Classes at Traders Point Creamery

This evening, my sister and I will be exploring the Traders Point Creamery farmers market and settling in at the Loft restaurant for dinner. I have a soft spot for TPC, with its fromage blanc, raspberry yogurt and cottage cheese (which is so addictive we call it "crack cottage cheese" at my house).

So, I'm delighted to see that TPC is now offering classes on organic cooking and gardening. Here's a rundown of the upcoming schedule:

• How to Eat Organic on a Budget (6-8 p.m., Monday, June 20).
• Perfect Picnic (6-8 p.m., Monday, July 11), including recipes for cooler-pressed chicken sandwiches, picnic in a jar chickpea salad, Greek yogurt dill dip and no-bake chewy granola bars.
• Pizza from Field to Table (6-8 p.m., Monday, Aug. 1), including recipes for grilled garden pizza, colorful salad, homemade ranch dressing and fresh mint lemonade

Classes are $25 each or $60 for all three. For more information, contact Jen@tpforganics.com.

Green Thumb?

Baby, it's cold outside, but it's time to start thinking about this spring's gardening plans. Green Piece Indy has a great post today on upcoming gardening classes, whether you're a "backyardless beginner," "proficient planter" or "horticultural hero." Enjoy!

Upcoming IMA Lectures

During the summer doldrums, when other educational venues slow down, the Indianapolis Museum of Art gears up for a busy season. The big news, of course, is the hundred-acre Virginia B. Fairbanks Art and Nature Park, which opens June 20. (Isn't it too bad they didn't name it the Hundred Acre Wood?) In the meantime, the museum has several upcoming events.

Next week, landscape architect Richard Bisgrove will discuss Gertrude Jekyll and William Robinson, two English garden designers who were active in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The event is free, but registration is required (7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 13).

The following week, architect and author Sarah Susanka will discuss urban architecture -- essentially, the idea that larger houses are not only enlarging our carbon footprints and also weakening our families (7 p.m., May 20, $7). Click here to buy tickets.

And, although it's not really educational, don't forget the museum's wonderful Summer Nights film series, featuring movies on the terrace each Friday evening. Highlights include "Rebel Without a Cause," "A Fish Called Wanda," "The Muppets Take Manhattan" and two midnight shows, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "Monty Python and the Holy Grail."

Slow Food Indy: Urban Gardening and Local Foods

Slow Food Indy is taking reservations for an urban-gardening seminar and a related lecture titled "Staying Home for Dinner: Ruminations on Local Food in a Cosmopolitan Society."

Both events, with professor Lisa Heldke of Gustavus Adolphus College, are scheduled for Monday, Sept. 28, at IUPUI. If previous Slow Food events are any indication, this will sell out quickly, so claim your spot now if you're interested.

Urban Farming Forum

Gazing out at our current Arctic landscape, you're probably not thinking about planting a garden. But the seed catalogs keep arriving in the mail, so it must be time to get your horticultural plans in order.

To get you started, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful is hosting the Urban Farming Forum the evening of Feb. 2 (Groundhog Day). Topics of discussion will include crop choices, growing tips and soil suggestions -- helpful advice whether you're a beginning gardener or a seasoned cultivator.

Questions? Contact Chris Harrell at theharrell@gmail.com or (502) 298-2832.

Gardening Class at Smith & Hawken

It's hard to believe, but already it's time to start obeying school-zone speed limits and buying school supplies on clearance at Target. Based on my very limited gardening knowledge, it's also time to start planting flower bulbs. I think.

To learn more, try the "Landscaping with Bulbs" class this Saturday at Smith & Hawken (at Keystone at the Crossing). Topics include blooming times and planting techniques. The class starts at 2 p.m. and is free.