Permaculture's been around for a long time, but hasn't had a really strong presence in St. Louis. (I know! I've been checking for classes for years.) A collision between the 2008 recession and the DIY movement (with a sprinkling of Climate Change/Peak Oil anxiety) has made vegetable gardening seriously trendy. Actually, I'd say it's moved beyond trendy to become a permanent part of the culture. This is why we now have access to classes and events (like the seed swap we wrote about last week) that would have been unthinkable a year ago. In fact, Midwest Permacuture will be in town in late March to teach some clasess for Slow Food St. Louis' annual "Good Food, Good Gardening," series of workshops and films, which they are organizing with help from Brick City Gardens and Schlafly Bottleworks. If you have ever wanted to grow an urban orchard, or have thoughts about raising Barred Plymouth Rock hens in your backyard but don't want those to become rueful second thoughts, here is your opportunity to learn more.
Good Gardening – Good Food 2011: Home Grown Organic Food
All events held at Schlafly Bottleworks, 7260 Southwest Ave, Maplewood.
Film Series
All films begin at 7:15 in the Crown Room, donations appreciated
March 28 A Farm for the Future
When British Wildlife filmmaker, Rebecca Hosking returns home to help her aging father manage the family farm, she soon discovers how much her family’s livelihood depends on fossil fuels. With rising oil prices threatening to undermine the farm’s profitability, she discovers innovative, more sustainable approaches to conventional farm practices. She consults with several permaculture farmers who share their innovative methods that greatly reduce energy costs and guarantee food crops far into the future.
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This documentary explores the remarkable permaculture farm of Sepp Holzer, who has transformed an Austrian mountainside into a “food forest” of terraced vegetable gardens, fruit orchards and fish ponds that supplies the local community with a bounty of sustainable, organic food.
April 5 Slow Food Revolution
As the healthy alternative to the modern fast food diet, Slow Food Revolution reminds us to slow down and savor the rich diversity of foods that make up the traditional diets of cultures from around the world. It reminds us that consuming food is not just an activity that refuels our busy lives with so many calories, but rather offers us an opportunity to nurture our bodies and souls. Truly good food, lovingly prepared and shared with others offers many culinary and social pleasures and elicits appreciation to all those who contribute to our sustenance. This film is a visual delight, a celebration of our natural bounty and a sensual journey from earth to table.
April 19 Pioneers of Organic Farming: Three Short Films
The organic food movement that began in the 1960s was championed by progressive thinkers who imagined safer alternatives to the poisonous effects of DDT and other common practices of conventional farming. Garden Song tells the story of Alan Chadwick, a British Shakespearean actor and horticulturalist who in 1967 introduced natural European farming methods to the University of California Santa Cruz, where he helped launch the revolution in organic agriculture. His most prodigious student, John Jeavons, a systems analyst from Stanford University and founder of Ecology Action, refined and disseminated Chadwick’s method (Biodynamic/French Intensive, now called Biointensive Gardening) around the globe. Circle of Plenty documents how this approach, which produces yields five to ten times greater than conventional row cropping, allows the residents of Tula, Mexico to provide sustainable food security for their families. Ruth Stout’s Garden is a demonstration of how an innovative (some might say eccentric Quaker woman who, on occasions, liked to garden nude) managed to grow an abundance of food for her family with minimal effort. One of her several gardening books, How to Have a Green Thumb Without an Aching Back, describes her methods in detail. Her video, made when she was 92, offers the same instruction in a delightful, down-home manner.
April 25 Temple Grandin
This Emmy award winning, film tells the remarkable story of Temple Grandin, an autistic woman who struggles to find her place in the world. Her intuitive understanding of animal behavior leads her to acquire degrees in psychology and animal science and develop a more humane system for corralling animals being led to slaughter. Now a professor of animal science at Colorado State University, her philosophy on animal rights and methods for herding livestock have been widely adopted. As she says, “We’ve got to give those animals a decent life and we’ve got to give them a painless death. We owe the animal respect.”
Workshops
All workshops are held on Saturdays 9:00-12:00. To pre-register email Sue Kaiser at brickcitygardens@yahoo.com or call (314) 630-5910. Cost is $40 for each workshop, two for $75, three for $110, all four $130.
April 2 Urban Permaculture
Permaculture is an organic gardening method that mimics nature. It establishes a “permanent agriculture” that, like natural ecosystems, is self sustaining and self perpetuating. Learn how to transform your home landscaping into a “food forest” that will provide an abundance of food for generations. This is an extension of last year’s Introduction to Permaculture workshop.
Taught by Bill Wilson, Midwest Permaculture. Bill teaches permaculture courses nationwide and on-line from his ecovillage community in Stelle, Illinois. midwestpermaculture.com
April 9 Fruit Trees for Home Gardens
Create a small orchard in your home garden that will produce a variety of seasonal fruits. Learn how to plant, prune, graft, cultivate and harvest a variety of fruit crops including apples, pears, peaches and cherries. Preserving these fruit crops will also be taught.
Taught by Dan Kelly, Blue Heron Farm, Canton, Missouri. Dan’s certified organic , farm located 30 miles north of Hannibal grows thirteen variety of heirloom apples and other fruit and vegetable crops. blueheronorchard.com
April 23 Secrets of Organic Gardening
Learn how to grow a cornucopia of fruits, vegetables, flowers and herbs, utilizing the best practices of successful organic farmers and gardeners. These methods are supported by scientific research and practiced by organic growers around the world. Topics include preparing a raised bed, creating a “living soil” with beneficial microorganisms, making a mineral balanced organic fertilizer, natural disease and pest control, compost teas, biodynamics and more. Taught by Frank LeBeau, owner of Brick City Gardens, an organic vegetable gardening, marketing , installation and consulting business located in University City. brickcitygardens.com
April 30 City Farm Animals – Goats, Chickens, Rabbits and more…
Yes, it’s possible and legal to raise farm animals in the city for home food production. Learn how to care for a variety of small farm animals, harvest, slaughter and prepare them for home use. Taught by Justin and Danielle Leszcz from YellowTree Farm, a half acre urban farm located in Affton that raises heritage breeds of livestock and organic vegetables. yellowtreefarm.com
