Celebrated professional gardener, author, and historic landscape authority Peter J. Hatch will visit Leelanau County October 1-3, 2014, for a series of public lectures and programs. Hatch served as Director of Gardens and Grounds at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello for 35 years and has published four books on Monticello’s botanic legacy including A Rich Spot of Earth: Thomas Jefferson’s Revolutionary Garden at Monticello. He lectures extensively on Jefferson and the history of garden plants, and currently consults on public garden projects and private estate landscapes.

Sponsored by The Homestead and the Glen Arbor Women’s Club, Hatch’s visit will include lectures, a walking tour, a cooking demonstration with Chef John Piombo, and a special guided tour of Kilcherman’s Christmas Cove apple farm in Northport.

The three-day event kicks off on Wednesday, October 1 at 7:00 pm with an introductory lecture, reception, and book signing. “Thomas Jefferson, Gardener” will provide an introduction to the themes that defined Jefferson’s horticulture, the process by which the gardens at Monticello were restored, and the character of the fruits, flowers and vegetable grown by him. Admission is $25 and includes refreshments. A book signing will follow.

On Thursday, October 2, from 9am – 1 pm, Hatch will explore the legacy of Jefferson’s gardening in a morning lecture that includes lunch. “Monticello’s Revolutionary Garden: an Ellis Island of Fruits and Vegetables” will highlight the 1,000-foot-long garden laboratory that inspired a new American cuisine and provided an enduring legacy for the farm to table movement today. Book signing to follow. The $35 admission includes lunch and an opportunity to walk along the Crystal River with Peter Hatch, concluding at 2:15 pm. Morning lecture is $20 for advance registrants; $25 for day-of participants.

The afternoon will continue with a cooking demonstration with The Homestead’s Chef John Piombo featuring apple recipes that celebrate the fall season accompanied with cider tasting. The demonstration will include recipes featured in the 2014 Manitou Magazine. Advance registration is required with a fee of $50 per person.

The program concludes Friday morning with a trip with Peter Hatch to Kilcherman’s Christmas Cove Farm in Northport. This special opportunity features an apple tasting and presentation by owner John Kilcherman who has made it his life’s work to cultivate antique varieties of apple trees that date to the early 1600s, from England, Europe and Colonial America. Meet at The Homestead at 8:30 am for a continental breakfast. Transportation provided. Return by 12:30 pm. Advance registration is $25 per person; $30 on the day of the event.

Lodging packages also available. Visit http://www.thehomesteadresort.com/lodging/packages/special-events/. To register, call 231.334.5100.

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