Around The Cracker Barrel - “Celebrating Nature and Art: Green Valley Gardeners’ Fall Events” (Aired 10/03/2025)

This week, host Guy Atchley welcomes Chuck Parsons, president of the Green Valley Gardeners, and Eric Stiegler, chairperson of the upcoming plant sale. The conversation highlights the club’s two major fall events at Desert Meadows Park: the Fall Plant Sale on October 17–18 and Art in the Park on October 18. These back-to-back events will feature native plants, local artwork, live music, food trucks, and community activities—all designed to bring together residents, visitors, and gardening enthusiasts.Chuck shares the history of Desert Meadows Park, a community-built treasure that has grown into a regional attraction recognized by Arizona Highways. Volunteers and members contribute thousands of hours each year, maintaining habitat gardens, vegetable plots, and birding spaces that draw tours from across the state. Eric outlines the Gardeners’ new native habitat committee, which emphasizes sustainable gardening practices and offers a five-step guide for incorporating pollinator-friendly plants like hummingbird bush, desert honeysuckle, and milkweed into home landscapes.The discussion also touches on the logistics of the events, including parking shuttles provided by La Posada and the Community Foundation of Greater Green Valley, as well as the addition of bicycle racks and plant transport services for attendees. With more than 100 artists, multiple food trucks, and live performances scheduled, Art in the Park has quickly grown into one of Southern Arizona’s most popular fall traditions, expected to draw thousands of visitors.For more information on events, projects, and resources from the Green Valley Gardeners—including future tours and seminars—listeners are encouraged to visit greenvalleygardeners.com.