Grow your eco-gardening skills this winter: Talk of the Towns

BRECKSVILLE, Ohio — The Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District, Chagrin River Watershed Partners and the Lake County Soil & Water Conservation District are offering five courses in the 2025 Northeast Ohio Master Rain Gardener Program.

Participants will learn how to design, install and maintain residential rain gardens.

Rain gardens are saucer-shaped gardens filled with native, wet-tolerant plants that are designed to collect, filter and soak up stormwater runoff from roofs, driveways and lawns that would otherwise flow into storm drains and streams untreated.

Rain gardens can help improve localized flooding issues, reduce pollution and increase wildlife habitat.

When replicated across the region, they can make a significant impact in protecting the water quality of our local streams and Lake Erie.

Courses are geared to both resident landscapers and professional landscapers.

The in-person courses will include optional field trips to residential rain gardens, public rain gardens and native plant nurseries.

Master Rain Gardeners earn their certification by taking the class and building a rain garden or adopting a public rain garden.

Experienced instructors will provide customized feedback, which will enable participants to design and install a rain garden of their own and become the neighborhood rain garden expert.

Course topics will include site assessment, soil analysis, design, construction, plant selection, mulching and maintenance.

Graduates of the course will receive a certificate, Master Rain Gardener T-shirt and a yard sign.

Select courses also offer a Professional Rain Gardener Certification, which is geared toward landscape professionals and contractors looking to install rain gardens professionally on residential properties.

The Winter Online Course will run from Jan. 27 to March 8. Recorded online content is provided each week, with optional live Q&A sessions held virtually once a week.

Professional certification involves five classes held over a six-week period.

An optional final in-person class will be offered from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. March 8 at the Watershed Stewardship Center in Parma.

Cost:Residential, $60; Professional, $85.

The Late-Winter In-Person Course will be offered from 2 to 4 p.m. March 14, 21, 28 and April 4 at a location to be determined. This is for residential gardeners only, ata cost of $75.

A Self-Paced Online Course will be offered for those who need flexibility. A recorded self-paced option is available, with feedback provided virtually at your own pace. Available year-round. Residential only, for a $50 fee.

Two additional courses are coming in 2025: Summer In-Person. Dates and information to be announced.

Income-based scholarships are available.

The Northeast Ohio Master Rain Gardener Program is committed to creating a more diverse and inclusive program that is accessible to all Northeast Ohio residents.

Based on need, courses can be offered for as low as $10 for online and $20 for in-person. Contact course instructors for more information.

To register, visit www.neomasterraingardener.org.

Registration for summer courses will be available in the spring.

Comedy and beer: Broadview Brewing Company presents The Comedy Show, featuring Cleveland Comedy Tub, at 8:15 p.m. Jan. 17. Cost is $20.

This is a night full of laughs you won’t want to miss.

Tickets sell fast, so get yours today. An extra bonus is that your ticket includes a beer.

Looking for a unique Christmas gift? Treat someone to a night of comedy and fun.

Broadview Brewing Company is located at 4001-A Towpath Road in Broadview Heights. For more information, visit www.broadviewbrewingcompany.com.

Young entrepreneurs: North Royalton High School students in Kriste Smith’s entrepreneurship class are proving that sweet success comes from hard work, creativity and community engagement.

After representing their Royal Rooftop Honey business at the Ohio School Boards Association Student Achievement Fair in November, the student entrepreneurs shared their remarkable journey at the district’s December Board of Education meeting.

The student-led venture, which produces honey from hives located on the high school’s roof, embodies more than just a business opportunity.

With a mission to provide locally sourced honey while supporting sustainable beekeeping practices, these young entrepreneurs are learning valuable lessons in business, environmental stewardship and community service.

Students like Sienna Bokoch, Chris Farren, Ariel Hicks and Vedant Rakhonde each brought unique skills to the project.

They confidently explained their business model to the school board, from honey production to future product lines, which include not just honey, but also egg carton fire starters.

They are also planning products such as candles, hot honey, lip balm and beeswax wraps.

“I learned about communication and putting myself out there,” said Ariel, who discussed the business’ origins, including their Veale Foundation grant and Youth Bee Works partnership.

Vedant added that the experience helped him understand “how to keep people engaged in a way that brings them value.”

Chris enjoyed communicating with people at the fair and seeing the unique things other students were doing at their schools.

Sienna said, “I explained the reason for different colors of the honey and some of the business aspects, such as how we started, facts about honey and the selling process.”

The project goes beyond mere product sales. Their vision statement emphasizes hands-on learning, environmental sustainability and giving back to the community.

The students are already planning their next steps, including completing financial documents, launching their honey stix product, developing a social media campaign and maintaining their pollinator gardens.

With plans to inspire future entrepreneurship, these students are showing that innovative, purpose-driven businesses can start right in the high school classroom.

As they prepare to bring more student-run businesses to the marketplace, Royal Rooftop Honey serves as a sweet example of educational entrepreneurship.

Garden club: The Jan. 9 Emerald Necklace Garden Club’s meeting will include a review of the past year’s programs and events.

This meeting is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in gardening and floral arranging to find out more about the club and its programs.

Guests are welcome at all meetings.

Emerald Necklace Garden Club meets at 9:15 a.m. the second Thursday of every month, except July and August, at Christ the Redeemer Lutheran Church, 9201 Brecksville Road in Brecksville.

Check out the website, www.EmeraldNecklaceGardenClub.org, for updates and join the Emerald Necklace Facebook Page for club information and interesting gardening news.

Big mattresses: Big Fig Mattress, the leading brand for plus-size sleepers, announces its inclusion in “Fast Company‘s” prestigious 2024 Brands That Matter list, in the United States category.

This annual recognition celebrates companies that are making a meaningful impact by emphasizing purpose, community building and innovation.

As “Fast Company” highlighted, the honored brands share an ability to connect with consumers through creative storytelling and a commitment to inclusivity and sustainability.

For Big Fig Mattress, this recognition underscores the company’s dedication to providing exceptional sleep solutions tailored for individuals with bigger bodies — an underserved yet vital community in the mattress industry.

Big Fig’s mission to redefine comfort goes beyond its mattresses. Through innovative product design, like the recently announced Big Fig Luxe, and campaigns that amplify the voices of the plus-size community, the brand continues to challenge industry norms while fostering a culture of empowerment and representation.

This recognition also shines a light on Big Fig’s broader commitment to sustainability and durability. By designing mattresses built to last — with high-quality materials and reinforced construction — the company promotes sustainable consumption and reduces waste, ensuring that its products make an impact that lasts in more ways than one.

To learn more about Big Fig Mattress and its mission, visit www.bigfigmattress.com

Let the Brecksville, Broadview Heights, North Royalton and Strongsville communities know what is going on with your organization, church, school, business or family. Email me at [email protected].

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