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Organic Vegetable Gardening for Beginners
June 16
10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
$85.00
Spring Session
What does it take to have an organic green thumb in the
North? We will discuss the benefits of gardening organically and what
it involves. Learn the basics of composting, soil building, natural fertilizers
and pest control. You will learn about choosing seeds and plants, practical
tool choices, season-extension methods, and regional challenges and success
stories. Plant some seeds to take home, as well as a plant or two for
your own garden. You will also receive a handbook full of resources and
tips from a variety of local organic gardeners.
co-ordinator: Karen Copeland
As a young environmentalist, Karen came to organic gardening
first through the act of composting. She set up and maintained compost
bins at many places of work in an effort to reduce waste, eventually acquiring
the nickname Copey Composter. A transient lifestyle prevented her from
seeing any garden through an entire growing season until she set down
roots in 1998 southwest of Thunder Bay, where the gardens have grown in
size each year, providing food for home and the Country Market. In 2005,
Karen co-founded Cattails Farm, which ran a trial Community Supported
Agriculture (CSA) project, providing produce to eight subscriber/members,
followed by a 16-family CSA in 2006.
Karen dreams of a day when part of every yard is devoted to growing nutritious
fruits and vegetables, much like is done in other countries, helping people
to re-connect with the source of their food, as well as acquiring independence
from a food system which is lacking in nutrition, taste and soul. She
believes growing food locally and organically is one of the most important
investments we can make for future generations and for the planet as a
whole.
