Buying plants. photo: Jim Garman

It’s really kind of amazing. Every year on the Saturday of Mother’s Day weekend, thousand (yes thousands!) of people converge on the University of Rhode Island’s East Farm for the annual Spring Festival.

The main attraction is the chance to purchase beautiful and often unusual ornamental and vegetable plants. These plants are grown and nurtured seven days a week by teams of URI Master Gardeners. It’s our biggest fundraising event of the year, and the culmination of months of hard work. I am a member of the ornamentals team, and I love seeing all the people waiting to snap up the plants!

But there are other things going on besides plant sales. You can have your soil’s pH tested,

the soil testing table. photo: Jim Garman

buy a compost bin or a rain barrel, ask gardening questions at the “ask a Master Gardener” kiosk, attend free seminars on subjects such as container gardening

Ann Perkins gives a container gardening class. photo: Jim Garman

meet friendly farm animals

lots of cuteness here! photo: Jim Garman

eat lunch , buy rain a rain barrel or a compost bin, listen to live music, have fun in the children’s tent,…..well you get the idea. There was a lot going on!

a welcome break from the rain. photo: Jim Garman

This year, the weather was volatile. We had several real downpours, but people didn’t seem to care much. They came, they filled their wagons, and they went home happy. And so did the Master Gardeners – tired, but happy.