Ecological
Gardening Workshop Series
Calypso offers a series of hands-on ecological gardening
workshops to the public.
Click here for our 2010 Calendar of Events! Schedule
your own workshop! – we are offering any of the following
workshops for groups of five or more. Call to arrange a date
and time that works for you. Workshops can be held anytime during
the time frame listed for each topic. Becoming a member of Calypso is easy. To become a member, give a donation (of any amount) to support Calypso’s educational programs. You can pay the membership price at your first workshop and add on your donation at that time. We ask that you renew your membership annually. Thank You!!
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About Seed and Starts
- Learn techniques for growing healthy, organic transplants at home.
Topics include: choosing the right potting soil and containers,
setting up proper lighting, effective watering and choosing seed
varieties. 2 hours. (February – September)
Baking in a Wood-fired Oven -Enjoy fresh bread from our wood-fired bread oven! This workshops will include an overview of the structure and materials needed to build a wood-fired oven. We will also demonstrate a variety of bread baking techniques used for the oven. Taste the results for yourself! 2 hours. (March – September) Beginning Organic Gardening -Are you interested in learning more about how to grow vegetables without chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides? Learn the basics of gardening organically in Fairbanks. Get an overview on ecological gardening methods including soil care, pest management, weed management and bed design. 2 hours. (February – September) Composting
- This workshop will provide step-by-step guidelines for successful
home composting using a large, free-standing pile method. We will
also cover the basic principles of making good compost using any
method. Come prepared to get first-hand experience building compost.
3 hours. (June – September) |
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Gardening – Do you only have a small patio or balcony
but still want to grow vegetables, herbs or flowers? Come learn
about the basics of container gardening. We will discuss what varieties
thrive, types of containers and the ups and downs of container gardening.
2 hours. (February – September)
Dried Flowers & Wreath Making - Discover garden plant varieties you can dry at home. Learn to arrange a wreath using dried plants and flowers. Come away with your own dried flower wreath creation! These wreaths make great holiday gifts. 3 hours. (September) Drip Irrigation Basics – Learn how to set up and use drip irrigation in your home garden. Drip irrigation saves water, time and money and improves root growth. This hands-on workshop will give you all the information you need to install your own system. 2 hours. (May-September) Explore Cut Flowers - Come tour our gardens and learn about cut flower varieties and growing flowers for bouquets. Take home your own bouquet of freshly cut and arranged flowers. 2 hours. (July – September) Exploring Vegetable Varieties - Tour Calypso’s field and take a look at the over 400 vegetable varieties. This a great opportunity to get ideas for your own garden. 2 hours. (July – September) Garden
Planning with Kids - What kind of garden would work best
in the space you have? Join us and walk away with your own personalized
kid-friendly garden plan. Find out how crop rotation, companion
planting and long-term planning will benefit your garden. 2 hours
(March - September) |
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Know
Your Soils - Come and learn how to build healthy soil for
your garden. Topics include getting to know your garden soil, tips
for importing soil for raised boxes, organic soil fertilizers, cover
crops, soil properties, taking soil samples and interpreting soil
test results. 2 hours. (May – September)
Natural Dyeing from the Garden - Uncover the astonishing colors hidden within different plants used for dyeing. Learn how to make your own dye baths to dye wool, cotton and silk. Come away with a full array of your own naturally dyed samples! 3 hours. (August – September) Planning a Home-Scale Food Garden - Do you want to learn how to plan and grow a garden that meets some or all of your food needs and makes the best use of the space that you have? Join us and walk away with your own personalized garden plan. Find out how garden design, crop rotation, companion planting and long-term planning will benefit your garden and your table! 3 hours (February – September) Preserving
Your Harvest Through Fermentation - Don’t let your
harvest go to waste. Come learn these healthy, low energy methods
to preserve your produce all year long. 2 hours (July –
September) *limited offerings |
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| Raising
& Butchering Meat Birds – Are you interested
in taking a step closer to your food sources. Raising your own meat
can be a practical, satisfying and healthy option for your family.
Come learn about housing, feeding and caring for meat chickens.
You will also learn humane and safe techniques for butchering and
cleaning birds to be ready for home consumption. 3 hours (August)
*limited offerings
Raising Chickens, Goats, and Sheep - Fresh eggs and milk produced at home can become a reality for you. We will explore our animal barn, chicken coop and grazing pastures and discuss how to raise chickens, goats, and sheep. Learn about what equipment is needed, which breeds do well and more! 2 hours. (May-September) Seed Saving - Preserve your garden’s (and our planet’s!) diversity by growing and saving your own seeds. Become familiar with the basic botanical concepts, seed saving techniques and resources needed to become a successful seed saver. Topics include: understanding pollination, choosing varieties to save, growing plants out for seed, collecting and cleaning seeds and proper storage. *workshops scheduled in August and September will include some actual harvesting of seeds and a tour of seed crops growing in the field. 3 hours. (February – September) |
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a Home Garden CSA - Is your garden producing enough for
your family...and a few others? Learn how to turn your garden into
a small Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation. In a CSA,
consumers pay in the farmer/gardener in advance for a weekly share
of the harvest through the season. There are a growing number of
avid gardeners in Fairbanks who are offering CSA shares from their
gardens and small farms. This is a great way to grow food for our
community and cover your costs. Topics include: the history of CSA,
garden planning, CSA organization and making it work for you. 2
hours. (February – September) Wool Basics and Sheep Shearing - Interested in sheep and wool? Come meet our sheep and learn about the world of wool including: exploring different types of wool, cleaning raw fleeces, carding, spinning, felting and using wool to make functional items. Get an overview and introduction to shearing. The shearing demonstration is only available at the scheduled May 16th workshop – although if you have sheep, we can arrange to hold a workshop at your location. 3 hours. (May – September) Worm
Composting – Come learn more about how composting
worms can work for you. This workshop will explore basic home
worm composting techniques including home made and commercial
options for worm bins. You will leave with the basic information
needed to begin worm composting at home. 2 hours. (February –
September) |
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Workshop Registration: Please call Calypso with your name and phone number at 451-0691 to sign up for a workshop or to schedule one for you and your friends. Then send your payment to: Calypso
Farm & Ecology Center or reserve your space with a credit card. |
Thank you to the following local businesses for sponsoring our 2010 workshop series: Alaska
Coffee Roasting Company |
All materials on this Web site are © Calypso Farm and Ecology Center