Saturday, August 23, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

This workshop is now full. Please add your name to the waitlist.

Led by Carrissa Gracey.

Join us at The Brown Homestead for a collaborative Three Sisters Soup making workshop! Learn from Carrissa about about the importance of the three sisters in Haudenosaunee culture and all will work together in preparing the soup. Everyone will have a chance to enjoy a bowl of soup at the end of the workshop. 

What to Bring:

To help us keep this workshop free, we request guests bring a cutting board and knife if possible. Additionally, we request that you bring a bowl and spoon for enjoying the soup at the end of the workshop, to help us in reducing waste.

About Carrissa

Carrissa  grew up in the Niagara Region and resides there today with her family.  She is from the Mohawk Turtle Clan of Six Nations on her Mother's side.  Carrissa has a  background in Early Childhood Education  and is an Ontario Certified Teacher with the District School Board of Niagara as a recent graduate of the Waaban Indigenous Education Program at York University. She has a love for nature, gardening and enjoying the great outdoors!

with Dr. Adrianne Lickers Xavier, Professor of Indigenous Studies at McMaster University

Thursday, Sept. 11, 7 - 8:30 p.m. 

Seeds of Change: Agricultural History Speaker Series

Dr. Adrianne Lickers Xavier will take an archaeological perspective to the tools and practices Indigenous peoples have taken to agriculture in southern Ontario. Adrianne will consider how different tools were made, how they changed over time, and what impact that had on farming the land and growing crops.

Saturday, September 20, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

This workshop is now full. Please add your name to the waitlist.

Led by Linda Crago.

Discover the importance of heirloom varieties and seed saving! We’ll explore the basics of saving seeds from your own garden through hands-on learning.

About Linda

Linda Crago has run Tree and Twig Heirloom Vegetable Farm for 27 years and is passionate about heirloom, open pollinated varieties of vegetables and organic growing. She currently manages the nonprofit Start Me Up Niagara 2 acre garden, growing food for the Region’s food banks and social service agencies, hoping to make a difference.

with Rachel Summers, 6th Generation Dairy and Grain Farmer

Thursday, Sept. 25, 7 - 8:30 p.m.

Seeds of Change: Agricultural History Speaker Series

Rachel Summers joins us to explore the evolution of her family’s dairy and grain farm in Thorold, ON over six generations. She shares from her own experiences growing up as a farm girl and stories collected from her family.

with Hugh Fraser, Agricultural Engineer & Ontario Barn Preservation President

Thursday, Oct. 9, 7 - 8:30 p.m.

Seeds of Change: Agricultural History Speaker Series

From growing up on a small Quebec dairy farm; to undergrad and masters degrees in Agricultural Engineering and Engineering; to a career as an Extension Agricultural Engineer with OMAFA; and now in semi-retirement as a Sustainability Auditor with Ontario's grape and wine industry; Hugh has witnessed and participated in almost every technological change on the farm you can imagine. Hugh will show dozens of photos of what he’s seen on the farm over the past 50 years, and peer into what he sees coming.

Saturday, October 11, 10 - 11:30 a.m.

Led by Jackie Labonte and Marie Louise.

After what we hope to be a nourishing and rewarding growing season, join us in closing the Three Sisters Garden as a community. Together, we will offer our thanks and share in singing and drumming. All community members are welcome.

About Jackie

Jackie Labonte (tekaiatakwas) is self identified from the Turtle Clan of the Mohawk Nation, Six Nations of Grand River Territory. She resides in the Niagara region, having worked with Native organizations for over thirty years providing services, sharing Traditional Teachings and serving as a Cultural Advisor.

About Marie Louise

Marie Louise is Irish, Scottish, Welsh, and Mohawk of Kahnawake (Kah-nah-wag-ay). The Niagara Native community has been nurturing and guiding Marie for 25 years as she walks with the grandmothers and teachings of traditions. She is currently the Indigenous Graduation Coach for the Niagara Catholic District School Board, supporting youth as they work toward their career goals. She is also Board Secretary for the Willowbank School of Restoration Arts, where she helped establish the Love Garden.

with Tonya Lailey, Writer & Poet

Thursday, Oct. 16, 7 - 8:30 p.m.

