NEW! HOMESTEADING WORKSHOPS AT LITTLE CITY FARM FOR 2015

WINTER/SPRING HOMESTEADING WORKSHOPS AT LITTLE CITY FARM!

Since 2007 we've been offering fun, interactive hands-on workshops geared toward adult education, to encourage the skills of homesteading, simple living and natural healing.  We have hosted more than 150 classes by now, with hundreds of participants taking part and learning new skills.   Read more about our past workshops and Little City Farm's approach here.

We've posted some of our upcoming workshop offerings for 2015 here.  More workshop topics will be confirmed shortly so please check back if there is a topic you are looking for that is not listed yet.

2015 HOMESTEADING WORKSHOPS AT LITTLE CITY FARM

Workshop Location: all workshops are at 508 Duke St W, Kitchener
Cancellation: if you cannot attend your workshop please kindly give us 24 hours notice so we can try to fill your place with someone on our waiting list.  Full refunds offered for cancellations of 24 hour notice or more.

* Once registered, you will receive a reminder email aprox. 1 week before your workshop date.  
* Please register by using paypal below to reserve your spot in our classes.   
* Please ensure your paypal email address is the correct one for us to reach you at.

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BEGINNER ORGANIC VEGAN COLD PROCESS SOAP MAKING CLASS

Dates:  Jan 24, Feb 14, Feb 21, March 7 
(please choose one)
Time: from 1-4 pm on each date
Facilitator: Karin Kliewer, Traditional Herbalist and Soap Maker

Description: Learn to make beautiful, long-lasting, natural soap that is free of additives, preservatives, sulphates and other nasty chemicals that can be found in commercial soaps.  In this busy hands-on workshop you will be walked through the entire process of making traditional all-natural cold process vegan soap using organic vegetable oils, lye, pure essential oils, natural clays and organic botanicals.  We will briefly cover the chemistry of soap making, plus lye safety, calculating recipes, properties of oils, measuring ingredients, preparing soap molds, cutting and curing soap, and sourcing ingredients.  Each participant will make their own 1 lb batch of organic vegan soap to take home (aprox. 5 large bars).   All ingredients, tools, instructions, handout notes and recipes will be provided.  Upon registration for this class, you will receive an email with further workshop details.  Participants will be asked to bring a few simple items from home (e.g. a small shoe box or basic soap mold).  OR feel free to purchase one of our custom handcrafted wooden soap molds here.  Wear old clothes and an apron as soap making can be messy.

Cost: $68 (includes all materials for making your own 1 lb batch of soap to take home)
Please note January 17 & 24 classes are now FULL.

Please choose one date:

January 24 February 14 February 21 March 7

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FELTED SOAP WORKSHOP

Date: Sunday, February 8 (note this is a Sunday workshop)

Time: from 1-3 pm
Facilitator: Karin Kliewer, soap maker & herbalist

Description:  Learn the art of wet-felting using all natural merino wool roving and handmade soap to create your own bars of lovely felted soap art for gifts or home.  This workshop is a great hands-on class for kids or adults - wool felting is easy to do, relaxing, creative and beautiful.  It is a simple satisfying project, perfect for a cold winter's afternoon!  In this class learn techniques for making your own felted soap, which combines a handmade wool felted "washcloth" with soap all in one.  Learn about natural dyes for wool, and also where to source quality materials.  Each participant will get to make 2 small bars of felted soap to take home, during this hands-on workshop.  Workshop fee includes instruction, hand-outs, wool roving, and all other tools/materials for making your 2 bars of soap.  Additional wool felting kits will be available for purchase after the class if you wish to make more at home!  Please wear old clothes that can get wet - wool felting can be a wet process.  Parents are welcome to sign up with a child aged 5+ for this class (1 parent + 1 child pay one registration fee - in this case you will share supplies and each make one bar of soap to take home).


