The Piedmont Master Gardeners are pleased to sponsor a discussion with Tanya Denckla Cobb, author of The Backyard Homestead Guide to Growing Organic Food, during this year’s Virginia Festival of the Book. In a conversation with moderator and Master Gardener Diane Dale, Ms. Cobb will discuss a broad array of issues related to organic gardening and access to healthy food. She is director of the Institute for Engagement & Negotiation at the University of Virginia, where she co-founded and chairs the Sustainable Food Collaborative and has taught food system planning. Based on extensive research and years of experience, her book offers detailed seed-starting, growing, and harvesting information for 62 vegetables, fruits, and herbs, as well as recipes for how to make your own pest deterrent sprays. She is also the author of Reclaiming Our Food.