I was a guest on the Urban Farm Podcast with Greg Peterson and my episode was just released (11/30/19). To listen, click HERE.
Upcoming Talks and Workshops
Jan 18-20, 2020. California Bee Identification Workshop at the Cheadle Center in Santa Barbara. This class may be full, click the link to inquire with Katja Seltmann to see if spots are still available.
Feb 1, 2020. Design and Grow Your Own Medicinal Herb Garden at Gathering Thyme in San Rafael
10am -Noon
Excited to grow your own medicine but don't know where to start? Then this is the class for you! You will learn the basics of how to set up an herb garden including: choosing the best location for your space, designing the best look and function of your garden, how to select herbs that will grow best in your area, seasonal care and maintenance of plants, and how and when to harvest your medicine. You will also learn about starting plants from seed, cuttings, or transplants. If you already have a garden, come learn about how to expand and incorporate more medicinal plants into your space as well.
Jaime will share some plant cuttings to get you started with your own garden. COST: $40 if pre-registered. $50 at the door.
Feb 29, 2020. Marin-friendly Gardening with Natives at Gathering Thyme in San Rafael
10am - Noon
Gardeners in Marin County are blessed with wonderful weather, diverse habitats, and a plethora of native plants (1800 species) that will make your gardens buzz. The benefits of gardening with native plants are many: they are easy to manage and maintain, they are drought tolerant, they benefit wildlife and pollinators, and many native plants are medicinal too! Come learn about some easy to grow natives that perform well in Marin gardens and the benefits of inviting them into your space. COST: $40 if pre-registered. $50 at the door.
March 5, 2020. Planting for Pollinators at Hamilton Community Center in Novato, CA.
10am - 12pm
Interested to learn more about how you can support valuable pollinators like native bees in your garden? Jaime Pawelek will talk about native bee biology and ecology and their importance in most ecosystems. She will then discuss how to design a garden with pollinators in mind, including their most favorite plants and nesting needs. This talk is hosted by the Marin Master Gardeners in preparation for their spring plant sale on Saturday March 7.
April 4, 2020. California Native Bees in Herbal Gardens at Gathering Thyme in San Rafael
10am - 1pm
Did you know that California is home to roughly 1,600 species of native bees?! While most people can recognize a honey bee and perhaps a bumble bee, few are aware that so many other types are pollinating our native, ornamental, and agricultural plants. Come learn about the importance of these pollinators, their biology and ecology, including info on their lifecycle and nesting needs. You will learn about the most common native bees visiting medicinal herb gardens during each season, as well as their very favorite plants. Jaime will provide info on how to start your own bee garden to encourage these valuable pollinators to visit your own home habitat. After the lecture, students will participate in making their own bee condo’s to take home! COST: $45 pre-registered or $55 at the door. A materials fee (TBD) will be collected in class.
April 5, 2020. Designing a Habitat Garden for Bees and other Pollinators at Annie's Annuals Spring Garden Party in Richmond, CA
11am - 12pm
Gardens are places full of life, color and movement and that's definitely the case with a pollinator garden designed for bees. California has a rich diversity of native plants and with that comes a huge diversity of bees (1,600 species and counting). Even our urban habitats can be important places of refuge for wildlife and bees happily visit them if care and attention is given to their design. Jaime Pawelek will share her knowledge of pollinator-friendly gardening and teach you about the needs of native bees, which informs her design principles. Come learn about the best plants to attract these important pollinators into your garden and how to plan or modify your existing garden to welcome them in.
May 2, 2020. Garden Plants to Dye For at Gathering Thyme in San Rafael, CA
10am - 2pm
Your garden provides so many resources for fun activities and one of them is for naturally dyeing fabric! There are endless color combinations, fabric choices, and plants to play around with. Come learn how to coax different colors from a myriad of native and ornamental plants. Some plants don’t require additional substances to make the dye bond with the fabric, while others do. We will discuss the process for bonding dye with fabric and what materials you need to do so. We will play around with some different plant dyes and participants will get to dye their own silk scarf to take home with them. COST: $60 pre-registered; $70 at the door
June 14, 2020. Garden-Grown Stove-Top Hydrosols and Hand Salves at Gathering Thyme in San Rafael, CA
10am - 2pm
It’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor! This class will teach you how to make a fragrant stovetop hydrosol (floral distillate) as well as a healing gardener’s hand salve utilizing plants right from your garden. During the hot summer months it’s so refreshing to spray a lemon verbena or mint hydrosol all over your face after working outside in the garden. Hydrosols not only smell amazing, but they have healing properties as well, and are used in many different ways. And, your tired hands could use some love with a healing salve made with plants grown in your garden and infused into oils. We will demo and learn how to make both of these items, which everyone will also get to take home!