Cost: $32 (includes all materials for your own take-home felted soaps)

Please choose one date:

Sunday, February 8

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ORGANIC GOATS MILK SOAP MAKING CLASS

Date: Saturday February 28
Time: from 1-4 pm
Facilitator: Karin Kliewer, Traditional Herbalist and Soap Maker

Description: Why use goats milk soap?  Goats milk makes a lovely creamy soap that has long been used as a to effectively moisturize and rejuvinate the skin.  It naturally exfoliates the skin, and creates a mild soap that is ideal for sensitive skin including children, and those prone to dry skin, eczema and psoriasis.  Using goats milk in soap making has a few tricky challenges.  In this busy hands-on workshop you will learn to make your own organic goats milk soap using organic oils, lye, local organic goats milk, pure essential oils and organic botanicals.  We will briefly cover the basics of cold process soap making (soap chemistry, lye safety, measuring, molds) BUT in this class we do expect participants to already have made cold process soap before.  We highly recommend taking our Beginner Cold Process Soap Making Class before taking this workshop.  Each participant will make their own 1 lb batch of organic goat milk soap to take home (aprox. 5 large bars).   All ingredients, tools, instructions, handout notes and recipes will be provided.  Upon registration for this class, you will receive an email with further workshop details.  Participants will be asked to bring a few simple items from home (e.g. a small shoe box or basic soap mold).  OR feel free to purchase one of our custom handcrafted wooden soap molds here.  Wear old clothes and an apron as soap making can be messy.

Cost: $68 (includes all materials for making your own 1 lb batch of soap to take home)

Goats Milk Soap Workshop:

February 28

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HERBAL WINTER REMEDIES: COUGH SYRUPS, LOZENGES, TINCTURES

Date: Saturday February 7
Time: from 1-3 pm 
Facilitator: Karin Kliewer, Traditional Herbalist

Description: Create your own natural herbal remedies to boost your immune system, and keep your family healthy all winter long!  In this class you will learn to make three different winter herbal remedies, including herbal cough syrup, herbal lozenges, and herbal tinctures.  We will also cover guidelines for using herbal remedies internally, general dosage information for children and adults, 10 great herbs for building immunity against cold and flu.  During the class participants have the chance to make several winter remedies by hand, with take-home samples included.  Our focus herbs will be sage, elderberry, rosehip, slippery elm, fennel and echinacea.

Cost: $38 (includes all materials, instruction, handout notes, and take home samples)

Please note this class is now FULL.

Herbal Winter Remedies:

February 7

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HERBAL MEDICINAL SALVES & LIPBALMS WORKSHOP

Date: Sat March 14
Time: from 1-3 pm
Facilitator:  Karin Kliewer, Traditional Herbalist

Description: Learn to make all natural medicinal salves & balms to heal yourself and your family from minor cuts, scrapes, burns, bruises, insect bites, and other skin irritations.  Create soothing lipbalms that heal dry chapped lips and protect you from sun, wind and cold weather.  In this workshop we will cover a basic history of herbalism in the "simper tradition", where simple pure ingredients are used to make medicinal herbal salves and lipbalms using organic oils, butters, essential oils and botanicals.  We will talk about guidelines for using herbal remedies externally, introduce a selection of wonderful herbs that can be used for the skin, discuss herbal salves for children, demonstrate how to make herbal medicinal oils, salves and balms (using solar infusions and other methods), and where to source ingredients.  There will be a hands-on component where participants make their own sample medicinal salves and balms to take home.  Our focus herbs will be calendula, lavender, red clover, marshmallow root, comfrey and plantain.  

Cost: $38 (includes all materials, instruction, handout notes, and take home samples)

Herbal Salves & Lipbalms:

March 14

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ORGANIC SEEDLING STARTING WORKSHOP

Date: Sat February 21
Time: 10 am-12 noon
Facilitator: Angie Koch, local organic farmer, owner of Fertile Ground CSA

Description: Grow your own seedlings from seed this year!  It's not too late to get started.  During this informative workshop local organic farmer Angie will walk participants through all the basics in growing seedlings successfully - including using organic methods, grow lights, preparing proper soil mixes, where to source seeds and supplies, seed starting charts, germination guidelines, transplanting tips, and trouble shooting.  Take home samples you have planted, plus handout notes and charts.


