“Pesto Festo” to be Held September 12

The Door County Master Gardeners Association (DCMGA) is holding their “Taste of the Garden Door” and third-annual “Pesto Festo” on Saturday, September 12 from 1 – 4 pm. The event is being held at the UW Peninsular Agricultural Research Station, located at 4312 Highway 42 north of Sturgeon Bay.

The Pesto Festo begins with entry delivery to the station between 10:30 – 11:30 am. The public is encouraged to bring entries. Judging will occur from noon to 1 pm, with tasting afterwards from 1 to 3:30 pm. People’s choice voting will occur during this time from 1 – 3 pm, with the awards being held at 3:30 pm.

Other tastings of the day will include fall raspberries and early apples from the research station, tomatoes and vegetables from the “Garden Next Door” Community Garden, and herb cookies and snacks. Heritage garden volunteers from Crossroads at Big Creek will also be on hand to feature a tasting of Brockman baked beans from their garden.

Several other activities will be going on at the same time as the various tastings, including herbalist Jane Knaapen Cole discussing herbs, DCMGA volunteers answering questions about the Garden Door, DCMGA volunteer and artist Mary Gehm demonstrating flower and herb pressing, music by Doug Rossberg, and wagon ride tours on the Research Station property. An Adirondack Chair silent auction will be going on from 1 – 3:45 pm, with chairs decorated by DCMGA volunteers and other artists, and Thistledown from Bonduel, WI will be on hand to discuss accessories for miniature “faerie” gardens.

For more information on all of the activities at “Taste of the Garden Door” and “Pesto Festo,” please call 920.743.9026.