Establishing a Productive Vegetable Garden
13-14 May 2017
Thinking of growing food..? think first.. grow soil. William Albrecht’s wisdom… “The soil eats first, plants second”… sums up with simplicity the foundation practices we’ll be learning to enable you to establish a productive garden.
Starting with ‘how plants feed’ will set the scene for why we feed the soil. Then you’ll be learning how to feed the soil doing a No Dig Gardening. This foundation practice restores balance, biodiversity, biology and humus back into soils that grow true superfoods. With autumn soil building done we’ll be crop planning, pocket planting and feeding seeds and seedlings. Spring soil building starts now with a static compost heap. We’ll be doing the ‘compost opera’ to set the stage for the miraculous microbes that make the most important of all soil foods – proper compost.
Saturday
8:00am Doors Open
WELCOME
9:00 – 10.30 SESSION 1 - SOIL
SPAM: Soil health Plant health Animal health huMan health..
How plants feed…”the soil eats first”
Remember The masters - Farmers of Forty Centuries, Weston Price, William Albrecht
10:30 – 11:00 Morning Tea
11.00 – 12.30 SESSION 2 - SOIL BUILDING
Building Soil Om (Organic Matter)
The No Dig Garden – bed & path design, method, materials, the steps
Remember The Masters Esther Dean
12:30 – 1:30 Lunch
1:30 – 3:00 SESSION 3 - SOIL BUILDING
Continuing with the No Dig Garden
3:00 – 3:30 Afternoon tea
3:30 – 5:00 SESSION 4 - PLANNING THE VEGETABLE GARDEN
“We are family." The plant families, pollination, crop rotation, crop planning with the cosmos.
Remember The Masters Rudolf Steiner
Optional: SUPPER & FILM – ‘Symphony of the Soil
Sunday
8:30 – 9:00 MORNING CHECK IN
9:00 – 10.30 SESSION 1 - THE COMPOST OPERA
Building Soil Om (Organic Matter); Raw, active & stable humus
Construct a static compost heap
Remember The masters Sir Albert Howard & Ehrenfried Pfieffer
10:30 – 11:00 Morning Tea
11:00 – 12:30 SESSION 2 - THE COMPOST OPERA
Complete the static compost heap.
Compost temperature cycle – the homemade compost thermometer
12:30 – 1:30 Lunch
1:30 – 3:00 SESSION 3 - PLANTING THE NO DIG GARDEN
Planting seedlings, direct sowing seeds, incorporating compost, crop record diary
3:00 – 3:30 Afternoon tea
3:30 – 5:00 SESSION 4 — FEEDING THE NO DIG GARDEN
“The Soil eats first” – stimulating soil life
Soil life super foods, liquid feeds, foliar feeds
Diversifying microbes - aerated compost brews
8:00am Doors Open
WELCOME
9:00 – 10.30 SESSION 1 - SOIL
SPAM: Soil health Plant health Animal health huMan health..
How plants feed…”the soil eats first”
Remember The masters - Farmers of Forty Centuries, Weston Price, William Albrecht
10:30 – 11:00 Morning Tea
11.00 – 12.30 SESSION 2 - SOIL BUILDING
Building Soil Om (Organic Matter)
The No Dig Garden – bed & path design, method, materials, the steps
Remember The Masters Esther Dean
12:30 – 1:30 Lunch
1:30 – 3:00 SESSION 3 - SOIL BUILDING
Continuing with the No Dig Garden
3:00 – 3:30 Afternoon tea
3:30 – 5:00 SESSION 4 - PLANNING THE VEGETABLE GARDEN
“We are family." The plant families, pollination, crop rotation, crop planning with the cosmos.
Remember The Masters Rudolf Steiner
Optional: SUPPER & FILM – ‘Symphony of the Soil
Sunday
8:30 – 9:00 MORNING CHECK IN
9:00 – 10.30 SESSION 1 - THE COMPOST OPERA
Building Soil Om (Organic Matter); Raw, active & stable humus
Construct a static compost heap
Remember The masters Sir Albert Howard & Ehrenfried Pfieffer
10:30 – 11:00 Morning Tea
11:00 – 12:30 SESSION 2 - THE COMPOST OPERA
Complete the static compost heap.
Compost temperature cycle – the homemade compost thermometer
12:30 – 1:30 Lunch
1:30 – 3:00 SESSION 3 - PLANTING THE NO DIG GARDEN
Planting seedlings, direct sowing seeds, incorporating compost, crop record diary
3:00 – 3:30 Afternoon tea
3:30 – 5:00 SESSION 4 — FEEDING THE NO DIG GARDEN
“The Soil eats first” – stimulating soil life
Soil life super foods, liquid feeds, foliar feeds
Diversifying microbes - aerated compost brews
Meet the Master Gardener, Dan

With a passionate love for ‘the garden’, and a deep connection for Mother earth, Dan heeds the call for meaningful connection and belonging in community through Permaculture. He has been pushing the ‘wheelbarrow’ of school & community gardens, community art, Landcare action programs, and social enterprise initiatives to engage people in community-driven cultural growth. Dan is award winning for the "Living Classroom" program, and his love of the land is palpable.
Inspired by fun, creative & participatory group processes and the effectiveness of learning by doing, Dan has been engaging culturally diverse groups in Permaculture since 2003.
Dan and business partner Aaron Sorensen developed the nationally awarded ‘Living Classroom Program, engaging young people from K to 12 in life long learning through a school Permaculture program.
As well as the PDC training, Dan also engage adults and families in ongoing training and mentoring programs throughout the year. Dan leads a weekly class exploring the joy, art and insights of pioneers, past and present, to support fledgling gardeners to grow nourishing wholefood gardens, and renew the tradition and benefits of growing food together in community.
Check out Elemental Permaculture's website for more details about other courses interstate.
Dan and Aaron were awarded a "Recognition of Community Service" at the 2016 Australian Permaculture Convergence, for significant contributions to community over at least ten years through their ‘Living Classroom’ School Permaculture Garden Program.
Inspired by fun, creative & participatory group processes and the effectiveness of learning by doing, Dan has been engaging culturally diverse groups in Permaculture since 2003.
Dan and business partner Aaron Sorensen developed the nationally awarded ‘Living Classroom Program, engaging young people from K to 12 in life long learning through a school Permaculture program.
As well as the PDC training, Dan also engage adults and families in ongoing training and mentoring programs throughout the year. Dan leads a weekly class exploring the joy, art and insights of pioneers, past and present, to support fledgling gardeners to grow nourishing wholefood gardens, and renew the tradition and benefits of growing food together in community.
Check out Elemental Permaculture's website for more details about other courses interstate.
Dan and Aaron were awarded a "Recognition of Community Service" at the 2016 Australian Permaculture Convergence, for significant contributions to community over at least ten years through their ‘Living Classroom’ School Permaculture Garden Program.
Weekend Workshop Cost
$350 Early bird rate 1st May
$450 Full Rate
Accommodation is available on site for $95 per night or $250 for three nights.
If you would like to register for the workshop, please fill out the Registration Form
For any other questions please connect with Georgia by email letsconnect@welcometothebighouse.com.au
$350 Early bird rate 1st May
$450 Full Rate
Accommodation is available on site for $95 per night or $250 for three nights.
If you would like to register for the workshop, please fill out the Registration Form
For any other questions please connect with Georgia by email letsconnect@welcometothebighouse.com.au