July General Meeting: Guest Speaker Julia Dimakos, "Tea Gardening for Beginners"

This is a MUST presentation for anyone interested in growing and harvesting plants for teas.  Julia will discuss how to grow a tea garden, the tools needed, garden types and the number of plants recommended. The origin of true tea will be covered, the differences between green, white, oolong and black tea and how they compare to tisanes. Best brewing techniques for each tea will be discussed, along with three different brewing methods for tisanes. Different plant parts for herbal teas will be covered, as well as proper harvesting techniques, and preserving and storage methods. The presentation will conclude with a discussion on brewing vessels, tea bags and why homegrown tea is better than store-bought. Some herbal plant ideas will also be shared.

Julia Dimakos, also known as "The Gardening Girl," has been growing edible plants on her Mono, Ontario acreage and writing about gardening for more than thirteen years.  She was twice published in the Canadian Organic Grower magazine and became a published author in July of 2022, with her first book “Tea Gardening for Beginners”.  She loves to inspire others to have their own gardens by showing them a less complicated, yet smarter way to grow food. You can find her at her website - www.juliadimakos.com, on Instagram @juliadimakos, and at her YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/gardeninggirl. This is Julia's second presentation to our society.

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All general meetings begin with a welcome and general announcements, which precede introduction of the guest speaker. 

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Members: Instructions for participation in this virtual and in-person event will be emailed to members twice - once on the Friday prior to the meeting, and again on Monday. Instructions are also available by logging into our site and checking the "members-only" version of this event. 

Visitors: Guests are welcome to participate in this virtual and in-person event at a nominal fee of $5.00 Instructions for participation will be emailed to non-society members who complete the registration process prior to the event start time.

About In-Person Attendance at the McConaghy Centre: 

• Doors to the auditorium open at 7 pm 
• The meeting begins promptly at 7:30 pm
• Please bring a mug or cup if you would like hot coffee or tea
• All attendees are encouraged to register online for inclusion in door prize draws
• Masks are not required, but are encouraged