Good to Know: April 2026

A New Chapter

This Independent Bookstore Day (April 25) and beyond, support a new locally owned shop in the heart of Kennett Square. Opened on Valentine’s Day, Forage Books offers a curated collection of bestselling fiction, insightful nonfiction, local authors and children’s favorites, along with gifts, cards and unique finds. A nod to Kennett’s mushroom heritage, Forage invites visitors to explore and discover something new. 121 W. State St. ForageBooksKSQ.com

Planting History

Celebrate America’s 250th in your garden with four new seed collections from Philadelphia’s Burpee Seeds. Thomas Jefferson’s Revolutionary Garden features plants grown by Jefferson at Monticello, while Martha Washington’s Kitchen Garden includes heritage vegetables grown at Mount Vernon. A Colonial Dooryard Herb Garden highlights essential herbs colonists brought to North America, and The Declaration Bouquet, created with the Museum of the American Revolution, features 1776-inspired flowers to rival any fireworks. Burpee.com

Garden Guidance

Have a question about gardening, nutrition, home food preservation or even backyard poultry? Meet Tilva, a new AI assistant from Penn State Extension. Developed with the College of Agricultural Sciences, this conversational tool delivers localized, science-backed answers for farmers, producers, homeowners, educators and community leaders — anytime, day or night. Available in English and Spanish, Tilva can even identify plants, pests and diseases from photos. AI.Extension.PSU.edu

A Lasting Landscape

This Earth Day (April 22), celebrate another win for open space in Chester County. The French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust recently completed a conservation easement to permanently preserve naturalists Hugh and Sally Willig’s 18-acre property along Sycamore Lane in Charlestown Township. Set within the high-quality Pickering Creek Watershed, the land protects valuable wildlife habitat — part of more than 13,700 acres the trust has preserved since 1967. FrenchAndPickering.org

Nature, Stacked

For a unique piece of art that will brighten your home or garden, check out West Chester ceramic artist Nancy Salamon’s stacked sculptural totems. Each 18- to 36-inch tower features playful elements — spheres, spaces, wavy platters, sculpted figures — often inspired by nature, like frogs, birds, fish and rabbits. Find them at her West Chester studio by appointment or during the Chester County Studio Tour, May 16 and 17. ClayBornPottery.com