• Farming Basics

• Backyard Food Production

• Natural Beekeeping

The growing movement of home gardening and urban farming appeals to those not just interested in a lifestyle change, but also to those seeking additional income or just the recreation and enjoyment of growing good tasting, nutritious food. Food security is a priority and 21 Acres, a local non-profit, provides the opportunities and resources to attain the knowledge for a secure, sustainable lifestyle.

The 2010  Education Program at 21 Acres currently offers comprehensive classes and workshops on sustainable farming practices including a combination of classroom time and hands-on field work on the 21 Acres Farm near Woodinville in East King County. Classes in Farming Basics, Backyard Food Production and Natural Beekeeping begin in February and are scheduled throughout the year.  

Farming Basics

Looking to gain a deeper understanding of farming fundamentals, start a new hobby or considering farming for a living? Build your own package or follow one of our suggested bundles to gain in-depth knowledge of these comprehensive topics. ***Sign up for the entire series for $395.00, 20% off the already discounted package rate!***

Backyard Food Production

Would you like to provide home-grown food for your family year round? Join us to learn how to create an annual plan for maximizing your growing space, fitting edible plants throughout your yard, and preserving the food you grow.

Build your own package with Farming Basics or Backyard Food Production! Choose any 4 classes for $125.00, a savings of $35.00. Individual class: $40; Field Workshop: $65

Natural Beekeeping

Beekeeping classes are offered separately and are not part of the above package price. More info.

Course descriptions follow below.

Enroll

To enroll for a class, download the Enrollment Application and return to education@21acres.org. If enrolling within 7 days of class, please email education@21acres.org or call 206-442-2061 to enroll in person. Scholarship Application

Keep checking back for additional class information and updates. Additional preservation and cooking classes will be offered later in the year, taking advantage of summer and fall harvest.

Farming Basics

Planning

• Farm Planning, Tuesday, Feb. 23, 6-9 p.m.

• Season Planning, Tuesday, March 9, 6-9 p.m.

• Record Keeping, Tuesday, April 6, 6-9 p.m.

Plants and Soil

• Plant Transplants, Tuesday, March 23, 6-9 p.m.

• Nutrient Management/Soils 1, Tuesday, April 20, 6-9 p.m.

• Soils 2, Tuesday, May 4, 6-9 p.m.

• Field Workshop: composting & soil testing; Saturday, May 8, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Field Preparation & Maintenance

• Field Preparation, Tuesday, May 18, 6-9 p.m.
  
• Designing Drip Irrigation, Tuesday, June 1, 6-9 p.m.
  
• Pest Management, Tuesday, June 15, 6-9 p.m.
  
• Field Workshop: field preparation, hoophouse construction, laying drip irrigation; Saturday, June 19, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
  

Backyard Food production

• Season Planning for Your Family
• Edible landscaping
• Canning 1: Fruit
• Canning 2: Vegetables 

Individual class: $40; Field Workshop: $65

Course Descriptions

Farm Planning – learn how to identify, develop, utilize and manage your land resources to help you steward your land in a sustainable manor.  Join Joshua Monaghan, Director of the King County Conservation District Farm Planning program, and Erik Hagan, permaculture consultant in Thurston County to discuss the farm planning process.

Seasonal Planning – Join Dave Muehleisen, 21 Acres Education Director, as he explains how to plan your 2010 growing season. Whether you’re 200 Acres or 200 square feet it’s important to be able to plan the continuous planting your garden or farm maximize the bounty your land provides you.  You will also learn how o design a multiyear crop rotation plan.  Crop rotation is the single best technique to combat insect and disease pest and to help maintain a balanced nutrient profile for your soil.

Plant Transplants – Get an extra jump on the new growing season by learning how to make your own potting soil and transplant starting mix for those crops your want to get a running start for the growing season.  The class will learn how to prepare flats and how to transfer plants and how to grow them in the greenhouse or in your basement.  The class will also discuss bed preparation and seeding directly in the field.  Come prepared to get your hands dirty.

Record Keeping – This class focuses on critical record keeping that will help you figure out why the growing season turned out the way it did, and to help you plan a better season next year.  If you are interested in trying to make money from your gardening addiction this is a “must do” class for you to sign for. Even if you just want to do a better job gardening and farming this class will help shed light on where your money goes and why some crops had a great season and others didn’t

Soil Series – This is a series of workshops to learn about the practical basics of soil structure and function and how to manage your soil so that you have a healthy, vibrant and nutritive soil that will allow you to grow healthy, pest free crops and steward your soil so it thrives for the next seven generations.  We start with basic principals of soils structure and function, soil biology and their interactions.  The second class will deal with soil nutrients and how to manage those nutrients to produce the healthiest plants possible. We will also talk about how to read your soil test results and calculate how much fertilize you need to add. The final class in the soil series will be a hands on field day to learn to take an accurate soil sample and how to build a compost pile that will provide much of your plants needs.

Field Preparation – We will focus on how to best prepare your garden or field for planting your vegetables or flowers.  We’ll talk about what hand tools make the job easier as well as what power equipment is appropriate for the size of the job you need accomplished. We’ll also cover how to use cover crops and how to incorporate them and fertilizer and lime into the soil.  A hands on field day is associated with this workshop.

Hoophouse Construction – The focus of this workshop is how to build a very inexpensive mobile hoophouse that can be built by two people in just a few hours. This hoophouse design is perfect for getting maximum production from those hot loving plants that aren’t getting enough “luvin” from our PNW climate.

Designing a Drip Irrigation System – Learn how to design a water saving, cost effective drip irrigation system. We’ll discuss basic design and layout, necessary parts and calculate output per unit time.  This will have a hands on field class associated with it.

Pest Management – The focus of this class is to learn how to monitor and manage you pest using nontoxic, organically appropriate practices. We will learn how best to manage aphid, cabbage butterfly, apple maggot and other nasty pests. The class will cover how to identify key beneficial insects you might find in your field, where to purchase and how to introduce those beneficials to your garden or field.  We will also discuss how to “farmscape” your garden so that you and Mother Nature are working together to manage your pest and not battling her to achieve the results you want.

Enroll

To enroll for a class, download the Enrollment Application and return to education@21acres.org. If enrolling within 7 days of class, please email education@21acres.org or call 206-442-2061 to enroll in person. Scholarship Application

Keep checking back for additional class information and updates. Additional preservation and cooking classes will be offered later in the year, taking advantage of summer and fall harvest.