Many people remember the beauty and charm of traditional Italian American (and other old immigrant generation) backyard vegetable gardens.
All Saints Parish in Boswell will host a talk about those old-time gardens and learn about their relevance for reconnecting to our food, our families, and God’s creation.
Mary Menniti (pictured above), founder of The Italian Garden Project, will share how these gardens serve as glimpses into the past that can lead to a brighter future.
Growing up with an Italian immigrant grandfather, Mary came to know and value his self-reliant lifestyle, his careful use of resources, and his extensive gardening knowledge.
Mary founded The Italian Garden Project to preserve old-world food and gardening traditions and demonstrate that the wisdom Italian American vegetable gardeners possess is highly relevant today.
Due to her efforts, an Italian American vegetable garden is now digitally archived in the Archives of American Gardens at the Smithsonian Institution.
Since its founding, the Project has offered educational programs on a wide range of topics including heirloom seed saving, fig tree growing, and foraging.
Her work has been featured on NPR, PBS, and media outlets throughout the United States and Italy.
The talk will be on February 23 at 6:30 p.m. at All Saints Parish Hall, 505 Center Street, Boswell.
It is free and open to all, however those wishing to attend are asked to kindly register by calling the parish office at (814) 629-5551.
Italian refreshments will be served.
