Author and biologist Thor Hanson (thorhanson.net) will be the keynote speaker at the 2016 Gardening Workshop presented by the San Juan County Master Gardeners on October 1, 2016. As the first speaker at this day-long event, Thor will talk to us about seeds, based on his recent book, “The Triumph of Seeds.” Have you ever wondered how the chili got its spice, what puts the buzz in coffee or how seeds have influenced everything from the voyages of Christopher Columbus to the Industrial Revolution to the shape of the human race? Thor will talk about all this and more.

Hanson is a Guggenheim Fellow, a Switzer Environmental Fellow and an independent conservation biologist based right here in the San Juan Islands. His other books include The Impenetrable Forest, Feathers and the illustrated children’s book Bartholomew Quill.

Come learn from Thor, as well as other garden enthusiasts and horticultural professionals. Some of the other topics presented at the workshop are: Utilizing Cold Frames and Unheated Greenhouses in the PNW, Tomato Magic, Imagining Japanese Garden Design, and The Alchemy of Wheat to Bread.

This event takes place at Friday Harbor Middle School, 9am-4pm, Saturday, October 1, 2016. Complete information about the day is available at mgfsjc.org or by calling 360 378-4414. Tickets are $40 in advance and can be purchased online at brownpapertickets.com/event/2589005.