The Organic Gardening Day 2007 has been scheduled for Saturday, November 10, from 8:00 am through 4:30 pm, at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Conference Center, 1001 Killarney St., Urbana, IL. The Holiday Inn is just south and west of exit #183 off I-74 (Lincoln Avenue), conveniently located and easy to find. This is the same location where Herb Day has been held since 2001, and where Organic Gardening Day has occurred since 2004. Registration and the retail area will be open by 8 a.m., and the first educational session will begin promptly at 9 a.m.

            Organic gardening experts from around the country will present five educational sessions to inspire organic gardening and living throughout the coming year.

•     Eliot Coleman, organic grower and author from Harborside, Maine, will speak twice: once about Field Culture of Organic Produce, and again about Greenhouse Culture to Stretch the Organic Growing Season. Eliot writes and speaks extensively around the country.

•     Dan Bussey is a successful fruit grower from Wisconsin and his topic will be Organic Home Orcharding. Dan is a long-time member of Seed Savers Exchange and works with the heritage apple collection there.

•     Ann Patterson of Living Earth Farm in Farmington, Illinois, is a grower of a wide diversity of organic crops, who also has training in the culinary arts. Her topic, Organic Bounty, will relate how to harvest and utilize organic produce to maintain its flavor and high quality.

•     Jim Long is the founder and owner of Long Creek Herbs in Blue Eye Missouri. He will give us an active demonstration of how to plan and construct Rustic Bentwood Trellises.

            There will be a retail area associated with this event, where a broad spectrum of organic garden-related products will be offered for sale. Get a jump-start on the 2008 gardening season by shopping now. Morning coffee and tea will be available near the exhibit area, and an organic-theme lunch buffet will be served in the Atrium. The capacity of the lecture room will be 250, so be sure to send your reservations in early to avoid disappointment.

            Attendees may register through November 2, as long as space remains available. Registrations will be allotted on a first come, first served basis, so reserve now. Once the available 250 spaces are filled, we will begin returning registration checks. On-site registration, which does not include lunch, will only be available if all 250 seats are not filled by pre-registration. Notice of receipt of registration will not be sent, but you may confirm that your registration has been recorded by contacting Carol Preston, either by phone at (217) 333-7738 or e-mail: preston1@uiuc.edu

            Cost of registration, including lunch, is only $49 per person. This includes seating in the lectures, coffee and tea during morning registration, an organic theme lunch buffet (including vegetarian options), and access to the retail area. A vegan plate is available, but only if specified on the registration form. Advanced reservations must be received by November 2, 2007. Onsite registration will also cost $49, but will not include lunch. Those interested in attending should mail checks, payable to the University of Illinois, to: Organic Gardening Day 2007, Attn: Carol Preston, S-406 Turner Hall, 1102 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, Illinois 61801 (see enclosed return envelope). For more information, call (217) 333-7738 or e-mail preston1@uiuc.edu and mention Organic Gardening Day 2007. Sorry, credit card orders cannot be accepted, and cancellations will not be refunded. Registrations may be transferred to another individual, as long as Carol is notified of the name change by November 2.