In this full-day, hands-on workshop, join fellow gardeners and an expert horticulturist to explore and understand the materials and practices that bring your soil alive and make your crops thrive. We’ll talk about the science of fertility and soil while we practice: understanding a soil with on-farm tests and a soil test, planting cover crops, managing cover crops, terminating cover crops, preparing a seedbed for planting, choosing common fertilizers and amendments. Throughout the day we’ll have the opportunity to discuss all sorts of related topics based on student interest (such as no-till, composting, intercropping, and crop scheduling.)

Schedule

9am: Introductions 

9:30 - 11am: How soil works 

11am - 12pm: Tillage for fertility 

12am - 1pm: Lunch (provided by folk school) and conversation

1 - 2pm: Understand a soil test

2 - 3pm: Compost and fertilizers 

3 - 4pm: Terminate and plant cover crops 

What to Bring

Clothing and shoes to get dirty and be outside most of the day, gardening gloves, empty yogurt container to bring home organic fertilizer. Optional: Notebook, your favorite tillage and/or weeding tools.