ND: Friends and Neighbors Day to feature rain garden talk

Friends and Neighbors Day to feature rain garden talk, tours and presentations By KAREN HERZOG Bismarck Tribune | Posted: Thursday, June 10, 2010 2:00 am | The USDA rain garden in 2009. A rain garden at the Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory just... More

Friends and Neighbors Day to feature rain garden talk, tours and presentations By KAREN HERZOG Bismarck Tribune | Posted: Thursday, June 10, 2010 2:00 am | The USDA rain garden in 2009. A rain garden at the Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory just south of Mandan will be a featured topic at the lab’s annual Friends and Neighbors Day on July 22. Last year’s Friends and Neighbors Day drew more than 800 people, according to Technical Information Specialist Cal Thorson. The local rain garden is among “People’s Gardens” established in all 50 states, according to a statement from Tom Vilsack, U. S. agriculture secretary. Vilsack said that more than 400 People’s Gardens have been started in the past year as part of an initiative challenging USDA employees to create gardens at the offices or in their communities. Last year, 34,000 pounds of produce went to local charities from 124 such gardens. People’s Gardens are meant to connect access to nutritious food to protecting the lands Less