Cost: $28 (includes all materials, instruction, handout notes, and take home samples)

Please choose one date:

February 21

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CHEESE MAKING WORKSHOP
 
Date: Sat April 4
Time: from 1-3 pm 
Facilitator: Bianca Azzoparde, local cheesemaker

Description: Learn the art of making simple healthful cheese at home using organic local milk and other natural ingredients.  In this busy hands-on class participants will discover the delicious joy of cheesemaking, and how easy it can be!  We will make a simple organic herbed yogurt cheese, as well as organic mozzarella from scratch.  This workshop includes all the tools, ingredients, instruction and handouts, as well as samples to take home of your very own cheese made during the class.


Cost: $38 (includes all materials, instruction, handout notes, and take home samples)

Please choose one date:

April 4

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MAKE SAUERKRAUT & KIMCHI!
INTRO TO LACTO-FERMENTATION WORKSHOP

Date: Saturday March 21
Time: from 1-3 pm 
Facilitator: with Jackie McMillan, local whole foods educator

Description: Lacto-fermented foods are all the rage, although these foods have actually been around for centuries in various cultural traditions.  There is good reason for the enthusiasm over these live cultured foods - from kimchi to sauerkraut to crock pickles to homemade mustards and more - these foods are brimming with nutrition, filled with digestive enzymes that are wonderful for our gut health, preserve well without canning, and are easy to make.  Attend this hands-on workshop to learn the secrets of how to make these irresistible and delicious live cultured foods at home.  We'll be making a lacto-fermented vegetable kraut, so come prepared for tasting and samples to take home.  Please bring an apron, cutting board, good knife for chopping vegetables, and a 1 litre mason jar to take samples. 

Cost: $38 (includes all materials, instruction, handout notes, and take home samples)

Please choose one date:

March 21

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WILD FORAGING FOR SPRING EDIBLES

Date: Saturday April 18
Time: from 1-3 pm 
Facilitator: with Jackie McMillan, local wild foods educator

Description: Discover the world of wild spring foods readily available in your own backyard and around the city.  Wild harvested foods provide many benefits, including being nutrient dense, healthful, toning and medicinal for our system (especially after the winter months), and free!  During this workshop learn how to properly identify wild edible foods in our area, and how to carefully and safely wild harvest and prepare them.  Come prepared for some delicious and surprising tasting!

Cost: $28 (includes all materials, instruction, handout notes, and take home samples)

Please choose one date:

April 18

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 PERMACULTURE DESIGN FOR YARD & GARDEN

Date: Sat April 11  
Time: from 1-3 pm  
Facilitator: with Tracie Seedhouse, local permaculture educator

Description: Permaculture is a thoughtful ecological system of design that takes into consideration the longterm health of the planet, community, and homestead.  Using lessons, patterns and examples found in nature, permaculture can create a sustainable healthful productive landscape that requires minimal maintenance.  Come to this introductory workshop prepared to dream, sketch and create on paper a beautiful sustainable yard for yourself using the permaculture principles we will discuss in this class.  Large sketching paper and art supplies will be provided, but please feel free to bring your favourite drawing materials to use for your design (pencils, pencil crayons, etc).


Cost: $28 (includes all materials, instruction, handout notes, and take home samples)

Please choose one date:

April 11

 

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PLANT COMMUNICATION: OPENING OUR HEARTS TO NATURE

 
Date: Sat, Aug 22
Time: from 10 am-12 noon
Facilitator: Heather Cain, local herbalist

Description: Plants have been evolving with and supporting humans ever since we took our first steps on earth. Scientists are now discovering what indigenous people have known for thousands of years - plants are sentient, intelligent beings that communicate and make decisions; and humans are hard-wired to bond with nature. We have the capacity to relate directly with the trees and plants around us; in this workshop we will learn how. Communicating with plants is a step to living in better harmony with ourselves, each other, and nature. It is a path of healing that helps us attune to our true essential nature and inner wisdom, and to what our hearts deeply desire.
In this workshop we will:

• explore opening our hearts to receive from the plants
• touch on scientific and indigenous perspectives of plant intelligence
• learn simple techniques to boost intuitive awareness and plant/nature connection
• create sacred space to anchor our learning journey

Take home a plant elixir. Bring a notebook if you like. Please dress for the weather - this is an outdoor workshop (rain or shine) so bring sunhat, sunscreen, water bottle as needed.

