Unfortunately, this workshop series will not be offered in Spring 2011. To be added to a list of people interested in information about future gardening workshops, please contact ben.grosscup@nofamass.org, and put "Gardening" in the subject.For information about the "2011 Feed a Family Gardening Series", click here.
|
|
This Spring, just as it comes time to plant the garden, NOFA/Mass presents our third annual Statewide Spring Organic Gardening Day. On April 10, there will be organic gardening workshops in every region of the state (See below). Growing our own food is an excellent way to save money, lessen our carbon footprint, improve our health, and connect with neighbors and nature. Isn't now a good time to learn skills that will help you plant a garden and make it productive throughout the year? These workshops are all led by experienced gardening educators, and they are intended to meet the tremendous resurgence of energy and action for backyard and community gardening. In addition to explaining and demonstrating some key steps that can empower to you start your own garden, these workshops provide a great opportunity for you to ask questions. Whether you are a complete newcomer to gardening or you just feel that you could use some brushing up on growing skills and concepts, these workshops are for you. Topics that will be covered at these workshops:
|
Registration: $30. NOFA membership discount: $5. Early registration (by March 27, 2010) discount: $5.
Contact: Ben Grosscup, 413-658-5374. By email, ben.grosscup@nofamass.org; put "April 10" in subject.
List of Organic Gardening Workshops on April 10, 2010
Boston/North Shore
A) City Natives, 30 Edgewater Drive, Mattapan, MA, Time: 9am-12pm
- Jean-Claude Bourrut manages production at Natick Community Organic Farm, an educational farm, which will also be a separate workshop site (see immediately below). We'll cover soil basics, practical organic techniques, and we'll share a hands-on activity in seed starting to increase the gardener's confidence in starting their own seedlings.
B) Natick Community Organic Farm, 117 Eliot Street, South Natick, MA, (www.natickfarm.org) Time: 10am-12pm
- Lynda Simkins is director and farm manager of Natick Community Organic Farm, where she does food-based education.
C) First Parish Church of Newbury, 20 High Road, Newbury, MA, (www.theherbfarmacy.com) Time: 9am-12pm
Rita Wollmering and Brooke Finn are co-owners of The HERB FARMacy - a 10 acre certified organic farm and retail greenhouse operation, growing herbs, flowers, and veggies. We'll cover all aspects of organic gardening, including companion planting, heirloom varieties, and resources. Focus is on MA growing conditions, using first-hand experience.
Southeast Mass. and Cape Cod
D) Brix Bounty Farm, 858 Tucker Road, Dartmouth MA, (www.brixbounty.blogspot.com) Time: 9am-12pm
- Derek Christianson is farm manager of Brix Bounty Farm, where he is striving to grow nutrient dense vegetable crops through biological fertility treatments. We'll cover the tools and techniques to ensure your 2010 garden is a bounty, including new bed preparation, spring garden renovation, compost, row cover, succession planting, and more.
E) Home of Peter and Cindy Olotka, 56 Richards Lane, Centerville, MA, Time: 9am-12pm
- Peter and Cindy are longtime home gardeners and green house growers. They grow winter salad greens in their greenhouse, providing greens all winter long. Learn to adapt a winter greens garden to indoor window boxes without a greenhouse. Learn to start spring seedlings inside and to implement the double digging method for your outdoor garden.
Central Mass.
F) Many Hands Organic Farm, 411 Sheldon Rd, Barre, MA, (www.mhof.net) Time: 9am-12pm
- Julie Rawson has been farming at MHOF for 29 years. We'll discuss soil fertility and preparation; when to plant for maximum production throughout the season; raised beds and spacing; timing for things like weeding, harvesting, cover cropping; raising your own transplants; mulches and under-sowing; and practical succession planting systems.
G) Noonday Farm, 96 Windsor Road, Winchendon Springs, MA, Time: 9am-12pm
- Beth Ingham has been farming organically for 18 years, using a no-till raised bed system to which sifted compost is added yearly. An attached greenhouse affords multi-season growing space and heat. We'll cover practical techniques for crop spacing, variety selection, companion planting and, transplanting, and help you envision your own garden and life choices. Opportunities available to see solar and wood stove heated hot water, and root cellar.
Western Mass.
H) Home of Sharon Gensler, 87 Bullard Pasture Road, Wendell, MA, Time: 9am-12pm
- Sharon Gensler has been homesteading since 1980. We'll cover the basics of soil structure and fertility; permaculture and nutrient density techniques; garden site placement; seed starting; transplanting; timing; succession planting; cover cropping; vegetable production in a permanent bed system; hand tools; and low-tech cold frames and hot beds.
I) Crabapple Farm, 100 Bryant Street, Chesterfield, MA, Time: 9am-12pm
- Tevis Robertson-Goldberg grows a diverse array of crops at Crabapple Farm for a CSA and for farmers markets. Focusing on health, he integrates Organic, Biodynamic, Permaculture, and traditional farming practices. He will translate the principles he follows in the field into home garden practice.
J) Monterey United Church of Christ, 478 Main Rd, Monterey, MA (location different than originally announced): 9am-12pm, (www.ccmonterey.org) Time: 9am-12pm
- Ruth Green owns Green Arts Garden Design and is a Certified Horticulturalist and Accredited Organic Land Care Professional in Monterey, Massachusetts. Learn organic soil preparation skills. We'll discuss setting up vegetable beds, choosing appropriate seed varieties, coping with plant pests and diseases, and assuring long-term soil health.
View Organic Gardening Workshops on April 10, 2010 in a larger map
For archives of the 2009 Massachusetts Organic Gardening Workshop Day, see here.
This page was last modified on April 25, 2011 at 9:21:07 AM.
Translate this page: 
