We’ve just wrapped up a very full and incredibly inspiring weekend with some fine folk at our inaugural Real Skills for Growing Food workshop. We’ve been dreaming up this workshop for quite a while, as we wanted to offer a consolidated learning experience to take people through the foundations of how to grow good food in their own homes. We also wanted to make sure it was free of any powerpoint presentations and full of hands on learning through doing – which we definitely succeeded in – so much doing! We’ve come away feeling invigorated and with full hearts…. And dirty hands, of course.

Here’s a glorious photo journey of the weekend, everything from propagation, crop planing, bioinstensive gardening, no-dig gardens, composting, soil health and so much more….

Learning beneath a giant walnut tree -one of the best classrooms ever

Making seed raising mix

Sewing seeds

Making rooting hormone from fresh tips off a willow tree

Which looks like this when finished – simply dip in your cuttings to give them a significant boost in the growth department

Toby, one of the loveliest dogs ever, graced us with her presence

“Pricking out” seedlings    Crop planning – aka stretching our brains

Making no-dig gardens

Enjoying each other’s company. Day2: Getting ready for another 6 hours of greatness with Suzi (second from right) in her market garden (below). Photo credit, Rob Walls

Photo credit, Rob Walls Photo credit, Rob Walls

Sheet mulching/composting grassy areas, reclaiming them for garden beds

Making hot compost: Photo credit, Rob Walls 

Here’s to getting your hands dirty, learning heaps of USEFUL skills which will stay with you for the rest of your life and engaging with where our food comes from. We’ll be having another Real Skills for Growing Food workshop next year which you can read about and register for here.

A big thanks to all the wonderful students who came along to this workshop – you are all SO full of life and passion – we loved meeting and working with you. Till next time!