Forest Gardening Workshops this Weekend

The Ohio Ecological Food & Farm Association is pleased to present our “Gardening Like the Forest” workshop series with renowned author and permaculture garden expert Dave Jacke. Details on the two upcoming events in Cleveland are available below.Lead instructor Dave Jacke is primary author of the award winning two-volume book Edible Forest Gardens. He has studied ecology and design since the 1970s, and has run his own design firm—Dynamics Ecological Design—since 1984. He has designed, built, and planted landscapes, homes, farms, and communities in the many parts of the United States, as well as overseas. He earned a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Simon's Rock College and a M.A. in Landscape Design from the Conway School of Landscape Design.

PUBLIC EVENING TALK: HOME-SCALE ECOLOGICAL FOOD PRODUCTION WITH DAVE JACKE
Friday, July 23, 2010—7-9 p.m. The Intergenerational School 12200 Fairhill Rd., Cleveland, Ohio Healthy forests maintain, fertilize, and renew themselves, naturally. Wouldn’t you like to grow an abundant food-producing ecosystem like this in your back yard? You can! Edible forest gardens mimic the structure and function of natural forests through all their stages of development and grow food, fuel, fiber, fodder, fertilizers, farmaceuticals, and fun. We can meet our own needs and regenerate healthy ecosystems at the same time! This talk introduces the vision of forest gardening with some scientific background, a few living examples, and a sampling of some useful perennial edibles you can use in your own garden. Cost: Free, $10 donation appreciated for those who can afford it. No preregistration necessary.

TWO DAY WORKSHOP: FUNDAMENTALS OF ECOLOGICAL GARDENING WITH DAVE JACKE
Saturday July 24-Sunday, July 25, 2010—8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. The Intergenerational School 12200 Fairhill Rd., Cleveland, Ohio Ecosystem agriculture mimics the structure and function of natural ecosystems in food-producing ecologies. This workshop explores the vision, theory, design, and practice of ecosystem agriculture using the temperate deciduous forest as the model. Lectures, field observations, and experiential classes will reveal the nature of ecosystem architecture, social structure, underground economics, and succession. Participants will draw conclusions from these experiences, developing practical design principles, practices, patterns, and processes for garden design and management. Cost: $175-$225 (sliding scale). Lunch will be provided. Pre-registration required. Register by sending a check (along with your name, address, phone number and email) to OEFFA Forest Garden, 41 Croswell Rd. Columbus, OH 43214.

For more information, contact Laura Wies at (614) 421-2022 or laura@oeffa.org. Space is limited.