Kids Food Garden Workshops

3-4pm, Sat., February 13th, March 13th, April 10th, and May 22nd

(Mostly) in the Garden at the Pink House, 1920 Chowkeebin Nene
with Nathan Ballentine, aka the Man in Overalls (http://maninoveralls.blogspot.com)

Are your kids full of questions? Why this and why that? Do your kids like playing in the dirt? Do they like playing with worms and bugs? Do you wish they'd eat more vegetables? Do you wish they'd learn where their food comes from? Are they up for the challenge of starting their own vegetable garden?

Starting in February, we'll construct, fill and plant a raised bed full of seasonally appropriate vegetables. Over the course of four months, we'll build, fill, and plant a raised-vegetable garden; plant some more, mulch, troubleshoot pests and sick plants; and finally, with help we'll, pick, cook, and eat vegetables. Every month when we re-group, we'll start the morning by sharing stories from our own gardens, asking questions, and tasting what's available in the garden. Then, we'll get to work planting and caring for our Kids Spring Food Garden.

Additionally, in order that your children can continue gardening and learning between workshops, every family/ household of children will take home one (mini) raised garden kit with instructions for installation, planting etc. Every month, children will receive a new instruction sheet and (when applicable) more seeds and plants for their garden. In this way, they'll learn by observation, joint-endeavor, and "by themselves" (i.e., with your help and guidance) back home.

The workshop series registration is $25/child and open to children 5-12.
The garden kits (including lumber, hardware, mushroom compost, seeds and plants) cost $50. Though not required, they are highly recommended so your child(ren) can continue gardening and learning at home.
Scholarships are available.
Please respond via email by Sat, Jan 30th to reserve your child(ren)'s space. First come, first serve.
(There are 10-12 spaces per workshop series-- additional workshop times will be added if needed to accommodate interested kids).
Make check payable to Nathan Ballentine. Mail or drop check by 1920 Chowkeebin Nene, Tallahassee, FL 32301 on or before February 6th.

Children are encouraged to come explore, ask questions, taste, learn by doing, and stop by to look or ask questions in between workshop Saturdays.
Adults are invited to come, watch, listen and learn.

Please reply (maninoveralls at gmail dot com) or call (322-0749) with questions and/or to sign up.
Nathan, aka the Man in Overalls
http://maninoveralls.blogspot.com

(Certified substitute teacher in the Leon Co. School system. Additional experience with children via baby-sitting, church children and youth programs, and via my 12-year-old niece who I've cared for since infancy.)

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"Wow, look at the grass stains on my skin. I say, if your knees aren't green by the end of the day, you ought to seriously re-examine your life." -- Calvin to his buddy Hobbes.

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"Grow your own food and share it"

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Man In Overalls - My Compost System

Composting, they say, is an art form. But, truth be told, I'm just too lazy for all that. My own compost philosophy is, "Crap rots in the woods, doesn't it?" But really. :) Whenever I think of home gardening systems, I always reflect back on my grandmother. She gardened up until the week she died at 93. She planted by the signs and assured me that's why her collards were not eaten up by bugs and were able to grow for 3 years running and up to 8 or 9 feet tall. She had a little rototiller, planted straight rows, mulched by spreading leaves to keep the weeds down. She threw out a little 10-10-10 from time to time and kept the cabbage worms at bay with Sevin dust. She hoed if the weeds called for it. But mostly, she harvested. Her pots were always full and her freezer always stuffed with produce: collards, mustards, turnips, peas, tomato gravy, squash, you name it. Now, I don't use 10-10-10 or sevin dust, and I'm not big on tilling. However, the thi...

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