San Diego CA— Wild Willow Farm & Education Center in San Diego’s South Bay is the place to go for food and farming workshops this summer! We offer a space that encourages sustainability, diversity, growth, and connection. Where all ages and skill levels can learn and become empowered to create change in the world.
In addition to volunteer days, field trips, and fresh produce, we offer over twenty different workshops each year, ranging from beekeeping, to making your own natural cleaners, to diving deep into the history and cultivation of different plant families. There is truly something for everyone at Wild Willow and it’s a great opportunity to spend time outdoors, get your hands dirty, and connect to the local community.
At Wild Willow Farm, we believe it all starts with the soil. Our eight week Farming 101 course about regenerative agriculture teaches our farming philosophy of starting with a foundation of healthy soil. The knowledge you will gain in this class is applicable to all forms of agriculture, whether you’re a budding farmer, a home gardener, or simply have interest in farming. Through a series of online lectures and interactive farm labs you will learn to understand the ecology of cultivation, the food web, how to generate healthy soil, agricultural sustainability, and so much more! This course and our other workshops are a great way to meet like-minded individuals and cultivate a community with common goals and a passion for the environment. Farm School will begin in the fall; sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date with farm workshops and events. Click the following link and scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up! https://www.wildwillowfarm.org/media
We have some great courses coming up at the farm! Some of these are favorites from previous years, and some are completely new! Check out our different opportunities below and visit Wild Willow Farm on Eventbrite to purchase tickets. https://www.eventbrite.com/o/wild-willow-farm-amp-education-center-13839265448
Jamming & Canning – August 27^th 10:00am-1:00pm
Learn how to make jam using seasonal fruits from the farm. We will also go over the process of canning so that your jam or other foods can have an extended shelf-life. You will receive a jar of organic jam and directions to take home with you!
Fun with Fermentation – September 3^rd 10:00am-1:00pm
Kraut is a delicious fermented condiment, using seasonal vegetables and farm-fresh herbs. Fermented foods are a great way to add extra flavor, brightness, and nutrition to your diet (its probiotic!). In this class, you’ll learn how to make traditional sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha using seasonal vegetables, fruits and farm fresh herbs. This will be an extremely hands-on class where you get to learn about fermentation and its benefits.
Container Gardening – September 4^th 10:00am-3:00pm
Growing things in containers is an excellent way to utilize space but it can be tricky. In this workshop, we will discuss all the best practices to help you to become a great container gardener. You will learn about the best kind of pots, how to properly set up irrigation, plant placement, and soil types. Visit us at the farm and learn how to make your own garden no matter what kind of space you’re working with!
DIY Natural Cleaners – September 10^th 10:00am-1:00pm
We all appreciate having a clean, fresh home so in this workshop we will be learning all about different options for making your own cleaners that will help you be more self-sufficient and reduce waste. The cleaners that we cover in the class will range from very light and mild solutions for small messes to more abrasive scrubbers and finally a more powerful disinfectant for more serious tasks.
Ornamental & Edible – September 11^th 10:00am-3:00pm
Edible plants can be used in the right arrangement to create a lovely garden that produces food for your family while creating a peaceful habitat for people and native wildlife. This one day course will go over the basics of organic gardening techniques to help establish your foundation for earth friendly gardening. We will also discuss the wide variety of trees, bushes, vines herbaceous plants and ground covers that grow well in our region.
Make it Saucy! – September 18^th 10:00am-1:00pm
This hands-on class will teach you how to make delicious pasta sauce, hot sauce and tomato paste. We will be discussing all the herbal ingredients along with other vegetables that go with these sauces. This is an excellent way to utilize excess vegetables at the end of their season. We will also be canning these sauces in class to preserve them for later use.