BRIEFLY

NEWPORT — The Pend Oreille County Master Gardeners are offering a class on general gardening topics.

The class involves a stroll with the MGs through their Demonstration Garden on Circle Drive at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 12, behind the Washington State University Extension Office at 227 S. Garden Ave. in Newport.

Potential topics the MGs will cover include the advantages and limitations of gardening methods like raised beds, lasagna beds, Hügelkultur and squarefoot and straw bale gardening.

The MGs will discuss techniques like drip irrigation, containers, trellises and microclimates, as well as how to improve soil fertility with mulching, cover crops, composting or no-till methods. The MGs will also discuss small fruits, native plants and pollinator attractors.

The class fee is $5 or $3 for MGs, and can be paid with cash, check, money order or through PayPal. To register, contact Beverly Sarles from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at 509-447-2401 or email [email protected] anytime. Persons with a disability requiring special accommodations while participating in this class must call 509-447-2401 at least 14 days prior.

Calling young actors

NEWPORT - The Calispel Grange is starting a drama program this year, with a call out to actors 10-16 years old to join the program, which is putting on “In a Pickle at the Pie Palooza,” the last week of August. Deadline for joining the program is Monday, June 9. Cost is $30 a participant, with rehearsals Mondays from 2-4 p.m.

The program is being run by professional playwright Alexi Alfieri of Laclede. Call her at 719-4644767 or email [email protected]. The Calispel Grange is located at 10171 LeClerc Road.

SAS hosting edible plant field trip

NEWPORT — Selkirk Alliance for Science has invited a longtime student of edible plants to share his knowledge with the community.

Carl Kostoff will lead a free-to-all field trip in search of over 50 varieties of edible plants. He is a retired firefighter, emergency medical technician and amateur scientist.

Attendees will meet first at the Create Arts Center garden parking lot, 900 W. 4th St. in Newport, at 9 a.m. Thursday, June 19. From there, attendees will travel by carpool or individually about 20 minutes to the field trip destination, where they will hike a short trail as Kostoff shares tips on how to identify edible plants and see examples.

SAS recommends attendees wear sturdy hiking shoes and clothing appropriate for the weather, and bring a lawn chair, drinks, snacks and optionally a camera to photograph specimens.

This Power of Science event is also supported by the Kalispel Natural Resources Department, Responsible Growth Northeast Washington and Create Arts Center.

Attendees must RSVP to the event by June 16. For more information, email [email protected] or call Elly at 541-480-4484.