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| Calendar: | elma.pollard@gmail.com |
| Title: | Creating a food forest from the ground up |
| When: | 26.01.2013 - 27.01.2013 |
| Location: | Villiersdorp |
| Description: | Creating a food forest from the ground up – Part 1 by Tracy Armbruster ~ tracy@manifestingutopia.com 076 241 0274 Nature is the very best teacher we have… just by studying various natural ecosystems we can learn so much… particularly about how to create mutually supportive systems that, for the most part, sustain themselves (once set up properly). In a living, natural forest, for example, the first thing you would most likely notice would be the forest floor… here you would see a springy mass of leaf litter (the soil would not be compact and hard… it would be able to breathe)… there would be layers and layers of leaves and other organic matter in various stages of decomposition… in amongst the leaves you would find an abundance of insect life, fungi, moss, ferns, worms, and bacteria… we learn that healthy soil is quite literally alive! Each little organism contributes to the system by helping to break down the organic matter and turn it into food for the plants. The plant matter is diverse because in a natural forest ecosystem there so many different types of plants… and that is the key = bio-diversity! The plants are not competing against each other for the same type of food because there is an abundance of different foods at different times from all the different plants. How can we mimic nature in our gardens and in small scale food production? The first priority would be to build up the soil. For the organic farmer, feeding the crop means feeding the soil. Top soil is the very thin layer of earth that plants grow in and feed off. Everything is sustained by this thin top layer of soil. In a forest ecosystem this layer is created by the constant supply of degrading organic matter… fallen leaves, branches, dead animals, etc. These layers create perfect habitats for micro-organisms. A teaspoon of active soil is the habitat for millions of soil organisms! The greater the variety of species and the higher their number, the greater is the natural fertility of the soil. You can compare soil health to your gut health: the normal flora of humans is exceedingly complex and consists of more than 200 species of bacteria (pro-biotic). The normal flora derives from the host (us) a supply of nutrients, a stable environment and constant temperature, protection, and transport. The host obtains from the normal flora certain nutritional benefits, stimulation of the immune system, and colonization strategies that exclude potential pathogens at the site. Insects clockwise from top: Earthworm, slater, millipede, snail, mite, springtail (just some of the insects in healthy soil) Similar bacteria colonisation strategies also benefit animals, plants… and every living thing. These fragile bacterial colonies can easily be wiped out by the chemicals we use in our everyday lives… household cleaning chemicals, pesticides and other poisons… to the first step would be to avoid all chemicals and poisons where possible. If you have poor soil then the first thing you would need to do is add organic matter… start in one space and work outwards from there. I had quite sandy soil to begin with and I started off by digging my compost into the soil ~ this didn’t really work as it simply disappeared… for me the best was simply to build up (on top of the soil) as many layers of organic matter as possible in various stages of decomposition ~ leaves, grass, weeds, pruned foliage, branches (larger ones can make nice borders around your bed)… the topmost layer is made up of well decomposed compost (with manure in it)… now you wait for it to mature for a couple of weeks before planting your seedlings (which you can start in seed trays while you are preparing your bed). WORKSHOPS 2 day Medicinal and Edible plant workshop dates: Learn how to find highly nutritious food outside of the traditional veggie garden… plants that grow “wild” in suburban areas and in open spaces. When I started out researching these plants I was blown away… not only are many of them more nutritious than a lot of the food we buy in supermarkets but they are free! The second part of the workshop focuses on herbs I use in my everyday life to boost my health (includes a bit on herbs for pets). January 2013: Weekday workshops: ~ from 10am on Wednesday till 2pm on Thursday 30th and 31st Weekend workshops: ~ from 10am on Saturday till 2pm on Sunday 26th and 27th February 2013: Weekday workshops: ~ from 10am on Wednesday till 2pm on Thursday 6th and 7th 27th and 28th Weekend workshops: ~ from 10am on Saturday till 2pm on Sunday 16th and 17th 23rd and 24th March 2013: Weekday workshops: ~ from 10am on Wednesday till 2pm on Thursday 6th and 7th Weekend workshops: ~ from 10am on Saturday till 2pm on Sunday 2nd and 3rd 16th and 17th For inquiries or bookings call Tracy 076 241 0274 Open Garden and Talk 21st March 2013 (10am to 3pm – come anytime within this frame) ~ come and see what a biodynamic garden looks like… get some great tips on how to grow your own food and medicine in ways that mimic nature. R25 per person (kids free) ~ for more info call 076 241 0274 1 day Biodynamic Garden Workshop Learn how to create food gardens that mimic nature… how to create self-maintaining natural eco-systems that are bio diverse and healthy. For dates call 076 241 0274 |
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