Lee McBride, horticulture expert and owner of Foodscapes, Inc., will be speaking on Tuesday April 10, 2012, at Merrimack Hall. Few are as qualified as McBride to speak on the topic of gardening and local food. McBride created Foodscapes in 2010 with the goal of helping North Alabamians become more food stable through vegetable garden coaching, installation, maintenance, and consulting.

An Edible Yard?

For those who equate edible landscaping with eating grass, McBride’s lecture tonight will change your mind. McBride plans to discuss:

Stealth gardening
Growing vegetables where you might have planted shrubs and flowers
Using fruit trees and berries instead of some ornamental varieties
Different types of raised beds for dedicated vegetable areas
(time permitting) neighborhood farming utilizing the SPIN method and community farmers markets
The local food system and what each of us can do to help bring about change

Local Food Advocate

McBride’s knowledge about gardening is well established, and he is a regular on the local food scene:

Co-lead of the CASA Community Garden
Chair of the Education Committee of the North Alabama Food Policy Council
Alabama’s sole SPIN-Farming (Small Plot Intensive) teacher
A Master Gardener since 1990
Council member of the Alabama Urban Forestry Association
Local Foods Liaison for HSVGreenlink.com

Get Engaged

In addition to being a wealth of garden knowledge, McBride also utilizes his business as a tool for engagement.

“My ultimate goal is to help families produce some of their own food naturally and sustainably, using old and new techniques and help create a vibrant local food economy. Helping potential community gardens successfully launch and prosper as well as helping existing community gardens improve yields is a personal passion.”

-Lee McBride

It is connections–between farmers and consumers, restaurants and local grocers–that make a local food economy strong. While these relationships are changing our area’s food system for the better, there is more work to do. Huntsvillians can make a positive impact on the local food economy by the choices they make everyday.

“Lee is a passionate champion for all things local food and sustainability. Anyone who speaks to Lee for more than 5 minutes quickly realizes that not only is food Lee’s business but it is also his calling in life. I had the privilege to work with Lee during my time at CASA of Madison County, and it is rare to meet anyone so dedicated to their cause. I encourage any and everyone to go hear Lee speak.”

-Larkin Grant

Attend Tuesday evening’s “Edible Landscaping and Neighborhood Garden Seminar” to learn more about food security, community farmers markets, and the Food Policy Council. Visit Foodscapes’ website here and follow Lee McBride’s blog here.

Event Details

Date: Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Merrimack Hall Performing Arts Center
Address: 3320 Triana Boulevard Huntsville, AL 35805
 Cost: Suggested donation of $5.00 per person
Reservations: Call the Merrimack Hall Box Office (256) 534-6455 or email info@merrimackhall.com