Breaking new ground for a hands-in-dirt experience is the start of an interesting collaboration between North Island College and the city’s Land Use Dept.
The joint project, Backyard Gardening and Small-Scale Agriculture, begins in mid-May and includes four sessions. It is exciting to hear that Kira DeSorcey will be the instructor.
She is a former Timberline student and the inspiration behind the Edible Courtyard garden at NIC which has become a learning centre for students at the school interested in food production.
The course is designed to attract first time gardeners who are interested in healthy eating as well as those who are taking it a step further and want to learn about the small scale farming business.
Kira is a horticulture technician, permaculture designer and the garden manager at BlueJay Lake Farm on Cortes Island. She currently does edible landscape design and particularly enjoys creating community and school gardens.
What make this course so special is that it includes hands-on learning in the campus garden as well as visits with local growers and info on the city’s plans to encourage and attract new farmers.
I’m planning to enroll in the course and I hope to see many Urban Gardener readers joining me in this new venture. The fee is $95 and to book space please call the North Island College office.
Worms In A Tub farming is an easy way to raise those lively Red Wrigglers whose mission in life is to convert your kitchen waste into rich brown compost.
There are tubs designed especially for raising worms but they can be costly.
A local lady who recently retired from the business of growing worms has a few tubs for sale at the very reasonable price of $55 each. That includes the instructions on how to set up your worm farm.
Her contact number is 923-8431.