Community Commons Events Calendar:
Design & construction of a rain garden:
Presented by Matt Berres of the Potomac Conservancy
Rain gardens capture rainwater from your roof and other hard or paved surfaces, allowing
it to permeate into the soil, recharging ground water supply and filtering out
pollutants. Join Matt for this hands-on workshop. Participants will construct
a rain garden on site, installing organic materials and native plants.
Please bring gloves and wear clothing that can get dirty.
WHEN :Saturday, May 31st
WHERE :Friends Meeting School, 3232 Green Valley Road, Ijamsville
Building and using rain barrels through wet and dry years:
Presented by Bonnie Duggan, Rain Barrel Specialist and Master Gardener
Rain barrels were a hit in Frederick County during last summer's drought,
But rain barrels are useful every year, especially in a wet season. Bonnie
Duggan will discuss the importance of selecting the "right" barrel and will
assist participants as they figure out how much rainfall they capture from their
roof and how to select the proper site for a rain barrel. Additionally,
participants will have the opportunity to purchase a rain barrel at a discounted
rate and learn the ins and outs of their construction.
WHEN :Saturday, June 14th
WHERE :Community Commons office
Do the rot thing:
Presented by Phil Harris of the Frederick County Landfill
Come learn how to build and use a compost bin to reduce waste and make great
fertilizer for your garden. Phil will dispel composting myths and provide
information to ensure composting successes! We will give away a compost bin
as a door prize.
WHEN :Saturday, July 12th
WHERE :Community Commons office
Natural household cleaners:
Presented by Shannon Moore, Frederick County DPW and Betsy Donnelly, Community Commons
Shannon and Betsy will walk participants through the steps of creating
non-toxic, inexpensive cleaners for the home. Participants will make an
all-purpose cleaner, a bathroom scrub, and furniture polish to take home.
Sources for other recipes will be discussed and our favorite books will be
offered as door prizes.
WHEN :Saturday, August 9th
WHERE :Friends Meeting School, 3232 Green Valley Road, Ijamsville
Maintaining your lawn while protecting water quality:
Presented by John DeNoma, NaturaLawn of America.; Tom Miller, University of MD Cooperative Extension;
and Tim Goodfellow, Frederick County Planner
Over-application of lawn fertilizer and pesticides runs off into local waterways
during rain events. Join John, Tom, and Tim as they discuss techniques for
keeping a healthy, green lawn without adding to the nutrient pollution our
streams, bays, and reservoirs are facing. Get technical questions about lawn
care answered by the experts!
WHEN :Saturday, September 13th
WHERE :Location TBA
All workshops in the Building a Greener Lifestyle series run from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.
Registration is required and space is limited to 30 participants.
Workshop fees are $8 for Community Commons members and $12 for non-members