This will be a conversational format\, but if you wish to submit a question ahead of time\, please include it with y our registration. It will help our panelists prepare.
\nAbout our pa nelists:
\nKatie Maas is a Holistic Gardener\, Herbalist\, and Subur ban Homesteader. Over the past 10 years\, along with her husband and child ren\, she has consciously pursued a more self-sufficient and sustainable l ifestyle. On their acre of land in unincorporated Wheaton\, they have plan ted over 150 trees and bushes\, as well as native plants and flowers\, to create a Certified Wildlife Habitat. She also has cultivated a forest gard en filled with fruit trees and berry bushes\, a medicinal herb spiral\, an d a vegetable garden. These plants work together in a symbiotic relationsh ip to benefit people\, wildlife\, and the environment. With the plants gro wn and foraged from her yard\, she enjoys making delicious recipes\, herba l remedies and body care products for family and friends. \;Katie beli eves that growing our own plants\, foraging ethically\, and eating seasona lly can help us connect to the earth. She invites others to learn about th e healing nature of plants by visiting her yard for a Wild Edible Nature I mmersion. During these hands-on experiences\, she teaches others to identi fy and connect with the wisdom of plants and herbs that flourish throughou t the year. The group then forages and harvests what is in season\, prepar es herbal remedies and recipes\, and enjoys a meal together.
\nConni e Kollmeyer is an adjunct faculty at College of Dupage teaching Sustainabl e Urban Agriculture &\; leading Study Abroad programs\, Co-Director\, P ermaculture Design &\; Gardening Instructor at The Resiliency Institute \, and an Environmental Educator at The Conservation Foundation. She has b een an organic gardener for more than twenty years and was learning about gardening and foraging well before that from her parents and grandparents. She completed Master Urban Farmer training through the University of IL C ook County extension and started her own suburban farm\, Copper Fox Farm\, to provide fresh\, nutritious\, and interesting foods to the local commun ity. She also provides fresh\, organic produce to the community through he r volunteer work at a local Pantry Garden that grows ninety raised beds of produce specifically for the food pantry. Connie is also a Master Natural ist and believes strongly in growing with nature and not working against i t.
\nShe also owns and operates her own organic farm.
\n\nContact the Ask Us Desk at askus@d glibrary.org \;or call (630) 960-1200 with questions.
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