Cost: $35 (includes all materials, instruction, handout notes, and take home samples)

Please choose one date:

Aug 22

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BREWING BEER FROM START TO FINISH

Date: Sat, Aug 29
Time: from 1-5 pm (note this will be a 3.5-4 hour class)
Facilitator: Jon Spee, local brewer and educator

Description: This all-afternoon workshop will prepare you for making your own home-brewed beer, from beginning to end.  Jon will walk participants through all the stages of making beer, with hands-on components at every step.  From a short history of homebrewing, to steeping grains, mashing, straining grains, boiling wort, adding malt and hops, cooling wort, and transferring to primary fermentor, to preparing and bottling another batch of homebrew to take home.  Learn the use of hops for bittering, flavour and aroma, and the role of yeast in creating unique flavours.  Finally using a hydrometer and monitoring your beer at home.  Each participant will take home aprox. 1.5 litres of homebrewed beer that we have bottled during the workshop.

Please note - this is a limited space workshop so register early to reserve your spot!

Cost: $65 per person (includes all materials, instruction, handout notes, and take home samples)

Please choose one date:

Aug 29

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SEED SAVING WORKSHOP

Date: Sat, Sept 12
Time: from 1-3 pm
Facilitator: Taarini Chopra, from Seeds of Diversity (www.seeds.ca)

Description: During this workshop we will learn all the steps of seed saving: from planning your planting and isolating varieties, to collecting seeds from plants in your garden, to cleaning and rogueing seeds, and storing your seeds to plant the next year. The workshop will be hands-on, and we will collect and clean seeds from a variety of garden vegetables, as well as tour the Little City Farm property to observe the diversity of vegetable, flower and herb seeds ready for harvest in the gardens.

Optional: Bring an extra $15 to the workshop day, to take home a copy of Seeds of Diversity's book, "How to Save Your Own Seeds" home with you!

Cost: $25 (includes all materials, instruction, hand-out notes) 

Please choose one date:

Sept 12

honey, eggs & earth day

Happy earth day (every day!)

Our daughter told me she felt we spent today in the most earth-loving way possible - spending most of our day with earth-loving friends who inspire us: who also love growing food, caring for animals, keeping bees, getting their hands into the soil, raising their kids to be conscientious and kind, living simply and exemplifying creative, sustainable permaculture principles in so many ways (in approaches to parenting, unschooling, gardening, household routines).

Whenever we are at this friends' house we are served simple nourishing wholesome food that they have grown or wild-harvested, our daughter spends as many hours as she can holding all manner of their birds and animals from bunnies to quail, snuggling with cats and dogs, and we never leave empty handed.  Today we were gifted with a dozen tiny quail eggs wrapped in tissue to keep them safe in our bike trailer; a piece of sweet precious honeycomb from the first honey harvest of their top bar hive; and freshly cut willow for spring decor and to root for ourselves.  An inspiring family that I am so glad to have as members of our community.

For those who want more information on natural beekeeping, check out Gaia Bees site and Gaia Bees videos.  The section on alternative bee nests is quite beautiful (see the straw hive and sun hive).

The Simple Life - Article From "Mothering" Magazine

Being a new mama myself, I have started a subscription to "Mothering" (natural family living) magazine. It's a wonderfully inspiring magazine that I look forward to each month - it promotes & educates about themes like natural healthcare, co-sleeping, cloth diapers, baby wearing (slings), breastfeeding, organic local foods, attachment parenting, and natural play for children.

