For the third time in 10 minutes, I put down my coffee and looked at my watch: 9:07. I was feeling a bit uneasy. The July children’s program at the Orr’s Island Library was due to start in under an hour. The planning of the presentation was not my responsibility, but board presidents fuss about such things.
When I arrived at the library five minutes later, one car was already there. The library was open and, as I walked in, there was Helen Kitchel. Helen was doing what she always did, making sure the chairs were properly arranged and a table was set up for the Chewonki materials. Helen loved children and wanted to make sure everything was perfect for them. It was.
Helen passed away unexpectedly in early December. The news came as a shock to all who knew her. If Helen knew something was wrong, she did not complain about it, as many of us do. That was not Helen.
Helen’s contributions to Harpswell nonprofits were constant and varied. She was a longtime member of the library’s board of trustees and president of the Mingo Club, among many, many other roles. She was the embodiment of a faithful and cheerful volunteer.
Helen’s love of children extended beyond her background as an educator. If there was a children’s program at the library, she was in the middle of its planning and execution. We will miss her easy grace and passion. The Orr’s Island Library will commemorate her contributions by naming a children’s program in her memory. Rest in peace, dear friend.
If you are a gardener, winter is a frustrating time. It has been months since you had dirt under your fingernails. The snow and frozen ground mean outside work is out of the question. What can you do?
Some people get an early start on spring by starting seeds under grow lights. Although that process works for some, there are significant downsides. The cost of equipment and materials can be considerable, even if you have indoor space. Then there is the constant monitoring, special planting medium, cold stratification of some plants, leggy seedlings, and “hardening off” before transplanting. It works, but the time commitment is substantial.
There is a simpler alternative: winter sowing.
Developed by Trudi Greissle Davidoff two decades ago, winter sowing has you plant seeds in containers in the winter and leave those containers outside in the elements. When the seeds would naturally germinate, they do. It is as simple as that.
All you need is a transparent or translucent container, such as a milk or water jug, along with potting soil and seeds.
The process is straightforward. You cut the container open, make drainage holes, fill with 3 inches of moistened dirt, put in the seeds at the recommended depth, seal the container back up, remove the cap and place outside. Mother Nature does the rest.
The opening in the top allows for rain and snow to provide moisture and the winter temperatures provide cold stratification for seeds that require it. In the spring, when the sprouted seeds have two sets of leaves, they are ready for transplant. That’s it! Winter sowing works for all annuals, perennials and vegetables that will grow successfully in Maine.
You can learn, hands-on, how the process works by attending a free demonstration at the Orr’s Island Library on Thursday, Feb. 19 at 1 p.m. You may bring your own containers and seeds or use those provided by the presenters and the library’s seed library.
This event is being co-sponsored by Harpswell Aging at Home and the Orr’s Island Library. Material costs are being underwritten by the Harpswell Santa Fund. Advance registration is not required.
For more information about the event, email giveorrslibrary@gmail.com. To learn more about winter sowing generally and the variety of containers you can use, visit the Winter Sowers Facebook page, which has more than 190,000 members.
We hope to see you there!
“Library Connections” is a monthly column that rotates among the three libraries that serve Harpswell: Cundy’s Harbor, Orr’s Island, and Curtis Memorial.
