Above: OSPC will be running another project to nurture seeds into plants that support native pollinators. But first, volunteers need to properly clean and prepare the seeds. (scroll down for photo credits)
The Open Space Preservation Commission (OSPC) is inviting the public to join them at their fun “Seed Cleaning and Packaging Workshop” this weekend. Volunteers will prepare seeds from native plants to be sown this winter. No experience is needed to take part.
OSPC is also encouraging readers to stay tuned for the next stage, next week.
The seeds to be cleaned were all harvested from plants identified as helpful for supporting at-risk native pollinators.*
One of the organizers, OSPC’s Freddie Gillespie, shared the following pics from a past event to encourage volunteers to “not miss out on all the fun”:
The workshop will take place this Saturday, January 11th from 1:00 – 3:00 pm in Cordaville Hall (aka the Senior Center) at 9 Cordaville Road. No registration is required.
OSPC promotes:
The resulting plants are mostly beautiful flowers and some grasses to enhance your yard while also preserving biodiversity. . .
We provide all the equipment and teach you what to do. The OSPC and volunteers from the Native Plant Gardens of Southborough Group have been working weekends in November and December and this is the final workshop to get all the seeds prepared before the distribution and [Winter Sow Workshop]. Learn how to clean and package seeds to help preserve biodiversity while we also have a lot of fun. All are welcome!
And speaking of the sowing workshop. . .
On Sunday, January 19th, the OSPC will be distributing free seeds and hosting the annual Winter Sow Workshop. Participants will sow seeds to grow seedlings that can be planted in the spring.
Registration and the list of seeds that will be available this year aren’t ready yet. OSPC’s Freddie Gillespie encourages those interested in planning ahead to check out the seed option list from last year. She notes that it won’t be identical this year, but most of those choices should be offered again. You can find the 2024 list here. (Gillespie expects the 2025 list to be posted on Monday with more than 60 plant species.)
*The plants are all from a list created by Dr. Robert Gegear, a professor of biology at UMASS Dartmouth whose research includes the neuroecology of plant-pollinator interactions. OSPC has been working to support native pollinators for years, including collaborating with Dr. Gegear since 2015 to provide native gardens used in his Bumble Bee Project study.
(top and bottom row of cover images from past OSPC communications, including plant & pollinator pics by Dawn Vessey and Freddie Gillespie; center photo edited from photo by Freddie Gillespie)
Updated (1/8/25 10:54 pm): The post accidentally contained a paragraph from last year’s post about a library club that is no longer active. Sorry about any confusion that caused!!