Seeds of Change: Agricultural History Speaker Series

Tonya will share her poetry from Farm : Lot 23 and talk about her understanding of her relationship to the farmland where she grew up.

Then, Tonya will invite those in attendance to spend time remembering and writing about a childhood relationship to land. Maybe it's one memory in particular, the way an apple eaten off the tree tasted, or the mourning doves that woke you up, the sticky feeling of dandelion milk drying on your fingers? 

Tonya will be leading this evening event virtually via Zoom.

Thursday, Oct. 23, 7 - 8:30 p.m.

at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre

We’re joining a special screening of the documentary We Lend a Hand: The Forgotten Story of the Ontario Farmerettes directed by Colin Field.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A period with the filmmakers. Opening remarks and Q&A period led by The Brown Homestead Executive Director Andrew Humeniuk. 

Tickets are $12.50 

(plus $2.75 handling fee, plus HST)

Buy tickets at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre website.

Seedling Giveaway Open House & Bring-Your-Own-Picnic

Saturday, May 24, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Join us for one day only to pick up free heirloom vegetable and herb seedlings for your backyard, balcony or community garden! We plan to give away over 400 seedlings in hopes of encouraging our community members to plant heirloom varieties and grow their own foods!

Visitors are encouraged to explore the John Brown House and our pastoral property, visit our community-based garden, and bring along a picnic while you visit! We are located across the street from Short Hills Provincial Park and nearby to lots of wineries so make a day of it!

Guided tours available. Picnic tables available on a first come, first serve basis but there’s plenty of space to lay down a picnic blanket!

Limit of 5 seedlings per postal code (i.e. household, shared community garden).

Friday, May 30, 6 - 7:30 p.m.

Led by Jackie Labonte and Marie Louise.

Join our Indigenous Knowledge Keepers as we open our Three Sisters Garden for the growing season. Together in ceremony, we will sow seeds and plant seedlings. Singing and drumming will take place also. All community members are welcome.

About Jackie

Jackie Labonte (tekaiatakwas) is self identified from the Turtle Clan of the Mohawk Nation, Six Nations of Grand River Territory. She resides in the Niagara region, having worked with Native organizations for over thirty years providing services, sharing Traditional Teachings and serving as a Cultural Advisor.

About Marie Louise

Marie Louise is Irish, Scottish, Welsh, and Mohawk of Kahnawake (Kah-nah-wag-ay). The Niagara Native community has been nurturing and guiding Marie for 25 years as she walks with the grandmothers and teachings of traditions. She is currently the Indigenous Graduation Coach for the Niagara Catholic District School Board, supporting youth as they work toward their career goals. She is also Board Secretary for the Willowbank School of Restoration Arts, where she helped establish the Love Garden.oes here

Saturday, June 28, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Led by Jackie Labonte and Marie Louise.

Gather with us to learn about traditional Indigenous medicines, discover the uses and benefits of plants on The Homestead’s grounds, and enjoy a potluck meal together. Groups will be guided through plant identification within the neighbouring Short Hills Provincial Park, if interested.

Participants are encouraged to bring a dish to share.

As well, we ask that participants bring a plate and cutlery to enjoy the community potluck.

About Jackie

Jackie Labonte (tekaiatakwas) is self identified from the Turtle Clan of the Mohawk Nation, Six Nations of Grand River Territory. She resides in the Niagara region, having worked with Native organizations for over thirty years providing services, sharing Traditional Teachings and serving as a Cultural Advisor.

About Marie Louise

Marie Louise is Irish, Scottish, Welsh, and Mohawk of Kahnawake (Kah-nah-wag-ay). The Niagara Native community has been nurturing and guiding Marie for 25 years as she walks with the grandmothers and teachings of traditions. She is currently the Indigenous Graduation Coach for the Niagara Catholic District School Board, supporting youth as they work toward their career goals. She is also Board Secretary for the Willowbank School of Restoration Arts, where she helped establish the Love Garden.

Saturday, July 26, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. & 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Led by Marcia Christie

This workshop was so popular last year, we’re bringing it back twice!

Learn how to make your own probiotic-rich fermented cucumber pickles! Marcia will walk you through the steps to make your 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 you to take home. 

What to Bring

*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