In this day long class, we will explore several methods to improve our soil while using resources from our yard and kitchen: composting, mulching, hugelkulture  (and a peak at Cobb benches).

 

We have an abundant nursery with cuttings and seedlings. Learn how easy it is to make cuttings from pomegranite, roses and a host of other plants that thrive in our Pescadero community and we can start to ground layer some rosemary and divide some edible canna lily bulbs.  

 

We will dip into using some of our medicinal and edible herbs to create our kitchen apothecary: vinegars, tinctures and honeys from some of our local plants.  

 

Most of the class will take place in the garden with hands on play in the nursery and exploring soil creation 

 

We will explore concepts such as edible hedge, windbreaks, privacy planting while looking at the seven layers of a forest ecosystem: overstory/canopy, tall trees, small trees, hedges/bushes, herbaceous, ground cover and vines

 

With a nod to Solar energy.

 

We will take a 1 hour inside-break to eat a vegetarian dahl and rice cooked with several of the plants from our garden.

 

During lunch we can  talk about Permaculture as a Design methodology; its three foundational ethics plus a dozen or two principles that inform which strategies and techniques we choose in our specific location.