Ever wanted to learn to garden but didn’t know where to start? Or do you already know the basics but want to enrich your knowledge? Join us at The Talking Farm for a season-long gardening crash course!
Description:
Participants will meet at The Talking Farm’s Howard Street Farm every other Tuesday from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, from April 7th to October 20th. Each participant will receive a garden plot at the Howard Street Farm’s Demonstration Garden to plant, maintain, and harvest from throughout the program. Through the bi-weekly classes, participants will learn and enrich their gardening knowledge. Participants will be able to access their garden plots at any time throughout the season. At the end of the season, we’ll celebrate our harvest with a class potluck picnic at the farm. Families/partners are welcome to share a plot and learn together.
Register
Choose from 2 levels of instruction:
Level 1 – 101 (Introductory):
Goals:
- To provide beginner gardeners with the space, tools, and information they need to start and maintain a vegetable garden
- To provide logistical and moral support to ensure that each gardener has a successful harvest
- To create community between members that emphasizes the importance of experience and knowledge-sharing through the medium of growing your own food
Topics include bed preparation, garden planning, direct seeding vs. transplanting, weeding, maintenance, succession planting, pest control, harvesting, seed saving, winterizing, and more. No experience necessary. Beginners or those brand new to gardening are encouraged to enroll as well as people who want a refresher on gardening.
Level 2 – 102 (Intermediate):
Goals:
- Apply your knowledge of soil science and plant physiology to your own gardens.
- Understand the importance of and practice regenerative agricultural techniques.
- Be able to diagnose and treat plant disease and pest damage
- Gain a deep knowledge of and know how to grow and care for garden plants from seed to fruit
Topics include soil science, plant botany, crop planning and journalling, fertilizer, plant nutrition, insects, plant disease, weeds, foraging and native plants, and much more! Applicants should have completed one season of Grow Your Green Thumb prior to enrollment.
Summary of Details:
Session:
Every other Tuesday between April 7th & October 20th
Dates:
4/7, 4/21, 5/5, 5/19, 6/2, 6/16, 6/30, 7/14, 7/28, 8/11, 8/25, 9/8, 9/22, 10/6, 10/20
Times:
5:30-6:30 pm (instruction only – participants may access garden plot during other times)
Location:
Howard Street Farm, 3669 Howard St., Skokie (accessible by public transportation, parking adjacent)
Cost:
$300.00 (includes garden plot for season, instruction, communal resources, access to water and water infrastructure)
Enrollment deadline:
March 20th or until slots are full. Space is limited!