From Steve Stycos:

DIRT THE MOVIE

The Pawtuxet Village Farmers Market and Friends of the Pawtuxet will present the Rhode Island premier of DIRT!The Movie, Wednesday March 2 at 7 PM at the William Hall Free Library, 1825 Broad Street, Cranston. The acclaimed and humorous documentary explores the relationship between man, soil and food around the world. The showing is open to the public and free. After the 80 minute film, one of Rhode Island’s “worm ladies” will discuss how individuals can improve the soil.

FARM TOOLS NEEDED

Westbay Farm, a Warwick Farm that grows vegetables for a food pantry run by Westbay Community Action Program, needs tools. The farm needs shovels, hoes, lawn mowers, steel fence posts, chicken wire, steel rakes, hose, lime and diatomaceous earth, This is your chance to clean your garage. To donate something, contact Farm Manager Steve Stycos at 461-2618 or steven@stycos.com.

The farm also need three and four inch plastic pots. They can be dropped on the porch at 37 Ferncrest Avenue, Cranston.

GARDEN CLUB ROSE BUSH PRE-SALE

For the next three months the Edgewood Garden Club will be pre-selling sustainable Roses, winter hardy varieties that remain healthy and attractive without the use of chemical pesticides. Among the different varieties offered there are, David Austins, Patent Floribundas, Patent Landscape and Climbers. Some of the Roses are defined in Mike and Angelina Chute’s book, Roses for New England and can be found in the Chet Clayton Sustainable Rose Garden at the University of Rhode Island Botanical Garden as of April 2010. The proceeds from this sale will be used in community projects. If you would like to add any of the roses to your garden, please contact Sadie Barran by e-mail at: sadiebarran@verizon.net for more information.

EVENTS AT CRANSTON’S WILLIAM HALL LIBRARY

February 14th, 3:30 PM: Young Readers Book Group. For children in grades 3 through 6. The group will be reading 11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass. Refreshments will be served. Call Megan for information and registration details.

February 16th, 6:30 PM: Reading in the Hall. The Hall Book Discussion Group will be reading the Read Across Rhode Island 2011 selection; “The Unforgiving Minute” by Craig Mullaney. The author, a former Rhode Islander, describes his journey through West Point and into the war zones of Afghanistan. The program is free and open to the public. Please call or email to register.

February 16th, 6:30 PM: Rhode Island Civil War Round Table. Former Supreme Court Judge and noted Lincoln authority Frank J. Williams will be the featured guest and will discuss “Lincoln on the Cusp of the Civil War Sesquicentennial.”

February 22nd, 6 PM: Joe’s Backyard Band. The band returns to the Hall Library with more music to entertain children and families. The show is free and open to the public.

February 24th, 3 PM: Quidditch. The popular Harry Potter program returns for another match. Contact Megan for more information and registration details.

February 24th, 7 PM: Edgewood native Jay Walker will premiere his latest collection of spoken-word poetry “Where I’m Coming From” and his latest CD “Jay Walker: Naked.” Jay’s books and CD’s will be available for purchase. Some material may not be suitable for children. The Hall Library is handicapped accessible and the program is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided.

See you at the market when it opens May 7.

I highly recommend Dirt! The Movie — a fascinating documentary on why we need quality dirt if we are to survive on planet earth.