Free garden faire approaches

The Garden Faire at Skypark is quickly approaching.
The annual event will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 23, a Saturday, at Skypark, 361 Kings Village Road, in Scotts Valley.
The 2012 theme, “Growing Your Change,” explores the importance of individual actions to the health of the planet and local community.
The educational event, now in its seventh year, is free to attend.
Keynote speaker Dr. Ed Bauman, the founder and president of Bauman College Holistic Nutrition and Culinary Arts, will explain ways of “Healing from the Ground Up.” Emmet Brady, creator of the Insect News Network, will discuss insects in the garden, and Rich Merrill, a Cabrillo College horticulture professor, will talk about local food from local gardens.
Other speakers include licensed psychotherapist Kelly Bryson; Golden Love (water-neutral gardening); Tyler Allen (gray water in the garden); Lisa McAndrews (edible front yards and California native plants); LeAnne Ravinale (capturing rainwater); Tom Karwin (dry-climate gardening); Joy Albright-Souza (gardening with South African plants); Ruth Stiles (preserving oak trees); Michael Eurs (habitat gardening) and Patrick Adams (protecting pollinators). Complete speaker profiles are online at www.thegardenfaire.org/speakers.html.
Garden-related goods will be on sale, and activities for kids, live music and healthful food will be part of the day.
The popular free Gardener’s Exchange also offers attendees a chance to exchange belongings for something new, including plants, gardening books, supplies, tools and garden accents.
For information: www.thegardenfaire.org