Good Gardening, Good Food

It doesn't get more local than growing the food you consume in your own backyard. And to that end, I am excited to announce that Slow Food St. Louis, in conjunction with Schlafly Bottleworks and Brick City Gardens, have launched their "Good Gardening, Good Food" program — a series of workshops and films focused on organic gardening and other urban homesteading activities.


All of the workshops will be held on Saturdays from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at Schlafly Bottleworks (7260 Southwest Avenue) in Maplewood. The cost is $45 per workshop or you can attend all six workshops for $210 – a savings of $60.

I've listed all of the workshops below, and to find out what movies are being shown, just visit the link above (all films are shown in the Crown Room at Schlafly Bottleworks; admission is free, but donations are appreciated).

March 20: No-Till Vegetable Gardening

Mother Nature doesn't plow the soil to plant her seeds and neither must you. Learn how to grow a garden using labor-saving, no-till methods that prepare and fertilize the soil simply by adding mulch and compost to the surface. This modern, organic approach has many advantages as it saves time and labor, preserves the life of earthworms and other beneficial soil life, prevents erosion and soil compaction, and greatly reduces weed growth and evaporation of water. In doing so, it more easily grows beautiful, healthy plants. Taught by Patrice Gros, a certified organic vegetable farmer from Eureka Springs, Arkansas, who has been using no-till methods at Foundation Farm for 12 seasons. He also teaches workshops and trains aspiring farmers at Foundation Farm School.

April 3: Chickens 101 - Raising Chickens in the City

Provide your family with truly fresh, organic eggs by learning how to keep chickens in your backyard. This comprehensive workshop tells you everything you need to know, from coop design and feed formulas to city ordinances governing urban livestock. Taught by Julia Weese Young, a long-time urban chicken farmer who teaches classes on raising chickens.

April 10: The Art and Science of Composting

Homemade organic compost is the best thing you can add to your garden. Composting is a living process in which ordinary ingredients are transformed into a magical substance that fertilizes plants, conserves water, introduces healthy microbes, and prevents disease. Learn how to recycle your leaves, grass clippings and food scraps into the "black gold" that will grow a healthy, abundant garden. We will cover thermal composting, worm composting, and biodynamic starters. Taught by Frank LeBeau, an organic market gardener, landscaper, and farm hand.

April 24: Permaculture – Creating a Backyard Garden of Eden

Permaculture is based on the design of nature. It was formulated by Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren who carefully observed how native plants grew in the wild. By applying their understanding they have created abundant "food forests" in various climates around the world. Their designs bring plants, sun, soil, rain and organic matter together to create self-sustaining, "permanent agricultural" gardens. Once established, these gardens require minimal maintenance and produce a cornucopia of crops for generations. Taught by Bill Wilson, the co-founder of Midwest Permaculture in Stelle, Illinois, and a teacher of permaculture courses throughout the United States.

May 1: Beyond Organic Gardening

Grow healthy, nutritious crops using the most advanced ecologic practices. Learn how to create raised garden beds with well-structured soil and a correct mineral profile. Discover how to create a "living soil" with beneficial microbes that provide fertility and protect plants from disease. Triple normal garden yields by using intensive planting design and biodynamic preparations. Taught by Mark Trela, a biodynamic farmer from Terra Haute, Indiana, with 25 years experience growing wine grapes, cut flowers, and vegetables, and Frank LeBeau.

May 8: Wildly Abundant Gardening – Controlling Pests and Providing Fertility Naturally

Grow a luscious, healthy, pest-free garden. Learn how to make safe and effective organic pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers from inexpensive household products. Control weeds and prevent plant diseases by using compost teas, companion planting, and attracting beneficial insects that eat the bad bugs.

To register for any or all of the workshops, call Sue Kaiser at 314-630-5910 or e-mail her at brickcitygardens@yahoo.com ... see you there!