Live "In The Garden" Workshop
Starts TBD
Many of the concepts and recipes outlined in the book,
"The Regenerative Grower's Guide to Garden Amendments"
will be covered in this program.
A soil plant model will be introduced that may be used to explain all garden activities. Soil health, mineral proportions, plant soil interactions and soil testing will be discussed. Making many mineral and biological amendments using local materials, often closing waste gaps, will be demonstrated during the hands-on portion of the program and their mineral content reviewed. Long- and short-term strategies for improving soil health and plant health throughout the growing season will be presented. There will be time for in-depth discussions and community building. Class size will be limited to make this an intimate, in depth experience.
Workshop Includes:
- Bound Course Material
- Enough IMO 2 to make IMO 3
- IMO 4 to Experiment With
- A Vinegar Extraction
Classes are designed to accommodate the introductory needs of the novice as well as detailed information wanted by experienced grower's
Logistics
This program will be held LIVE at the TIOSN Gardens in West Granby, Connecticut. There will be three individual classes offered on three consecutive Saturdays
Each class will be four hours (10:00 AM - 2:00 PM)
Most of the time will be hands on learning and presentation with ample time for participants to ask more in depth questions, discuss specific areas of interest, and community building
There will be reading assignments from the book "The Regenerative Grower's Guide to Garden Amendments" Click here to order BOOK
Program Details
Class 1 – The Soil Plant Model and Making Biological Amendments:
Models provide a framework for determining why our actions are appropriate. Why do you add that stuff to the soil and what are the resulting effects on the soil biology? A plant/soil interaction model will be presented which will form a foundational framework to be used throughout the program and the rest of your gardening life. This framework will be used to explain all actions taken in the garden. Mineral proportions, exchange capacity, soil tilth, biological diversity and soil tests are discussed and summarized during the presentation portion of the program. The hands-on portion of the program will focus on biological amendments, making leaf mold biology, the basics of making IMO 1 and 2 and making IMO 3.
Program Details
Class 2 – Soil Mineral Proportions, Mineral Amendment Analysis and Uses:
Most soils have an imbalance of needed minerals, and seldom discussed when talking about soil health, a struggling ecosystem. A sustainable, regenerative, mineral amendment toolbox will be introduced and the analysis of several amendments reviewed. Learn to close waste gaps, harness materials in your community and make effective amendments for free or low cost. Assessing soil mineral proportions and presenting strategies for improvement throughout the growing season will be presented. The hands-on portion of the program will focus on conducting a soil test, making a fermented plant juice and making IMO 4.
Program Details
Class 3 – Annual Garden Cycles, Compost, Cover Crops, Mulch, Weeds:
Nurturing the garden soil is required all year long. Cover crops, mulch and weeds are tools nature has used forever to regenerate the soil and to sequester carbon. Nature never leaves the soil bare. We will discuss how to incorporate these tools throughout the growing season to keep the soil covered, alive and well fed. Garden cycle examples will be presented and discussed. The hands-on portion of the program we will focus on planting garlic, the start of one annual cycle. We will make a vinegar extraction and demonstrate the processing of locally sourced resources, eggshells, oyster shells, rock dusts, wood chips, fish and manures. The use of IMO 4 will also be demonstrated.