Talks Steven Offers

Business Talks

The Business of Collaborating

Steven collaborated by phone, Skype, and e-mail with Calgary author Donna Balzer to write and publish No Guff Vegetable Gardening, which has had great sales, great reviews, and will soon be released by an American publisher in the United States. In this talk, he uses his experience with Donna to show how entrepreneurs can collaborate to succeed at projects they might not undertake themselves…projects such as publishing a book.

This talk explores many aspects of successful collaboration including technology, sharing information, business agreements, delegating tasks, and resolving disagreements. For audiences interested in the specifics of the book industry, this talk can also look at details such as designing, printing, distribution, and marketing.

The Business of Writing

Steven became a writer by accident. Sitting on a plane he met an editor…and he liked what he learned enough that he eventually left behind the world of being an employee. As a horticulturist turned writer, he has asked all of the questions that would-be and new writers ask. It’s paid off: now he’s built a niche, is an award-winning journalist, has a highly acclaimed book, and is a respected speaker.

This talk explores many aspects of building a writing business. Learn about building a network of colleagues, clients, and prospects; about deciding what sort of writing you want to do—and how to become an expert in doing it; about marketing your skills…something many writers are afraid to do; and about business nitty-gritty, things such as taxes, expenses, software, and managing receivables.

Healthy Eating Talks

Coming in 2012, Details on Steven’s talks with Janet Nezon.

Gardening Talks

No Guff Vegetable Gardening

On a balcony or in the ground, anyone can grow vegetables. New to gardening? Start with a guff-free approach and discover what’s practical, what’s needed, and where to start. Already gardening? You’ll find out if that over-the-fence advice really makes sense. If you’ve always wondered whether to test your soil or how to make raised beds, this talk is for you.

Edibles in the Urban Landscape

The days of veggiephobia are over. Now you can have a visually stunning garden and eat it too. Front yard or back, you can incorporate edibles into your existing garden beds if you don't have space for a stand-alone vegetable garden. If you have thought of a front yard veggie garden but weren’t sure how to start, or want to find out how to incorporate a few tomato plants with your perennials, this talk is for you. It’s a fun look at keeping your blood pressure in check by growing edibles in the city. If you’ve ever wanted to grow edibles, but need some inspiration, this talk is for you.

Crops that Wow

If your veggie gardening space is limited, why grow the green beans you can easily buy. Instead, paint the supper table with a surprising array of coloured veg including red okra, purple beans, yellow carrots, rainbow chard, and golden beets. Then add an exotic touch with intercultural crops such as bitter melon or Malabar spinach, treats that are hard to find at the supermarket. If you grow veg or want to grow veg, but want to be a bit different, this talk is for you. 

Kids in the Garden

Get your kids stoked about gardening! It’s a great way for them to learn to love eating vegetables, to introduce them to nature—and to give yourself an opportunity to work in the garden. Whether they’re poking seeds into the ground, peering at purple flowers, or giggling at a wriggling worm, kids thrive in the garden. If you’ve wanted to get your kids gardening but didn’t know how to start—or if you want some new ideas for gardening with kids—this talk is for you. 

Figs Where You Didn’t Think You Could

So you didn’t think you could grow figs in a northern climate? Well you can—and you don’t need a greenhouse to do it. Fig trees are actually very forgiving plants that will take a lot of abuse. Steven is a self-described fig-pig who grows fig trees in Toronto. If you want the simple truth about growing a crop of figs at home—and want to know how to propagate your own fig trees—this talk is for you.

No-Fuss Backyard Fruit

Don’t have time to nurture fussy fruit trees? You can still grow your own fruit…and you can easily grow more than you need. Become self-sufficient in fruit that you can use for preserves, pies, and juice—all without the fuss that many tree fruits demand. This talk will give you the straight goods on three often-forgotten crops: currants and gooseberries; elderberries; and serviceberries. If you’ve ever wondered if you could replace store-bought juice with your own, this talk is for you.

Grow Veg in Small Spaces and Containers

Don’t throw out that desk drawer…it could be a perfect container for growing veg! You don’t need an acreage to grow lots of your own veg—and this inspiring talk will give you lots of ideas about how to maximize production from a small space. Get ideas for unique containers, find out about vertical gardening, see how easy it is to grow a rooftop garden, and get practical pointers about plant care. If you’ve ever wondered if it’s really possible to harvest lots from a small space, this talk is for you.

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Farm Writer. Food Writer. Garden Writer. Garden Speaker.