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Workshops

The Urban Farm offers a variety of hands-on workshops and field demonstrations on a range of topics and themes related to ecological farming throught the growing season. Workshops are open to students, staf, faculty and members of the community.

What to expect

Each Workshop Wednesday includes an educational component as well as a hands-on activity on a different topic each week.

Fees

General Rate: $15-30 + HST

Student rate: $10-20 + HST 

All proceeds from workshops help support ongoing programming and operations at the Urban Farm.

Upcoming Workshops

Friday, September 8, 1-2:30pm: Fermentation

Do you want to learn how to preserve summer vegetables to enjoy them all winter long? Fermentation is an easy and tasty way to make the most of the harvest. In this workshop, we’ll discuss the basics of fermentation, including its health benefits and the science behind it, as well as prepare some lacto-fermented goodies together! 

Wednesday, September 13, 2-3:30pm: Terrarium Workshop

Interested in creating your own little ecosystem? This hands-on workshop will provide you with all the materials and info you’ll need to create a terrarium and how to take care of it. You’ll get to leave with your own terrarium to take home!

Wednesday, September 20th, 2-3:30pm: Herbal infusions

Acquaint yourself with the wild and wonderful plants that grow all around us and are commonly referred to as “weeds”. Many of these underappreciated plants that grow in the cracks in the pavement, on lawns and in garden beds around the city are extremely nutritious and medicinal. At this workshop you will learn how to identify these plants, more about their properties and will make a simple vinegar infusion. You will leave with an artisanal vinegar that has been enriched by the power of plant medicine that you can use in salad dressings, marinades and more!  

Wednesday, September 27, 2-3:30pm: Potato Harvest

Come dig for treasure at the Urban Farm! And by treasure we obviously mean potatoes. There’s something so exciting about unearthing a field of potatoes that have been hidden beneath the soil for many months. Join us for this special event, where you’ll get to leave with a handful of potatoes to take home with you!

Wednesday, October 4, 2-3:30pm: Salve making

Have you ever wondered how you can harness the medicinal properties of plants for your skin? This workshop offers an introduction to making your own salves including, plant and carrier selection and how to make and use them. All participants get to take their salve creations home!

Wednesday October 18, 2-3:20pm: Garlic planting

Did you know that garlic is planted in the fall? This delicious staple crop actually overwinters in the field and is harvested many months later during the height of summer. Join us for the beginning of this journey as we plant our fields with garlic. We’ll teach you all about how to grow and harvest garlic and you’ll leave with a few bulbs and cloves from this year’s garlic stock.

Friday, October 20, 1-2:30pm: Microgreens

Have you ever wanted to learn a simple way to grow nutrient-dense greens at home? Then this is the workshop for you! You’ll learn how to grow, harvest and store microgreens, and get the chance to take some home to level-up your meals!

Friday, October 27, 1-2:30pm : Hot compost, vermicompost & compost tea

Compost is essential to ecological growing at the Urban Farm, introducing beneficial microbes to the soil, as well as transforming crop residue and weeds to generate fertility. Attend this workshop for an introduction into the fascinating world of compost: you’ll learn about the process of hot composting, witness a vermicompost bin in action, and leave with some compost tea for your plants at home!