Press Release from the Branford Land Trust

As we endeavor to steward the ecological resources in our gardens, farms, and open space, putting the “right plant in the right place” is of critical importance for biodiversity. Come learn how we can best support our local land with plant material to foster that biodiversity.

Dina Brewster, founder of The Ecotype Project and owner of a restoration seed company, is presenting, “Ecological Restoration, Local Native Seeds, and Home Gardening,” a virtual talk, on Wednesday, Oct. 18 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. Register at https://tinyurl.com/yckaarpm

The 45-minute talk will explore best practices with plants in home gardens and ecological restoration, including the availability of ecotypic seeds for use in restoration projects throughout the Northeast. We’ll learn about Ecotypes and Ecoregions, with plenty of time for Q&A after the presentation. It will also be recorded and made available for future viewing.

Dina Brewster has been a full-time farmer since 2005. She founded The Hickories as a one-acre vegetable garden and has overseen the development of new products and new acreage as the farm has grown to a 45-acre certified organic fruit, vegetable, cut flower, livestock, and restoration seed company. Committed to connecting people with working land, Brewster chose to return to her family’s farm in Ridgefield and start the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program, one that still exists as the backbone of the farm’s business.

She served as the Executive Director of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut (CT NOFA) from 2019-’22. Brewster believes we have a responsibility to increase the economic vitality of our regional agrarian economy, improve the long-range ecological stewardship of our land, and enliven our cultural commitment to farming. Her most recent work, founding The Ecotype Project and becoming a seed farmer for the native plants from this region, has helped to catalyze the formation of the Northeast Seed Network of the Native Plant Trust, a collaborative effort for the development of a native seed supply chain in the Northeast.

Her talk is presented by the Branford Conservation and Environment Commission and the Branford Land Trust in partnership with the Blackstone Memorial Library. It is one in a three-part series on ecological restoration and ecotypic seeds. Watch for details on upcoming events that include a Seed Discovery Walk on Saturday, Oct. 28 at Jarvis Creek Farm with Dan Brubaker, Conservation Outreach Manager at the Greenwich Land Trust; and a Winter Seed Sowing for Native Plants Workshop on Saturday, Nov. 4, 11 a.m. to noon, presented by Ivy Kim, a Branford gardener who helped create the Seed Library at the Blackstone Library.

All three events are free and open to the public. To register for the virtual talk, visit https://tinyurl.com/yckaarpm. For more info, visit branfordlandtrust.org or blackstonelibrary.org