Organic Gardening Basics 2024 - Part 1 of 6: Healthy Soil

ORGANIC GARDENING BASICS 2024, with JUDY KEATS

PART 1 OF 6: HEALTHY SOIL

Saturday 27 July 2024 - 10am to 12pm (2 hours)

Kelmarna Community Farm's comprehensive 6-part organic gardening course with Judy Keats is back for 2024 to introduce you to all the basics of growing organic food successfully at home. The series is arranged in fortnightly sessions over 12 weeks, with a focused topic for each session moving through all the essential knowledge and skills for a successful home garden.

This course is perfect not only for new gardeners just starting out, but also excellent to give experienced gardeners the opportunity to grow their knowledge and sharpen their skills alongside an expert tutor in organics.

Secure your spot with a 'Complete Series Ticket' to ensure the best learning experience across the course. Or opt for 'Single-session Tickets' to focus on the areas that matter most to you.

Full course dates:

> Part 1: 27/07/24 - Healthy Soil

> Part 2: 10/08/24 - Propagation and Planting

> Part 3: 24/08/24 - Fruit Trees and Pruning

> Part 4: 07/09/24 - Organic Weed Management

> Part 5: 21/09/24 - Garden Planning with the Seasons

> Part 6: 05/10/24 - Organic Insect and Pest Management

What to expect:

Session 1: Healthy Soil

Soil is the foundation of organic gardening. This first session will start with an examination of soil testing practices, methods of compost making, and strategies for managing natural additives to boost soil fertility. Find out what healthy soil looks like, come away with a better understanding of your conditions at home, and take practical steps to improve and maintain the condition of your soil.

Tickets include: 

• 'Complete Series' = Admission and guided instruction to all 6 x sessions of the Organic Gardening Basics course, including this session; with access to tools and resources at each session
• 'Single-session' = Admission and guided instruction for this session, with access to tools and resources for practical activities on site

A Complete Series Ticket priced at $370, offers a 10% discount across the course. Single-session Tickets are available at $68.50 each.

What to bring:

Essential:

• a refillable water bottle
• weather appropriate gear

Recommended:

• a notebook and pen, if you like
• a soil sample from your garden, to analyse and compare

Judy Keats is a permaculture & regenerative agriculture practitioner, and community garden mentor and advisor, with considerable experience establishing, coordinating, and teaching in community gardens across Auckland. Judy is passionate about well-being for people and caring for the environment in which we dwell. She believes that by observing our plants and our changing climate, we can gain insight and a closer connection to the health of our gardens, which is key to the success and optimal yields of a sustainable food system. She is committed to working with communities to foster knowledge and experience towards mastering resilience.

At Kelmarna, we strive to make education accessible for everyone. So, where possible, we offer a 35% discount on our workshops to valid Community Services Card holders. If you book one of these tickets, please email us a copy of your valid Community Services Card, and remember to bring it along to the workshop. Please note that this option does NOT include Super Gold Card holders.

We look forward to seeing you on the farm soon!

Kelmarna Community Farm Workshops Program.