Course Description: What better time to come out to the farm and get your hands dirty than Earth Day? While the holiday is technically April 22, we’re celebrating early by devoting a whole day of learning to arguably the most important part of any vegetable farm: the soil!

We’ll start with a morning workshop on the what, why, and how of composting, including vermiculture (worm composting!) led by WEI co-founder and farm director Jacquelyn Zita. Afterwards, we’ll gather for lunch with the opportunity to share knowledge and stories.

After lunch, Arielle Sonnenschein and Charlie Zieke of Magic Acre Farm in Minneapolis will lead an exploration of Soil Health and Stewardship. From the instructors: “What is soil? What is land stewardship? What is permaculture? What does it mean to have a relationship to a place? Healthy soil, teeming with microbial life, is the building block of all life around us and contributes to balance at all levels of our ecosystem. Come learn more about this fundamental resource and how you can build healthy soil in your own yard. This course serves as an introduction to the development and sustaining of healthy soil and land stewardship. Participants will learn soil health and permaculture basics and engage in guided inquiry and reflection on building their own relationships with land.”

Depending on the farming schedule and crop readiness, we hope to have a farmstand with organic spring greens for sale. Stay tuned!

What to Bring: Please wear comfortable walking shoes for hands-on composting and land walk. Bring your own lunch, snacks, and water bottle.

All are welcome – WEI classes are open to everyone.