The editorial by Peggy O'Mara is always thought-provoking, and this issue she writes about slowing down and getting back to the basics of life, including various ways to become more self-reliant. She hopes these will skills not lost, but rather ones passed on to our children. Although it's a simple and familiar message, the article still resonated with the goals I have for our family and I thought I'd post it here.

www.mothering.com

Keeping it Simple
Issue 150 - September/October 2008
by Peggy O'Mara, Editor and Publisher

Do you ever wish that life would just slow down? Sometimes we wish this because changing seasons suggest a more contractive mood. Other times, we're dispirited by unsavory events in the public sphere. And often, it's just because we're tired, or temporarily overwhelmed by the demands of our day-to-day lives. And yet, like you, I know that I must find a way to turn even these challenges into opportunities; if I don't, I'll fail to provide a model of optimism and resilience for my children. That's why, in tough times, I tend to fall back on the simple life.

The simple life is something I learned when, in the 1970s, I went back to the land and became a natural-living pioneer. Our watchword then was self-sufficiency. Now, when life in general feels out of control, I take comfort in the skills I learned, and in the knowledge that I can be self-reliant.

Nature herself is a model of self-reliance, creating myriad ways to fulfill the same function, to ensure that essential processes remain intact. We can learn from nature in our quest for self-sufficiency by looking for more than one way to supply our most basic needs. For example, I like to think of ensuring three sources of healthy and reasonably priced food. I don't want my food to come from far away, because I know that it is primarily the high cost of transporting food that increases its cost. I also know that local food is fresher and tastes better. Therefore, my first choice is my local farmers' market. it's the freshest food I can buy, and most of it comes from within 100 miles. Second, I choose my local food co-op, which has a policy of stocking as much food as it can that is grown or made within 400 miles.

Finally and most important, I grow a garden. This year I moved my garden to a new spot, and created raised beds rimmed with straw bales. I've harvested lettuce, beets, beans, summer squash, cucumbers, radishes, cabbages, and tomatoes—more than I've grown in years. I'm relearning how to eat out of the garden, to plan meals based on what's ripening. it's great to know that I can rely on this garden as needed. I can preserve or freeze. I can make sauerkraut and cucumber pickles. My grandmother always had the tastiest pickles, stored in barrels in her basement, and my Aunt Joy had a cellar room stocked with canned goods, some handmade, some store-bought. Having on hand extra staples such as rice, beans, pasta, salt, potatoes, onions, and garlic is always a good idea.

Having three sources of local foods means I can use them exclusively, or fall back on them as needed. Not only am I modeling resilience, I also have an opportunity to deepen ties within my community and to be outdoors.

In addition to looking for food from local sources, I like to eat foods when they're in season—not only are they then more flavorful, they're not priced at a premium. I also like to plan my meals more efficiently by making five menus for the week, based on what staples and other foods I have in the house. When I do this kind of planning, meals for the remaining two days seem to take care of themselves. it's tempting to plan exotic meals that require a lot of ingredients, but they're not simple by any means, and can be saved for special occasions. In fact, I've found that simple, elegant dishes of fresh, seasonal ingredients are often the most tasty.

When I was a young mom on a tight budget, I used food categories as a guide for my menus. Every week I would create five menus, one based on each of the following categories: Meat, Eggs, Beans, Vegetarian, and Soup. Beans and soup can be made on the weekend, or whenever there's more time. I can stretch my food dollars pretty far by basing menus on these or other simple categories, and on what I already have in my cupboards.

I stretch my food budget also by not buying prepared juices or snacks. I make a sun tea from Wild Berry Zinger that is great iced. This red tea is inspired by one I used to make from dried Jamaica (hibiscus) flowers. Both drinks are great plain, or with lime and/or sweetener. Fruit juices and bubbly water are choices for special occasions, and it's easy to make a quick glass of homemade limeade or lemonade. For snacks, there's popcorn with butter, salt, and special seasonings.

