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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – Plant enthusiasts around the Ozarks had the chance to acquire new crops and enjoy two Springfield events on Saturday.
The Show-Me Gourd Art Festival at the Ozarks Empire Fairgrounds returned after being held free for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you wanted to learn more about pumpkins, this two-day event is for you. In addition to pumpkins, vendors sell art supplies that can be used to create art with pumpkins as canvas. Vendors also offer classes with lessons on all the things that can be done with the fruit.
“What we’re trying to do is get people interested in art,” said Madonna Waterman of the Show-Me Gourd Society of Missouri. “We show the work we do on pumpkins. There’s a huge amount of things you can do on pumpkins, you can cut them and paint them.
Pumpkin experts say you can even make them into instruments or a container to store food, but if you do, be sure to feed it properly to prevent contamination.
Sunday is the last day to check out the Show-Me Gourd Festival. It runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and costs $ 5 to attend. For more information, CLICK HERE.
Also in Springfield, the Missouri Department of Conservation launched the first of eight options to purchase native plants this year.
The organizers of the native plant sale say the goal is just to get people outside and enjoy nature.
Indigenous plants can be a serious help to the local environment. For example, they provide food for our local pollinators and support our local wildlife.
A naturalist says it is important to have these native plants in our area because they are already used to the climate and soil, which in turn means you can do less gardening.
“We’re really about helping people get outside and have fun, but also make sure we protect our forests, fish and wildlife,” said naturalist Jordi Raos. “Adding native plants back to our landscapes, whether in your yard, on your farm or in the wild, really helps wildlife. So we want to make sure we also help the public do that.
If you missed Saturday, CLICK HERE for information on how to buy native plants in Springfield.
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