27th Annual Plant and Garden Market
May 11th, 2024
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
on the front lawn of Smith Vocational School (80 Locust St./Route 9) in Northampton, MA
This annual garden sale features treasures from local area gardens and workshops:
*annuals *perennials *shrubs *trees *veggie starts *houseplants *garden art *birdhouses *planters
*A seed starting station for kids!
The sale of donated plants and raffle tickets raises money for NEF’s book fund, which is distributed to all seven public schools in Northampton. Schools use their allotted money to diversify their curriculum offerings, provide additional books when enrollment increases, and so much more!
*Raffles
We run two raffles at the sale, one for a local handmade quilt, and one for a bench/trellis made by Smith Vocational students out of Eastern Larch wood (Tamarack) with a clear finish.
The drawings for both will take place at 12:45 at the Plant and Garden Market. You do not need to be present to win.
Raffle tickets will be sold at the Northampton River Valley Market on April 27 and May 4 from 10 a.m.- 2:00 p.m., as well as on the day of the garden market before the drawing (May 11).
If you’d like to purchase tickets but can’t go to any of those locations, please reach out to us below and we’ll try to accommodate you.
If you choose to buy tickets, you can enter one or both raffles.
Raffle Ticket Prices:
Individual ticket $1
Pack of six tickets $5
Pack of eighteen tickets $10
The more you buy the more you save!
*Have extra plants or divisions of perennials you can donate?**
Potted plants may be dropped off from April 20 through May 9 at the following addresses:
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373 North Farms Rd, Florence
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36 Wilson Ave, Northampton
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31 Forbes Ave, Northampton
Plants may also be dropped off at Smith Vocational (80 Locust St Northampton) on Friday evening May 10 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm.
Please try to label them, pot them early, and water them, so they look happy on the day of the sale!
**Please help prevent the spread of jumping worms by rinsing the roots of your plants first and then potting them into sterilized soil. The worms themselves don’t appear until later in the summer, so please be aware that their eggs are nearly impossible to see.
More information about the worms can be found in this Gazette article and these facts sheets from UMass Amherst.
If you need pots or popsicle stick labels, please contact Amy Levine at alevine7@gmail.com or Mandy Gerry at mandygerry@gmail.com. In some cases, we can also provide helpers for digging, dividing and/or potting, or picking up potted plants.
*Have extra pots you don’t need?
The Reuse Committee will hold a collection and swap of plant pots in conjunction with NEF’s Plant and Garden Market on May 11. The public is invited to bring unwanted rigid garden pots and plant trays. All collected pots and trays will be available to the public free of charge; remaining items will be sent to a regional recycling facility. Six-pack plant containers and other crinkly/non-rigid containers will NOT be accepted.
*Interested in volunteering?
We need volunteers to collect and organize donated plants on Friday, May 10, and to work at the event offering advice and answering questions to gardeners. Contact Mandy or Amy below.
*Interested in being part of the plant sale as a vendor?
Small business owners who sell garden-related goods may apply to rent a 100 square foot space to be part of the plant sale. The rent goes directly into the NEF book fund, and any proceeds from the sales at your table stay with you. More information and an application are available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14H1qqcridWbI7bZo8an3LtQifVKZRx3sGeVj4AYYoV0/edit?usp=sharing For questions about renting a space, please contact Mandy Gerry below.
Please help us grow the book fund! Spread the word, donate plants, volunteer, and shop the sale on May 11.
To donate directly to the book fund, go here.
For information contact: