Organic Urban Gardening Classes

[Megan Cain]

Madison FarmWorks has developed a new series of classes for the organic gardener.  We focus on intermediate and advanced skills to help gardeners get more food out of their gardens.  Join us this season!

The Urban Gardener: Organic Techniques for the Whole Year

 

 

This class series covers intermediate and advanced topics designed to build your skills in organic vegetable production.  All classes are taught by Megan Cain and Claire Strader from Madison FarmWorks and Troy Community Farm.  Participants can take all or a selection of the classes in the series.  Register through Willy St. Co-op, Whole Foods or Olbrich Botanical Gardens.  For more info. contact me...@troygardens.org or 608-239-6205.

 

The Urban Gardener Part I: Laying the Groundwork for a Productive Year
Learn how to produce more organic vegetables in your garden!  We will focus on intermediate and advanced gardening skills such as garden planning and layout, crop rotation and cover cropping, planting schedules and succession planting for maximum production, and the top tips for a productive garden from Troy Community Farm.  We will also share our favorite vegetable varieties that are best suited to our local climate.

 

The Urban Gardener Part II:  Seed Starting at Home 

Starting your own seeds isn’t as hard as you think!  Come visit the new passive solar greenhouse at Troy Gardens and go home ready to start seeds.  You will learn how to mix your own soil, build an inexpensive seed starting rack for your home, and learn the basics of starting seeds indoors in a small space. Topics covered include seed starting schedule, soil mix recipes, tray options, seeding and planting techniques, growing conditions, hardening off, and an introduction to our favorite varieties.  All participants will take start several plants to take home.  Additional supplies will be available for purchase after class.  Class takes place in the greenhouse at Troy Gardens, 502 Troy Drive. 

 

The Urban Gardener Part III: Growing Organic Tomatoes

This hands-on class is all about tomatoes!  The class will be held at Troy Community Farm and the adjacent community gardens.  We will focus on growing a successful crop of organic tomatoes.  Learn how to prune tomatoes correctly by practicing on the farm crop, see our four favorite types of tomato trellising in action and learn about our favorite varieties for Madison.  Class takes place at Troy Gardens, 502 Troy Drive.  Please meet at the striped tent at the front of the land. 

 

The Urban Gardener Part IV:  The Fall Harvest and Garden 

In this class we will cover fall gardening topics such as harvesting and post-harvest handling and ideas for preserving the harvest including freezing, dehydrating, and root cellaring.  We will talk about important tasks for putting the garden to bed for the winter such as cover crops and mulch, and vegetable crops that can be overwintered.  We will also touch on overall garden planning in preparation for increasing your harvest for next year. 

 

Scheduled Sessions:

How to Turn Your Vegetable Garden into a Vegetable Farm: Olbrich Gardens, February 22, 6-8pm
Part I: Willy East, February 27, 6-8pm
Part II: Class takes place at Troy Greenhouse, March 10, 10am-noon (register through Willy East)
Part I: Whole Foods, March 13, 6-8pm

Part I: Willy West, March 21, 6-8pm
Part I: Willy East, April 2, 6-8pm
Part III: Class at Troy Gardens, July 10, 6-8pm (register through Willy East)
Part IV: Willy East, August 14, 6-8pm

--
Megan Cain
Program Manager
Madison FarmWorks & Youth Grow Local Farm
Community GroundWorks
3601 Memorial Drive, Suite 4
Madison, WI  53704
c: 608-239-6205
me...@troygardens.org
www.communitygroundworks.org
We are a proud member of Community Shares of Wisconsin