Growing a kitchen garden means you get to shop your backyard for the freshest food possible!

A sun warmed cherry tomato, a cool, crisp cucumber, or a sweet strawberry fresh from the garden taste nothing like the ones you buy from the grocery store.

The freshness alone adds so much flavor, but growing your own also opens you up to being able to try plant varieties that aren't even for sale at any grocery store or farmers market. Commonly grown vegetable varieties are not always bred for flavor, but when you grow your own, you can choose the ones that are.

Being a little adventurous when planting your garden pays off on your plate. You can grow the entire rainbow of heirloom tomatoes, each with a different flavor profile. You can enjoy the whole spectrum of pepper varieties from sweet as candy to screaming hot, and then transform them into everything from hot sauce to spice blends. And having a large selection of fresh herbs available allows you to add brightness and interest to any meal.

Heather Lynch is self proclaimed foodie, who finds joy in growing a huge variety of different ingredients in her Brooklyn, WI garden. Her and her husband Dylan eat something homegrown every day of the year, and use what they grow to elevate their seasonal meals. We will tour Heather's kitchen garden and herb garden to see and taste what's in season now, we will conduct a homegrown heirloom tomato tasting so you can discover which variety is your favorite, and also sample some snacks and preserves made using Heather's garden harvests.

This delicious workshop will inspire you to add a little adventure and flavor to your own garden and plate!

Workshop fee:  $65.00 (adults)

BONUS: Registration includes a free copy of the book Renewing the Countryside: WISCONSIN Stories of Sustainable Living, Working & Playing (a $26.95 value) will be made available to every couple, household or family participating in this workshop (one free copy per address).

For more information on other Soil Sisters Aug. 5-7 weekend workshops, culinary events, lodging and more, see www.soilsisterswi.org

Soil Sisters Event Policies:

• This is a workshop designed for adults 18 and older and everyone needs to have their own paid registration. If childcare is an issue and you need to bring your children in order to attend the workshop, please let us know in advance.

• All Soil Sisters events will be fully outdoors with space for social distancing. Masks are not required.

• Dress for the weather. Bring sunscreen, sun hat and good walking shoes.

• Leave your pets at home as these are working farms with other animals.

• All Soil Sisters event tickets are non-refundable.

About Heather Lynch

Heather has always been passionate about local, seasonal food and has been dedicated to using her backyard to grow as much of her own food as possible for the last 8 years. She has her UW Extension Master Gardener certification, and enjoys volunteering at a food pantry garden, teaching youth groups how to grow food that is donated directly to local food pantries. She provides consultations for anyone who wants to start a garden or just needs some support in making their garden more healthy and productive. She shares her gardening adventures, seasonal meals, unique preserves, and so many dog photos on her Instagram feed.

About Green Haven Gardens
In 2019 Heather Lynch and her husband Dylan moved out of Madison to rural Brooklyn, WI. They found the perfect piece of land, and have been working hard to shape it into the homestead of their dreams. Over the past two years they have worked together to install a large raised bed kitchen garden, added a flock of chickens, planted a diverse fruit and nut orchard, and have started a conservation plan for the "wild" part of their property. They eat something that they grew themselves every day of the year. They share and sell their garden harvests and colorful eggs with friends and family, and are working towards sharing their love of homegrown food with others. Heather is also on the team of Soil Sister-fueled women farmers and bakers behind Farmstead Bakery: Recipes and Resources, supporting local ingredients in cottage food businesses.

Soil Sisters is an award-winning project of the non-profit Renewing the Countryside, bringing together women championing local food, community building, sustainable and organic agriculture and vibrant rural communities for collaboration, networking and cooking up change. The founding Soil Sisters in southern Wisconsin organize the annual Soil Sisters event the first weekend in August, the largest women-farmer led event of it's kind in the country. Since 2012, the Soil Sisters open their barn doors and farms for various workshops, culinary events and more.