Celebrate Earth Day by learning to grow

CALEDONIA – Earth Day 2016 is officially recognized on April 22.

However, Angelic Organics Learning Center is celebrating with one solid month of growing workshops for all ages.

“Get Started Growing Food at Home” on April 23, bring the kids to “Grow Food with Funky Style” on April 30, and learn “How to Build a Raised Garden Bed” or the “Ins and Outs of Composting” on May 15.

Angelic Organics Learning Center is located on Angelic Organics farm – one of the largest and oldest biodynamic, community supported agriculture (CSA) farms in the country.

We sit on 186 acres of majestic land, roughly 90 miles from Chicago, 75 miles from Milwaukee, 60 miles from Madison, 35 miles from Lake Geneva, 20 miles from Rockford and 10 miles from Beloit.

All workshops occur at 1547 Rockton Road in Caledonia.

Visit LearnGrowConnect.org/events or call (815) 389-8455 to sign-up.

Earth Day workshops include:

Get started growing food at home

Celebrate Earth Day by learning techniques for organic soil preparation and planting on Saturday, April 23 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

We’ll teach adults and teens about soil texture and soil life, plus how our Biodynamic farm tends and feeds the earth.

We’ll cover the basics of double digging, prepare a garden bed, and learn about seeding and transplanting through hands-on projects.

Dress to work in the garden. Sandwiches for lunch included.

Grow food with funky style 

You don’t need a ton of space to grow food, just curiosity and creativity.

All are welcome to this make-and-take workshop that teaches you how to plant vegetables in unusual ways, like seed bombs made from old mail, and using found or recycled containers to grow whatever your heart desires on Saturday, April 30 from 9 a.m. to noon.

Kids will love growing their own food in weird ways that they actually eat it. This event is taught by guest instructor Amanda Thomsen, author of Kiss My Aster.

How to build raised garden beds

In this program, you’ll get hands-on experience building a raised garden bed, also called a garden box on Sunday, May 15 from 9 a.m. to noon.

We’ll also discuss crop selection, necessary tools and equipment, and the benefits of gardening in raised beds.

Teens and adults are welcome.

The ins and outs of composting 

Want to increase your compost confidence? Then this is the workshop for you.

Learn what makes a successful compost pile, and decide which methods will work best for your household on Sunday, May 15 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

This class provides an overview of various types of compost bins, plus hands-on experience building a compost pile together. You’ll even meet the worms in our vermiculture system, then find out how to implement indoor worm composting at home. Dress to work outside!

Adults and teens are welcome.

About Angelic Organics Learning Center

Angelic Organics Learning Center builds sustainable local food and farm systems.

We offer opportunities to grow healthy food and a better quality of life, learn agricultural and leadership skills, and expand sustainable farming through farmer-to-farmer training.

The Learning Center reaches more than 5,000 people each year through our programs at partner farms and urban growing sites.

The Learning Center was founded in 1999 as a nonprofit educational partner to Angelic Organics CSA.