- Some personalized recommendations tailored to your lawn’s needs.
Registrants receive the following:
- Personalized lawn care report - and recommendations to help you get started
- Publications on lawn care in our area are referenced throughout the report
- Seasonal newsletter with tips and information on upcoming lawn care seminars
Safety Guidelines
With the safety of our volunteers and you as our clients in mind, Grass Roots follows a zero-contact policy. For the safety of our Master Gardener Volunteers (MGVs), you must stay distant when MGVs are measuring your yard and collecting soil samples - do not approach them.
MGVs have been instructed to leave a property immediately if they are approached by homeowners or loose pets. We reserve the right to forego soil sampling and evaluating properties if pets have not been removed from the sampling area during the stated evaluation timeframe.
We understand that you may have questions about the program or your lawn. Please call the Extension Office at 804-751-4401 or email our office with any questions or concerns.
Registration
Registration for the 2023 season is open. For more information, email the Cooperative Extension Office or call 804-751-4401.
Additional Resources
Learn Your Landscape
Learn how to maintain and enhance your property with help by Chesterfield Master Gardeners.
The program includes a site visit by trained Master Gardener volunteers who will evaluate and answer site specific questions regarding your property, such as:
- What plants will grow well in my area of Chesterfield County?
- What plants are on my property and how do I take care of them?
- How can I create habitat for beneficial wildlife like birds and bees?
Registration
Registration for the 2023 season is open. For more information, call us at 804-751-4401 or email the Cooperative Extension Office.
Cost
Program cost is $30, which covers the cost of supplies, materials and personalized guide. A limited number of registrations are accepted, so register early if you would like to take part.
Program Details
Soil sampling will not be included with the visit, but you will be provided with a soil sampling kit that you can submit on your own, see Grass Roots for more information. Trained Master Gardener volunteers will review registration applications and schedule initial site visit.
Initial site visits include:
- Master Gardener volunteers assess your landscape (limited to 1.5 hours)
- Site assessment of landscape - prioritized by preferences listed in application
Final site visits include:
- Take place several weeks after initial site visit
- One-on-one review of recommendations with Master Gardener volunteers (limited to 1 to 1.5 hours)
- You will receive a map of property with current plantings and site conditions noted from initial visit
- You will receive a customized reference binder full of fact sheets on current plantings and general gardening info for our area
This program features an optional wildlife habitat component to the site assessment, in cooperation with the Habitat Partners © Program of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
Well Water Testing Clinic
Affordable, confidential water testing and education will be offered through Virginia Cooperative Extension offices in Chesterfield County. Participation is voluntary and confidential. Water samples collected by participating homeowners will be analyzed for 14 parameters, including bacteria, metals, nitrate and hardness at a cost of $65 (per kit).
Pick up and drop off of kits are at the Cooperative Extension office. Results and water system care and maintenance information will be sent to each participant either by email or mail, and a pre-recorded video or live presentation will be made available to help explain the summary results and recommendations to address problems.
2023 clinic dates have not yet been finalized. Please contact Sierra Seekford by email or call 804-751-4401 with any questions. For more information about the Virginia Household Water Quality Program, as well as many resources relevant to private water systems, please visit the Virginia Household Water Quality Program website.