Grow@ the Homestead: Garden Programming
May to October 2026
Annual Spring Gathering & Seedling Giveaway
Saturday, May 23, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Spring into the growing season with The Brown Homestead! We’re kicking off the Grow@ the Homestead 2026 with a site-wide, family-friendly gathering of games, gardens, and grub!
Pick up Homestead-grown heirloom vegetable and herb seedlings for your garden (maximum of 5 per postal code)
Help plant our flax garden with Ali McDonald
Grab a bite to eat from Char in the Kitchen (11 a.m. - 3 p.m.)
Take a tour of the John Brown House and our historic property
Explore current exhibitions and displays
Enjoy lawn games and spend time on our pastoral ground
All are welcome! No registration necessary.
Seedlings available while supplies last.
Grow@ The Homestead is a community-based garden program encouraging sustainable gardening practices, hands-on education, an appreciation for Niagara’s rural past and present, and outdoor recreation. All harvests from our on-site garden is donated is to local food bank.
Join our free events, workshops, guest speakers to dig in to your community and enhance your learning of where our food comes from, and why local matters. All are welcome!
Dig in and learn with us in 2026!
All Grow@ garden programming is free to the public thanks to the generosity of United Way Healthy People, Strong Communities
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Date: Wednesday, May 13
Time: 4 -6 p.m.
Facilitators: Jackie Labonte and Marie Louise
Join us in celebration as we open the Three Sisters Garden at The Brown Homestead for the 2026 season and plant the first seeds. All are welcome to share in this experience and learn from our Indigenous Knowledge Keepers Jackie Labonte and Marie Louise.
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Date: Saturday, July 11
Time: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Facilitators: Jackie Labonte and Marie Louise
Join us for an engaging and educational workshop about traditional medicines, how to identify them and understand their benefits. Participants will learn how to make skin salve, and will be able to take some home. Part of the workshop will include a walk through Short Hills Provincial Park.
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Date: Saturday, July 25
Time: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. & 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Facilitator: Marcia Christie
Cost: $5 pickle fee
Participants will learn how to make their own probiotic-rich fermented cucumber pickles. Seasoned fermentation hobbyist Marcia Christie will walk participants through the steps to make their own crunchy sour pickled cucumbers, from selecting the best produce, to washing and preparing, packing the jars, and making the brine. The fermenting process, best practices, and time frames will be discussed in detail. All of this will be summed up in a written guide for the participants to take home.
Important Information for Participants:
All ingredients will be provided and we are asking for a small fee of $5 to offset costs. We also ask that participants bring a few household cooking utensils:
Large bowl
Potato peeler
Cutting board
Paring knife
Optional: apron
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Date: Saturday, August 22
Time: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Facilitator: Carrissa Gracey
Participants are invited to join together in a collaborative meal preparation using the Three Sisters. Educator and member of the Mohawk Turtle Clan, Carrissa Gracey will explore the significance of the Three Sisters in Haudenosaunee culture and all will work together in preparing the dish. Everyone will have a chance to enjoy our meal together at the end of the workshop.
Dish to be announced.
To help us supply this workshop for free, we request guests bring a cutting board and knife if possible. Additionally, we request that you bring a plate and utensils to help us in reducing waste.
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Date: Saturday, September 20
Time: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Facilitator: Linda Crago
Join long-time garden expert Linda Crago to learn about the significance of heirloom varieties and seed saving. Through hands-on learning, participants will gain the basics to save seeds from any at-home garden.
Upcoming Workshops
Sign-up for a Grow@ Workshop!
Submit the form below to register for an upcoming Grow@ the Homestead Workshop. Space is limited, and spots fill up quickly. One form per registrant.
Support Grow@ the Homestead
Our volunteer Garden Keepers grow over 500 heirloom seedlings each year. What we don’t giveaway is then grown in our gardens for the community.
Accessibility
Please note that the John Brown House is undergoing continued restoration work and is currently not wheelchair accessible. The outdoor washroom facilities and second storey of the house are accessible by stairs only.
We apologize for this inconvenience, and we continue to work to create an engaging experience for all visitors to our site.
Parking
The Brown Homestead is located on a sharp curve at Pelham Road, please use caution when finding our site. We have two gravel parking lots connected by a ditch. The lot attached to the John Brown House is more accessible, though the gravel may still be uneven in areas. Please park with consideration of your neighbour, and leave space for other visitors.
100% of all produce harvested from the Grow@ program is donated to neighbouring food banks.
Seedling Video Series
In 2023 we started to plant from seed and grow our own seedlings for our garden, as well as for the community. This video series will take you through the steps of planting, growing and caring for seedlings, and how to finally plant them in the garden.
Thank you to our generous donors!
The Brown Homestead sincerely thanks JVK for the in-kind donation of pots to support our 3rd annual Seedling Giveaway Initiative!
The Brown Homestead gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the United Way Niagara through Healthy People, Strong Communities with a 3 year commitment towards our GROW @ program.