Nourishing Gardens Presents: Food Gardening Made Simple

CEI's Nourishing Gardens Training will equip participants with skills needed to roll up their sleeves and start growing food. CEI offers a unique local perspective on urban agriculture based on experience stewarding Freetown Farm, a 6.4-acre farm in Columbia, MD; the Green Farmacy Garden, a 6-acre medicinal plant garden in Fulton, MD; and community gardens throughout Howard County.

Training participants will have the opportunity to make a difference in their community while gaining hands-on experience learning how to replace turf with ecologically beneficial food gardens at our Saturday sessions.

In just 5 weeks, you can learn everything you need to know to begin planning, building, planting, and maintaining a food garden. From planning to harvesting, in this training, you'll learn and experience all aspects of food gardening.

Saturday, May 9, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Orientation & Introduction to lawn transition

Saturday, May 9, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.* | In-person experience

Saturday, May 16, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Planning & Building a food garden

Saturday, May 16, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.* | In-person experience

Saturday, May 23, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Planting a food garden

Saturday, May 23, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.* | In-person experience

Saturday, May 30, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Maintaining a food garden

Saturday, May 30, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.* | Private Tour of the Rusted Garden with local author and youtube sensation, Gary Pilarchik

Saturday, June 6, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Harvesting and preserving your produce

Saturday, June 6, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.* | In-person ending ceremony

*Each saturday, there will be a 1 hour break between the class and hands on experience for lunch. Lunch will not be provided, but participants are welcome to bring their own lunches and have access to fridge space if need be.

Registration costs support CEI in our mission to cultivate communities where people and nature thrive together. With your support, we're able to offer flexible paid work opportunities to community members, earn an income that supports the operations of our organization and mission-delivery, and invest in programs that build community, protect our environment, and support the health and wellbeing of our community members.

This course will be led by Em Whiddon, the Community Ecology Institute Nourishing Gardens Program Coordinator, in collaboration with other CEI experts. Em is currently a member of the Maryland Climate Corps as a Second Year Leader. Em is passionate about food gardening as well as native plant gardening.

If you have any questions about the program, please feel free to reach out to Em Whiddon at [email protected]

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Host or Publisher Community Ecology Institute