Growing Gardens Workshops
Growing Gardens Workshops are open to the public. Workshops tend to fill up, so register in advance by clicking the Register Now! link at the end of each description.
Growing Gardens Workshops are held at Common Good City Farm. Cost: Suggested donation $10/participant
2010 Growing Gardens Schedule
ð = Fun and appropriate for the whole family (children must be accompanied by an adult)
April 10: Good Design, Bad Design. 11am-1pm. Whether you're growing in a backyard or a schoolyard, a community garden or on a large farm; whether you're growing for yourself, your neighbors or a customer, how you design the space and your project can determine your yield, your impact on the land, and your relationship to the people around you. Every garden has a story - a reason for its creation and continued existence. No matter what your garden is for, we can each design a fruitful garden and also one that helps create a strong community. Learn some design approaches that will help you create a garden that tells a story as you would like it to read. Teacher: Liz Falk, Director, Common Good City Farm. Register Now!
May 8: Compost Happens! 11am-1pm. Standard and Worm Composting 101. Learn to use your garden, yard and kitchen waste to create rich soil. We will focus on methods easy and suitable for small yards and apartments. ð Teacher: Kaitlin Rienzo-Stack, Master Composter since '05. Register Now!
June 12: Container Gardening. 11am-1pm. If you’ve always wanted to grow vegetables in that empty spot in your backyard or on your porch, this workshop is for you. We’ll show you how to fit plants in your space using pots, raised beds or even that old bathtub or tire that’s been laying around the backyard.
June 26: Herbalism 101 (first in a series of four herb workshops). 11am-1pm. What does it mean to use herbs medicinally? Learn the basics of harvesting and drying herbs and making teas, tinctures, poultices, and powders; and explore the art of matching plants to people. Bring a mug and some paper bags! We’ll take an herb walk around the farm, as time allows. Teacher: Herbalist & Health Coach Tricia McCauley of http://www.nutriciaconsulting.
July 10: Cooking Class #2. 11am-1pm. ð Cooking with fresh foods is easy and delicious! Learn how to use summer's freshest foods to make a meal the whole family will enjoy. Teacher: Tesia Love, of www.FlavorDiva.com Register Now!
July 31: Common Uses for Less Common Herbs (second in a series of four herb workshops). 11am-1pm. Get to know some of the less common herbs around the farm – skullcap, lobelia, passionflower, mullein, and calendula, to name a few! Discover how using these plants in teas, tinctures, powders, and poultices can benefit you, while they beautify your garden. Bring a mug! (Attendance at Herbalism 101 recommended.) Teacher: Herbalist & Health Coach Tricia McCauley of http://www.nutriciaconsulting.
August 14: Uncommon Uses for Common Herbs (third in a series of four herb workshops). 11am-1pm. Parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme -- you grow them in your garden and use them to flavor your cooking, but how else can they benefit you? Learn medicinal uses for the herbs in your spice rack, including fennel, mint, oregano, chamomile, and catnip by making teas and brews in this hands-on workshop.Teacher: Tricia McCauley of http://www.nutriciaconsulting.com/. Register Now!
August 23: Preserving Summer Bounties. Monday, 5pm - 7pm. Naturally fermented pickles, sauerkraut and kimchi - Learn how to make healthy, naturally fermented foods in just a few days with simple tools and supplies. You won't believe how easy it is to make delicious crocks of sauerkraut and jars of pickles! No cooking is required - a great way to preserve food during the head of summer. Teacher: Bradley Kennedy learned how to ferment from the fermentation guru, Sandor Katz (author of Wild Fermentation). She has experimented with many different kinds of fermentation, and is particularly excited about natural brine pickles. Register Now!
September 11: Preserving Summer Bounties. 11am-1pm. Canning: How to preserve tomatoes, pickles, jams and jellies - There's nothing better than opening up a jar of preserved tomatoes on a long, cold, dark winter night, and remembering the summer! This class will cover basic canning for the beginner. You'll learn how to safely preserve tomatoes, pickles, and jams with a simple, inexpensive equipment. Teacher: Bradley Kennedy is a native Washingtonian who has worked and preserved food on farms all over the east coast. Register Now!
Monday, Sept 13: Weed Walk (fourth in a series of four herb workshops). 5:30-7pm. Are you walking over good medicine every day? Explore the healing properties of “weeds” such as dandelion, plantain, red clover, and pokeweed. (Attendance at Herbalism 101 recommended.) Teacher: Herbalist & Health Coach Tricia McCauley of http://www.nutriciaconsulting.
2009 Growing Gardens Workshops:
ð April 18th: Container Gardening If you’ve always wanted to grow vegetables in that empty spot in your backyard or on your porch, this workshop is for you. We’ll show you how to fit plants in your space using pots, raised beds or even that old bathtub or tire that’s been laying around the backyard. Teacher: Liz Falk, Common Good City Farm. This workshop is FULL.
May 9th: Seasonal planting: What to plant and when (and where) Learn about spring, summer and fall planting, and how to make your plants productive in an urban environment. We’ll talk about soil requirements, sunlight versus shade, appropriate watering and when you need (or don’t need) to use organic fertilizers. Teacher: Carl Rollins, DC Environmental Education Consortium. This workshop is FULL.
ð June 13th: Cooking Healthy with Fresh Produce from the Garden or Farmer’s Market Learn to cook a delicious and healthy meal for less than $5 that the whole family will enjoy. What you learn in this class you’ll be able to apply to all foods, from kale to potatoes. Teacher: Tesia Love, FlavorDiva.com
ð July 11th: Compost! Learn how to use your garden and kitchen waste to create rich soil to feed your soil. We will focus on methods easy and suitable for small yards and apartments. Teacher: John Wasiutynsi, DC Department of Environment
August 8th: Cooking & Preserving Summer Bounties Have too many summer veggies? Learn to can fruit and pickle veggies. Note: This workshop is 10am – 1pm.
ð September 12th: Good Bugs, Bad Bugs From beautiful butterflies to aphids and earthworms, in this workshop we’ll discuss the many insects you might see in your garden and solutions to make sure the good bugs stay and the bad ones go. Teacher: Lola Bloom and Rebecca Lemos, City Blossoms.
October 17th: Uncommon Uses for Common Herbs. Parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme -- you grow them in your garden and use them to flavor your cooking, but how else can they benefit you? Learn medicinal uses for the herbs in your spice rack, including fennel, mint, oregano, chamomile, and catnip by making teas and brews in this hands-on workshop. Bring a mug! Teacher: Tricia McCauley.
October 23-25th: Introduction to Urban and Community Food Gardens. Spend a weekend learning the basics of urban gardening, garden design and starting a community garden.