Feb 1, 2020. Design and Grow Your Own Medicinal Herb Garden at Gathering Thyme in San Rafael
10am -Noon
Excited to grow your own medicine but don't know where to start? Then this is the class for you! You will learn the basics of how to set up an herb garden including: choosing the best location for your space, designing the best look and function of your garden, how to select herbs that will grow best in your area, seasonal care and maintenance of plants, and how and when to harvest your medicine. You will also learn about starting plants from seed, cuttings, or transplants. If you already have a garden, come learn about how to expand and incorporate more medicinal plants into your space as well.
Jaime will share some plant cuttings to get you started with your own garden. COST: $40 if pre-registered. $50 at the door.
Feb 29, 2020. Marin-friendly Gardening with Natives at Gathering Thyme in San Rafael
10am - Noon
Gardeners in Marin County are blessed with wonderful weather, diverse habitats, and a plethora of native plants (1800 species) that will make your gardens buzz. The benefits of gardening with native plants are many: they are easy to manage and maintain, they are drought tolerant, they benefit wildlife and pollinators, and many native plants are medicinal too! Come learn about some easy to grow natives that perform well in Marin gardens and the benefits of inviting them into your space. COST: $40 if pre-registered. $50 at the door.
March 5, 2020. Planting for Pollinators at Hamilton Community Center in Novato, CA.
10am - 12pm
Interested to learn more about how you can support valuable pollinators like native bees in your garden? Jaime Pawelek will talk about native bee biology and ecology and their importance in most ecosystems. She will then discuss how to design a garden with pollinators in mind, including their most favorite plants and nesting needs. This talk is hosted by the Marin Master Gardeners in preparation for their spring plant sale on Saturday March 7.
April 4, 2020. California Native Bees in Herbal Gardens at Gathering Thyme in San Rafael
10am - 1pm
Did you know that California is home to roughly 1,600 species of native bees?! While most people can recognize a honey bee and perhaps a bumble bee, few are aware that so many other types are pollinating our native, ornamental, and agricultural plants. Come learn about the importance of these pollinators, their biology and ecology, including info on their lifecycle and nesting needs. You will learn about the most common native bees visiting medicinal herb gardens during each season, as well as their very favorite plants. Jaime will provide info on how to start your own bee garden to encourage these valuable pollinators to visit your own home habitat. After the lecture, students will participate in making their own bee condo’s to take home! COST: $45 pre-registered or $55 at the door. A materials fee (TBD) will be collected in class.
April 5, 2020. Designing a Habitat Garden for Bees and other Pollinators at Annie's Annuals Spring Garden Party in Richmond, CA
11am - 12pm
Gardens are places full of life, color and movement and that's definitely the case with a pollinator garden designed for bees. California has a rich diversity of native plants and with that comes a huge diversity of bees (1,600 species and counting). Even our urban habitats can be important places of refuge for wildlife and bees happily visit them if care and attention is given to their design. Jaime Pawelek will share her knowledge of pollinator-friendly gardening and teach you about the needs of native bees, which informs her design principles. Come learn about the best plants to attract these important pollinators into your garden and how to plan or modify your existing garden to welcome them in.
May 2, 2020. Garden Plants to Dye For at Gathering Thyme in San Rafael, CA
10am - 2pm
Your garden provides so many resources for fun activities and one of them is for naturally dyeing fabric! There are endless color combinations, fabric choices, and plants to play around with. Come learn how to coax different colors from a myriad of native and ornamental plants. Some plants don’t require additional substances to make the dye bond with the fabric, while others do. We will discuss the process for bonding dye with fabric and what materials you need to do so. We will play around with some different plant dyes and participants will get to dye their own silk scarf to take home with them. COST: $60 pre-registered; $70 at the door
June 14, 2020. Garden-Grown Stove-Top Hydrosols and Hand Salves at Gathering Thyme in San Rafael, CA
10am - 2pm
It’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor! This class will teach you how to make a fragrant stovetop hydrosol (floral distillate) as well as a healing gardener’s hand salve utilizing plants right from your garden. During the hot summer months it’s so refreshing to spray a lemon verbena or mint hydrosol all over your face after working outside in the garden. Hydrosols not only smell amazing, but they have healing properties as well, and are used in many different ways. And, your tired hands could use some love with a healing salve made with plants grown in your garden and infused into oils. We will demo and learn how to make both of these items, which everyone will also get to take home!
