The CHPL Bird Nerds and the Civic Garden Center invite you to come discover why birdwatching is the ideal activity to combine with the practice of mindfulness! Mindful birdwatching is birdwatching quietly, intentionally and calmly while engaging with the natural world around you! Traditional bird watching is often associated with bird checklists, field guides and carrying binoculars or cameras, which can all be fun, but we’re inviting you to come to enjoy a more meditative approach.

FACILITATOR: Lea Shull

COST: Free!

Join CGC Community Engagement Coordinator Victoria for a special opportunity to connect and collaborate!

We’ll be running a community science BioBlitz to find and identify the plant species growing in our garden.

The twelfth-century composer, herbalist and mystic Hildegard von Bingen, while better known to modern audiences for her music, was a careful and scientific observer of the natural world, cataloguing and detailing the uses of herbs for both physical and mental wellbeing and finding solace and health in nature. In her expansive work Physica, we see a curious mind placing scientific inquiry within a theological framework of the goodness of creation.

Join us as we experience Hildegard’s soaring music while participating in simple activities that help us see the world through her eyes. After a brief introduction to Hildegard, we’ll break into three groups and make our way out into Hauck Botanic Garden to explore three stations, each with a performer offering a sampling of Hildegard’s music and an accompanying activity: herbs for health and herbal tea in the Herb Garden, an overview of botanical salve-making (sample included!) in the Food Forest, and creating a small piece of meditative personal art in the Tranquility Garden. Each group will have the opportunity to experience all three stations.

Please note that this event will be held outdoors. In the event of bad weather on September 27, the performance will be moved to October 4 at 3pm. We will be standing and walking a considerable amount during this event, occasionally over uneven or unpaved terrain. The Herb Garden and Tranquility Garden are accessible by mulched or paved path, but the Food Forest is more difficult to reach.

PRICING:

• Through December 15, all four concerts in the series can be purchased together for a discounted series price of $125 (a $35 savings)! (Please note that ticket exchanges and partial refunds are not available on series tickets.)

• Starting December 16, any remaining tickets to individual concerts will be available for purchase; see pricing information for individual concerts below.

Kickstart your week with a trip to the garden and engage in seasonally relevant activities with the Lil’ Sprouts in your life! This free drop-in series for children ages 3 to 8 and their caregivers offers our youngest gardeners and nature lovers an opportunity to learn more about the natural world. We hold Lil' Sprouts on the second and fourth Monday of each month.

COST: Free!

Join award-winning veteran Cheesemaker Eduardo Rodriguez to explore the history, culture, process, and uses of Ricotta! In this beginner-friendly class, you'll sample some cheeses, participate in a demonstration, and have the opportunity to ask questions. You'll go home with the basket and cheese cloth needed to make Ricotta as well as a basic recipe.

INSTRUCTOR: Eduardo Rodriguez (owner of My Artisano and Slow Food Cincinnati member)

COST: $35

We’ll be cleaning up the Open Oak Landing and exploring why winter habitat is essential for a healthy backyard ecosystem.

We’ll be in the onsite veggie garden at Hauck Botanic Garden learning how best to plant and maintain a garden at this time of year.

We’ll be reviewing student submissions to our Green Teens Challenge and awarding points based on provided rubrics.

We’ll be cleaning up the Butterfly Garden and exploring why winter habitat is essential for a healthy backyard ecosystem.

Sharpen your coffee-tasting skills with Cody Brown, Director of Operations for Proud Hound Coffee!

In this beginner-friendly class, Cody will take you on a deep-dive sensory journey through the world of coffee—including its geography, essential processes (like farming, processing, and roasting), the people around the world who make it possible. After a lecture and demonstration, you'll get hands-on to learn specific tasting skills such as identifying profile notes. You'll also have the opportunity to ask questions.

INSTRUCTOR: Cody Brown (Proud Hound Director of Operations)

COST: $35