Yukon educational farm hosting 'Coffee and Conversation' speaker series

Mollie Spencer Farm in Yukon announced a new lineup of events to promote gardening, biodiversity and community engagement.

The Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages Porch spoke with Mollie Spencer Farm Programs Manager Emma Newberry-Davis to learn more about the upcoming events.

Q: Can you tell us about "Coffee and Conversation?"

A: On Saturday, we have our first Coffee and Conversation of the season. I will be talking about composting with Terry Craghead, who's the CEO and founder of Fertile Ground Cooperative. We'll be talking about the importance of compost, what it can do for your garden, and how to compost yourself at home, if you are interested.

Q: For those who haven't been to Mollie Spencer Farm before, can you fill us in on what this place is?

A: The Mollie Spencer Farm is an educational farm. Were out here in the heart of Yukon. The farm was originally settled in 1894 by Mollie Spencer and her husband, L.M. Spencer, and it's been passed down through that family until it was donated to the Kirkpatrick Family Fund in 2016, and now the family fund manages it. The Mollie Spencer Farm Inc. is a nonprofit that manages the farm, and we are committed to keeping this green space here. It's a really important resource for the people of Yukon, but also for the wider OKC metro to have access to this beautiful green space, and this beautiful nature. In the spring and fall, when the weather cooperates, we open up the farm for people to come out here and enjoy this little slice of heaven.

Q: Will there be a cost to attend a Coffee and Conversation session?

A: The Coffee and Conversation and all of our events are free. We have one on April 12, where we'll talk about vegetable gardening. We have one on May 10, where we'll talk about beekeeping, and then we have one on May 17, where we'll talk about water gardens. We provide the coffee, some light refreshments, the topic and the interesting speakers. We just want people to come out and enjoy and learn with us.

Q: What are people's reactions when they come to these events?

A: Well, first, when people who have never been to the farm come out here for the first time, they are in awe. We're on Garth Brooks Boulevard, there's a Walgreens that way, and there's a middle school that way, and you would never think that there's this beautiful, mostly untouched green space right here in the heart of Yukon. When people learn about biodiversity, sustainability, and gardening, they often go home and do these things in their own yards. We've had people come back and say, 'I learned about pollinator gardening from y'all, and now I have a pollinator garden in my yard,' which is so great to hear.

Q: What do you need to do before you come out?

A: We do ask that people sign up to participate. It just lets us know how much coffee to make, so they can visit our website, molliespencerfarm.org. There's more information about all of our events there for the spring, and they can sign up for our events.