I save money by making my own salad dressings, which I think taste better. Those of you who bake bread can save your family money by doing so, and can even trade your bread for items your friends make. (I'll trade you some salad dressings!) With a few staples in the house, local sources for meat, dairy, and vegetables, and some signature dishes, you can feed your family a healthy diet while still being thrifty. In fact, eating more simply is one of those supposed sacrifices that turns out to be no hardship at all—simple food tastes better and is more satisfying.

it's also more satisfying to have several backups for energy needs. I currently have a forced-air electric heater, and this year my electricity bills increased by 40 percent. Though I participate in a wind-power program through my local electric company, I want to reduce my dependence on electricity. One option is to replace my electric heater with a gas heater, though it could be argued that gas is no more sustainable than electricity. In the long run, however, the photovoltaic cells I hope to install to gather solar power will largely offset these other energy sources. And third, if I had to, I could heat more with wood. Fortunately, I have enough dead-and-down trees on my property to sustainably heat my house.

As with my food choices, I don't think that any of these changes in how I get and use energy would be a real hardship. On the contrary, I understand that not only can photovoltaics provide most of one's power; one can actually sell back to the electric company the excess power they produce at times of peak sunlight—another example of an opportunity inherent in a difficulty.

I can also look for opportunities in the area of transportation. Recently, someone apologized to me for having only one car. But one car is enough. It may be inconvenient at times, but it's not a tragedy. I own a ten-year-old SUV because I need a four-wheel-drive car on my mountain road, and don't want to invest in a new car until there are better choices in terms of efficiency and a smaller carbon footprint. I usually limit my driving to four days a week, and drive fewer than 20 miles on the days I go into town. Nevertheless, this is an area that needs solutions. Because I live rurally, carpooling is challenging and public transportation is unavailable.

That's changing, though—by the end of the year, a light-rail commuter line will be running between Santa Fe and Albuquerque. And, of course, using the bicycle more is an opportunity to get in shape and save energy at the same time. we're going to get a few bikes for the office so that Mothering staff can ride them around town for lunch or errands. And for those of you who own horses: they may be the ultimate self-sufficient mode of transportation, as long as you can get hay.

Keeping farm animals is another way to be more self-sufficient. Here are some others:

• Planting a vegetable garden
• Canning tomatoes and peaches
• Freezing strawberries and green beans
• Pickling cucumbers
• Growing an herb garden
• Learning to identify mushrooms
• Buying grass-fed meat in bulk with your friends
• Starting your own neighborhood food co-op to buy bulk staples together
• Heating with wood
• Making your own clothes
• Knitting a scarf
• Installing a solar hot-water heater

All of these things are opportunities to become more self-reliant, and as we become more self-reliant, we feel more confident of our place in the world.

It is this sort of confidence that we want to give our children: to model for them problem-solving that is practical and powerful. To continue building the world we know our children will need, we can only start right here, right now, with our own lives. Teaching our children by example to turn challenges into opportunities by keeping things simple is an important lesson about what really matters, and about the essential nourishment of simple, everyday life.

Urban Homesteading Workshops for 2008 - Sustainable Lifestyles

We've put together a line-up of urban homesteading workshops for 2008. All workshops aim to focus on building simple skills needed in the life of an urban farmer/urban homesteader. We have many talented friends and associates in our community so this is a great way to have them share their knowledge, and further these skills! See workshop details below.

2008 Urban Homesteading Workshops
at Little City Farm

PLEASE NOTE: All workshops have limited space and require registration in advance. Contact Karin to register – by email: littlecityfarm@yahoo.ca

Wine Making at Home - January 19, 1-3 pm (NOW FULL)

With Alfred Rempel

Learn how easy it is to make excellent homemade wine from fruit, berries, herbs, tea, juice, etc! Demonstrating all stages of winemaking from start to finish, including racking and bottling, and then preparing apple wine for each participant to take home. All supplies provided. Cost $20.

Intro to Soap Making - February 16, 1-3 pm (NOW FULL)

With Karin Kliewer, from Homestead Herbals

Make simple handcrafted herbal soap using all natural ingredients, pure vegetable oils, herbs and essential oils. Contact Karin for list of supplies needed. Cost is $10 (includes basic ingredients).

