Did you know that one of the world’s most complex and acclaimed greenhouses was located here in West Philly?

Come tomorrow morning at 11:00 a.m. to the Woodlands Cemetery (4000 Woodland Ave.) for the unveiling and discussion of archeological findings by Sarah Chesney, a PhD candidate at The College of William and Mary who specializes in early American greenhouses. Since 2009 Chesney has been exploring the site of a carriage shed that was once the location of William Hamilton’s prized greenhouse and hothouse complex.

Hamilton (1745-1813) was a botanist and an avid collector of exotic plants who brought many species of trees, including the gingko, to America. His greenhouse complex is said to have contained over 10,000 rare and exotic plants and attracted visitors from all over the world.

Chesney and her team will be showing some interesting items that they discovered during their research, including a previously-unknown brick cistern, a large midden (trash pit), and a partial brick foundation.

The event is free and open to the public. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy after the talk. There will also be an opportunity for self guided tour of the cemetery. For more information contact The Woodlands at: info [at] woodlandsphila.org or call 215-386-2181.

Dock Street Brewery will host the only Philadelphia’s screening of the new documentary Urban Roots on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at 8:30 p.m. The film, produced by Tree Media, tells the story of the urban farming phenomenon in Detroit.

The film follows a group of local farmers who are working to turn a troubled industrial city into a model of local farming and sustainability. It is a timely and inspiring film that shows hope for us all in a sustainable and prosperous future after the end of the industrial age.

The screening is free and Dock Street is donating $1 per beer sold during the screening to the Tree Media Foundation which works to put farms in local schools. The film will be screened on the new and improved projector screen. It is recommended that you arrive early to secure a seat.

Here’s a trailer:

Urban Roots Trailer from Tree Media on Vimeo.

West Philly residents Clare Hyre and Rania Campbell-Cobb want to build an organic rooftop farm on a warehouse in Southwest Philly. This would be a first in Philly and they need a little help.

The two accomplished farmers hope to use Cloud 9 Urban Rooftop Farm (Facebook link) to research urban farming best practices, educate folks on the benefits of rooftop farms and, of course, supply more fresh, locally grown food to West Philly. Read a lot more about the project here.

There are two ways you can help. Clare and Rania have started an online fundraising campaign to raise $5,000 to help cover the start-up costs. They are well over halfway there and need to raise the rest by month’s end. They also have some cool gifts for contributing. Go here to check it out.

Second, they are hosting a benefit BBQ tomorrow (Facebook link) at 4909 Warrington Ave. $7 gets you into the door and a plate of good food.

They hope to start building infrastructure this fall and start farming in the spring.

“Local” is all the rage these days. Local food, local beer, shopping local. A celebration of the local begins Saturday in West Philly as the University City District puts on the first “Sustainable Saturday.”

This Saturday’s theme is “Grow it Yourself” and features a self-guided tour of community gardens in West Philly and a “farm-to-table” trolley tour includes stops at Walnut Hill Community Farm, Milk & Honey Market, and Farm 51, chats with local growers and sellers and a dinner made with local ingredients.

The day kicks off, of course, with the Clark Park Farmers ‘ Market, which will be back to normal now that the “A” section of the park is open again.

Here are some details on the rest of the day:

Noon – 1 p.m. • Foraging for Edible Plants

USciences Lower Mill Creek Garden (43rd and Chester). A few folks from Wild Foodies from Philly will talk about foraging for edible and medicinal plants.

Noon to 1 p.m. • Creating an Urban Homestead

Farm 51 (51st and Chester). Learn about what you can and can’t do in your backyard as well as the basics of keeping vegetables and animals in the city.

Noon to 1 p.m. • Irrigating With Stormwater

Walnut Hill Community Farm (Ludlow Street between 46th and Farragut – near the 46th Street El stop). The farm has an innovative solar-powered stormwater irrigation system. Come hear how you can rig up a stormwater system in your yard.

1 p.m. to 2 p.m. • Sustainable Landscaping

Chester Avenue Community Garden (on Chester between 47th and 48th). A workshop on edible landscaping with Phil Forsyth of Forsyth Gardens and the Philadelphia Orchard Project.

2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. • Ice Cream Tour and Tasting at Bartram’s Garden

Bartram’s Garden (54th and Lindbergh). This one is a no-brainer. You get to forage around Bartram’s Garden for a little while and then make ice cream with what you have found. This also includes a tour. Tickets are $10 for adults/$8 for students and seniors/Free with a Bartram Pass. You pay when you get there. But you still need to RSVP here.

3 p.m. to 7 p.m. • Philly Homegrown West Philadelphia Farm to Trolley Tour

Paul Steinke of the Reading Terminal Market will host the tour. Participants will get a chance to see urban farming and beekeeping in action and sample locally grown foods. The tour concludes at the MidAtlantic Tap Room and Restaurant (3711 Market St.) for a dinner made with locally grown ingredients. Tickets are $45. RSVP here.

Other Sustainable Saturdays will be held July 16, August 20 and September 17.

Living in a city as big as Philadelphia, and not having enough gardening space, doesn’t mean you can’t grow and harvest some crops of your own.

Want to learn how to do it? Come tonight, June 15, at 6 p.m. to Cedar Park (50th & Baltimore) for a workshop on urban gardening. Erica Smith of Philly Rooted, an organization specializing in urban farm development, will teach you the basics of starting and tending a vegetable garden.

The workshop is organized by Cedar Park Neighbors. Please let them know if you are coming by phone 267.531.4147 or email: contact [at] cedarparkneighbors.org.

For more information download the flyer here.

Honey bees have fallen on hard times in recent years. A mysterious phenomenon known as “colony collapse disorder,” where worker bees that maintain a hive suddenly disappear, has beekeepers on edge. Bees are also susceptible to all kinds of viruses and mites, not to mention pesticides. But as bee populations have decreased, the demand for locally produced honey has increased. Luckily, a growing group of Philly-based beekeepers is taking care of our local bees.

You can get a look inside the work of these beekeepers this Sunday at the Woodlands Cemetery as part of “Open Apiary Day,” a series of events across the city aimed at familiarizing folks with urban beekeeping.

In West Philly, beekeeper Daniel Duffy will discuss beekeeping at the working hives on the cemetery grounds from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Beekeeping has been intertwined with Philadelphia history since the 18th century. L.L. Langstroth, who is considered the father of modern beekeeping, was a Philadelphia native.

Open Apiary Day events are also taking place in Fairmount/Brewerytown and Mount Airy. The West Philly event includes a tour of the cemetery and arboretum.

Organizers are asking people to RSVP for the free event by calling 215-386-2181 or e-mailing info [at] woodlandsphila.org.

Later this month The Rotunda is hosting a June 23 screening of Queen of the Sun, a film about the disappearance of bees worldwide. The film starts at 7 p.m. and is a fundraiser for the Mariposa Food Co-op expansion.