Markets, Contests, Chickens, and Bees {Friday Five}

1. Starting next Wednesday, the Clintonville Farmers' Market will host Slow Down Wednesdays from 4:30 - 7:30 pm. Shop some of your favorite market vendors plus a few new faces during the evening. 2. The Food Experiment is coming to Columbus on July 15. Amateur chefs will compete under the theme 'Smoke'. A $10 ticket gains you entry to taste samples, vote on your favorite, and drink a Brooklyn Beer.

3. Speaking of competitions, did you know that state fair blue ribbons aren't just for kids? The Ohio State Fair give adults a chance to win cash prizes in addition to bragging rights in many cooking and baking competitions. Contests require pre-registration by July 11 so browse the link and sign up soon.

4. City Folk's Farm Shop is hosting an inaugural Chicken Support Group for central Ohio backyard chicken keepers. Experienced chicken-raisers, newbies, and those thinking about rearing fowl in the backyard are welcome Sunday July 22 at 7 pm.

5. I leave you with this funky educational video produced by Burt's Bees and Wild For Bees. Watch the wildly costumed actress teach about bee life and why we need to protect them.

Buy Local Plants! Swaps and Sales {Friday Five}

Some say the soil is the key to a successful garden while others say the sun. I believe that quality seedlings make a huge difference between gardens that produce strong crops and those that falter.

The healthiest seedlings are raised locally by savvy growers. Seedlings at 'big box' stores are often stressed from lack of care and long transport distances. Small, local farmers and gardeners, on the other hand, baby their seedlings to keep them strong and disease free.

Fortunately for Columbus gardeners, local seedling sources are plentiful. If you are still looking for seedlings and/or have some extras to share, hit up one of these plant swaps and sales:

1. Chadwick Garden Plant Sale -  Friday, May 11, 7 am - 7 pm (Auction begins at 11am) and Saturday, May 12, 8 am - 3 pm (Auction begins at 11am) on the grounds of the Ohio 4-H Center located just east of 315 on the OSU campus at Lane Avenue and Fred Taylor Drive.

2. Worthington Plant Fest 9 am - 4 pm Saturday May 12 at the Village Green, corner of Rt. 161 and High Street (Rt. 23). I'll be here selling Swainway Urban Farm organic seedlings!

3. City Folk's Farm Shop Seedling Swap - 9 am - 5 pm Saturday May 19. Bring your labelled seedlings to City Folk's Farm Shop at 4760 N High St Columbus OH 43214 to swap with other growers.

4. Como Yarden Heirloom Plant Sale - 11 am - 4 pm Saturday May 19. Fantastic culinary varieties grown in organic Ohio soil.

5. Central Ohio Plant Swap - 10 am Saturday May 19 at Shelter A - Aspen (formally called #5), Hilliard Municipal Park, Hilliard, Ohio. Details on the gardenweb page.

City Folk's Farm Shop First Look

City Folk's Farm Shop opens today in North Clintonville. Located at 4760 North High Street, at the intersection of Beechwold and High, City Folk's is a sustainably-minded urban homesteading store. They stock gardening, house keeping, and animal husbandry supplies for central Ohio backyard growers. Lil and I stopped in yesterday to see the store before the soft opening.

It's hard not to scheme and dream in City Folk's. Tucked into corners of the store are charming handmade bat, bee, bird, and worm houses. A rack on the wall holds the most rustically beautiful hand tools I have ever seen. Everything a homesteader needs from laundry detergent to cheese making supplies to dehydrators are stocked in the welcoming, well lit show room.

Seeds from a variety of organic and heirloom producers are stacked in colorful packages just waiting to burst into plants. Pots in a variety of sustainably sourced materials are available to fill with bulk or bagged organic soil.

The back of the store houses a selection of chicken feed, soil, and amendments that can be loaded right out the back door into the parking lot.

City Folk's Farm Shop obviously has a preference for local, sustainably made tools - a preference I share. Shop keeper Shawn is committed to providing what local homesteaders need and welcomes our ideas. She put together a schedule of educational events to be held in store, including Backyard Chicken Basics (April 15, 3:30-4:30 pm) and Homesteading with Children (June 3, 3:30-4:30 pm) led by yours truly. See the full calendar on the City Folk's event page.

City Folk's opens today with hours from 10 am - 6 pm. They are planning a grand opening celebration for Earth Day weekend, April 21-22. Visit soon to outfit yourself for the spring growing season.

Disclosure: City Folk's hired me to write copy for their website and manage their social media account during opening. This post was not part of our agreement and opinions are my own.