Visit the Halifax Farmers Market on August 10 where the Southside Master Gardeners will have a perennial display from 8 to 11 with a special demo at 9:30 where lucky attendees can take home a rhizome of the Florentine Iris. For more info call 434-476-2147 or visit their website at www.ssmga.org.
This is an iris with quite a past. It was used by ancient Egyptians and Greeks to make orris root. The rhizome of the Florentine Iris was dried for two years and then ground to make the orris root which was then used as a fixative for potpourri and in the production of perfume. Florence, Italy became the center of commercial cultivation of orris root and it still produces orris root to this day.
The Halifax Farmer’s Market will also be celebrating Virginia Farmer’s Market week on Saturday August 10th. At 9 a.m. a cooking demonstration will be held by the Virginia Cooperative Extension/Family Nutrition Program. The Staunton River Battlefield State Park will have a display on “Skin and Bones” from 9 to noon. Between 10 and 11:30 there will be a silent auction of hand painted picnic tables as a fundraiser for the Halifax County Public Library System. The Library will have pencils, stickers and wristbands for kids from 9 to noon. If you get hungry there is a fish fry and a bake sale with profits supporting the Market. There will be free recipes and coloring pages for everyone. Fun for everybody so stop by!
For information about the Master Gardener program, please call the Halifax Extension Office at 434-476-2147, visit the website at www.ssmga.org or e-mail ask@ssmga.org.
Visit the market for the freshest and best local products and support local growers, our friends and neighbors.
