Looking to learn how to harvest a vegetable garden? Carbon County Penn State Extension Master Gardeners will be providing a free six-week course at Lehighton Area Memorial Library, 124 North St., beginning April 15.

“Seed to Supper is a comprehensive beginning gardening program that gives novice adult gardeners the tools needed to successfully grow a portion of their own food on a limited budget.” The curriculum has been done successfully in other states.

Master Gardeners Shay Boring and Jill Renfew collaborated to bring the course to Carbon County for the first time. Boring explained that everything from soil make up to watering schedules will be broken down into bite-size pieces for easy learning.

Master Gardeners go through rigorous training, including coursework in botany, science and organic gardening. Fifty hours of community service a year are needed, which must include helping the public in a teaching environment.

Instructor Deb deBeauclair, who is currently training to be a Master Gardener, said, “There are many ways to benefit from this program. People will start learning how to garden and how to grow vegetables in their climate and soil. It will also bring camaraderie through community outreach. Participants will learn about garden pests as well.”

Twenty pages of recipes are included with the course book and include lemon zucchini muffins, easy veggie burritos and “quick refrigerator pickles,” all made from the fresh ingredients participants will learn to plant and harvest.

In addition to providing seeds and teaching how to grow produce, participants will learn about making healthy recipes.

Seed to Supper hopes to promote better, healthy cooking alternatives and give beginning gardeners the tools needed to maintain a healthy garden and lifestyle. Get your green thumb ready!

The class will be held starting April 15 from 5 to 7 p.m., running for six weeks.

Registration is required. Contact Joe Veshinfsky, 529 Lentz Trail, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229

Attn: SeedSupper Program, or call 610-813-6613, or email jvc5092@psu.edu to register.