John Forti is a nationally recognized lecturer, garden historian, ethnobotanist and garden writer. He is the Executive Director of Bedrock Gardens in Lee, NH. Before taking on this new position, he was the Director of Horticulture for the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, the oldest horticultural society in the nation. He previously served as the Curator/Director of Historic Landscapes at Strawbery Banke Museum, and as the Director of Horticulture at Plimoth Plantation Museum where the gardens and seed program he created brought international attention to the preservation of Pilgrim and Wampanoag heirloom crops.

John co-founded and served as the board chair for Slow Food Seacoast. He serves on the bio-diversity committee for Slow Food USA and is the governor for Slow Food chapters throughout the state of Massachusetts. He also serves as chair of the board for the Herb Society of America’s New England Unit, and won the 2014 Award for Excellence in Horticulture from the national office. He was also recently granted the award for “Civic Improvement through Gardens” from the Garden Club of America.
Thousands on Facebook follow his posts where he blogs as The Heirloom Gardener - John Forti.
Enjoy these Chronicle episodes to learn more about John’s museum work with heirloom plant use and preservation and Slow Food biodiversity work advocating good, clean and fair food for all.

To read John’s full biography page, please click here.