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North Salem Video Club Films First 'Garden Air' Webcast

NORTH SALEM, N.Y. – The Ruth Keeler Memorial Library is inaugurating a series of webcasts about gardening, hosted by North Salem’s Pam Pooley. Her first guest was local expert and gardening author, Page Dickey. It was filmed by North Salem High School’s Video Club, comprising students from the school’s Problem-Solving Academy.

The first "Garden Air" webcast, starring North Salem's Pam Pooley and Page Dickey, was filmed last week.

The first "Garden Air" webcast, starring North Salem's Pam Pooley and Page Dickey, was filmed last week.

Photo Credit: Katherine Pacchiana
North Salem resident and make-up artist Suzanne Sandbank applies make-up to Pam Pooley.

North Salem resident and make-up artist Suzanne Sandbank applies make-up to Pam Pooley.

Photo Credit: Katherine Pacchiana
Video Club advisor Cynthia Sandler adjusts the microphones.

Video Club advisor Cynthia Sandler adjusts the microphones.

Photo Credit: Katherine Pacchiana
Webcast producer Alex Fraioli gives instructions on getting closer.

Webcast producer Alex Fraioli gives instructions on getting closer.

Photo Credit: Katherine Pacchiana
Clapper Dillon Gray calls "Take two".

Clapper Dillon Gray calls "Take two".

Photo Credit: Katherine Pacchiana

“We wanted to make it a real life experience for the kids, so we brought in a professional makeup artist,” said Pooley, as North Salem’s Suzanne Sandbank applied foundation and talked about skin tone. “I’ve been doing hair and makeup for TV and movies for 30 years,” Sandbank added.

Once the performers were camera-ready, senior Alex Fraioli, the webcast producer, had to decide where to place the mikes (she decided on lapels) and advised them, “You have to sit uncomfortably close for the sake of the camera.”

Both Pooley and Dickey had come to the studio, an erstwhile school library conference room, straight from their gardens still wearing their green gardening clogs, but Fraioli assured them their feet would be out of camera range. Although Pooley requested a rehearsal, Fraioli directed Tim Geiges on the camera to start rolling. “I want it to be spontaneous,” she explained.

After a few mis-starts, clapper Dillon Gray announced “Take one!” and the five-minute conversation got started. Pooley asked Dickey a number of questions, such as what is appropriate for May planting, what should you do for roses at this time of year, and how Dickey prepared her own garden for the Open Day visit sponsored by the Garden Conservancy.

“Weeding,” Dickey replied to that question. “Weeding – and – adding some plants and – weeding.”

The webcast concludes with a wrap-up of gardening sources available through the library, such as books, magazines, workshops and websites.

Page Dickey has a site of her own, where she discusses her own garden experiences and welcomes comments and questions from readers.

A new version of “Garden Air” will appear on the Ruth Keeler Library website on a regular basis. In between video postings, you are invited to attend a weekly discussion of gardening on Saturdays from 10 to 11:30 a.m., when local experts are on hand to answer your questions and, hopefully, solve your gardening problems.

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