Starting Seedlings at Home & Seed Exchange - February 23, 1-3 pm

With Angie Koch, from Fertile Ground CSA

This hands-on workshop will offer the basics about starting & caring for your own organically grown vegetable, flower and herb seedlings. Also, participate in our Seed Exchange by bringing your extra perennial & annual seeds to trade with others. Cost: pay-what-you-can (for those who take home potted seedlings).

Power Snacks & Palate Pleasers - March 29, 1-3 pm

With Beth Weisberg, from Rawkit

Expand your cooking repertoire by learning how to prepare flavourful raw foods. Energy-packed snacks and delicious appetizers are on today’s menu. No special equipment required. Samples provided! Cost $20.

Permaculture Design for City Properties - April 26, 1-3 pm

With Tracie Seedhouse, from Earthchild Designs

Walk through a lesson in introductory permaculture design using your own front/back yard as a model. With special note toward permaculture principles in urban areas. We will be spending most of this workshop time outdoors, so dress accordingly. Cost $10.

6^th Annual Seedling Sale - May 24, 9 am-12 noon

Hosted by Little City Farm

Join us for our 6th Annual Seedling Sale! – find vegetables (tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, squash, peppers), herbs, and flowers ready to plant! Many heritage varieties available.

Bio-Intensive Gardening Workshop - May 24, 10 am-12 noon

With Angie Koch, from Fertile Ground CSA

Gardening in urban areas requires efficient use of small spaces. Bio-intensive gardening, also known as “sustainable mini-farming”, nutures soil, produces high yields, conserves resources, and can be used successfully by almost everyone. Hands-on workshop – please wear outdoor clothes and come prepared to garden. Cost – free.

Bee-Keeping Basics - June 21 or 28, 1-3 pm

(To Be Confirmed)

Bee keeping leads to greater biodiversity, pollination, and better yields of fruits, vegetables and crops. Come preparing to be amazed at the wonder of the world of bees. This is an outdoor workshop – dress accordingly. Cost $10.

Building with Cob: Constructing a Wood-Fired Cob Oven – Early August Weekend

With Benita Kliewer & Candace Froebe, Cob Builders from Winnipeg, MB

Cob is an age-old building material made by mixing clay, sand & straw by foot and forming it into walls by hand. This physical, yet simple and inexpensive building method lends itself to curved, sculptural shapes to create unique structures that feel “alive”. Become familiar with cob construction through this 2-day workshop to complete an outdoor bake oven. Workshop will take place given enough participant interest – please RSVP to indicate your possible interest. (Location & Cost To Be Confirmed).

Live Simply on Your Urban Homestead

Living simply is not about choosing poverty or deprivation. It is about discovering what is "enough" in your life, based upon thoughtful analysis of your lifestyle and values, and discarding the rest. By thinking carefully about the way you use resources - time, money, food, energy, shelter, etc - it is possible to get much more out of life by using less.

We think that an urban homestead is just the place to learn about simplicity. Developing your urban homestead involves many small steps, and can take many forms. Don't feel pressured to create the perfect self-reliant homestad all at once. Be assured, there is lots to do, but start with choosing projects you have always been meaning to try: Set up rain barrels; start some winter sprouts; establish a regular breadbaking day; learn to make natural cheese; make a batch of home-canned tomato sauce; study herbalism; investigate solar panels; string up a clothes drying line; experiment with fermenting sauerkraut; start a container garden; build a coldframe; make soap; weather-proof your house; install a wood stove; plant your front yard in native perennials; join a local barter system; consume less by making your own or making do without.

At your urban homestead you many decide to grow organic vegetables, divorce your car, raise chickens, build a strawbale addition, make handmade wares to sell at the local farmers market, or take more time to read or write about your experiences. You don't need to be an expert - don't be afraid to learn by doing, and involve your friends and neighbours. Use the resources available in your particular community