Kitchen Garden Spring Workshops

ELDERBERRY POND KITCHEN GARDEN WORKSHOPS

(Three Seasons of Sustainably Growing and Preparing Fresh Local Produce)

Gardening Workshops and Kitchen Demonstrations

According to the New York Times one business that has not seen an economic downturn in recent months is the seed and garden plant business. Home "Victory" type gardens are on the rise, and for good reason. A small home garden can produce hundreds of dollars worth of fresh produce in a single season. Add to that the convenience, quality, nutritional advantage, value of the exercise and the satisfaction of watching your food grow, and this should be the fastest "growing" business in the Country! Well, for our part we would like to pass along some of our experience in planting and caring for your victory garden without using any dangerous (and expensive) chemicals or fertilizers. To that end we will be offering a series of gardening and fresh food preparation classes this spring and summer here at the farm. Each session will begin with a power point presentation reviewing organic gardening principles. We will then discuss some specifics on particular seasonal fruit and vegetable crops (either growing, preparing in the kitchen, or both), and finish with a tour of the farm to see what is happening on the farm during that particular season.

During March and Early April we have scheduled the following three workshops:

Fruit Tree Selection, Planting, Pruning and
Care Using Organic Methods
Saturday March 26th 2:30 PM until 5 PM
Fee for this session is $25

We get many questions during the year about growing apples and other tree fruit organically. In this session we will discuss the principles of organic orcharding, present the results from a recent grant we received to determine which varieties are best for organic production, and in the orchard we will demonstrate pruning techniques and insect monitoring and trapping.
                  An Introduction to Organic gardening principles
                  Apple Variety Selection
                  Fruit Tree Planting and Pruning
                  Organic and Low Spray Disease and Insect Management
                  Orchard walk with pruning, scouting and trap setting demonstrations

Bright Lights Swiss Chard

Early Garden Treasures

Half Day Workshop

Sunday, April 17th 2:30PM until 5PM

Selecting and Planting Vegetables for an Early Spring Harvest

A fee of $15 will be charged for this session

Crop Focus: Spinach, Onions, Early Potatoes, Radishes, Hakueri
Turnips, Cabbage, Kohlrabi, Peas, Asparagus, Salad Greens

Indoor Seed Germination

Spring soil preparation and planting- organic fertilizers

Early season varieties- our favorite fruit, vegetable and herb varieties

Our favorite seed and organic supply sources

Care of the early season garden- pest & disease control

Seed starting demonstrations

First Green of the Spring

Growing and cooking with spring and early summer vegetables

Sunday, May 1st 2:30PM - 5PM

Fee for this session is $15 includes handouts

An introduction to organic gardening principles

Best Varieties of Early Summer Vegetables & Greens

Protecting young greens from disease and insects organically

Harvesting, Storing, and Succession planting

Kitchen Preparation & Tasting

HERB GARDENING CLASS AND LUNCHEON

Sunday, May 22nd. - 11:30AM until 2:30PM

Price for the class & luncheon will be $25.

Join us for a class on growing and cooking with culinary herbs. We will start in the restaurant with a light luncheon featuring some of the interesting culinary herbs we will discuss. We will then discuss our favorite herb varieties, let you see them growing in our herb garden and show you how we plant and propagate them. We will discuss how to use them in some delightful summer salads, entrèes and beverages. Please call 315-252-6025 for reservations.

Elderberry Pond - 3728 (Store) or 3712 (Restaurant) Center Street Road, Auburn, NY 13021. Located 2 miles from Rt. 5 and Rt 20 between Skaneateles and Auburn. See "driving directions" link at the top of the page

THE COUNTRY FOOD STORE IS CLOSED FROM THANKSGIVING UNTIL JUNE

* The Restaurant is Closed during January and February

We will re-open in Mid March- Check this site in early March for specific date

TO PURCHASE A GIFT CERTIFICATE

CALL 315-252-3977

WE ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS AND WILL SEND THE

CERTIFICATE TO YOU OR WHOEVER YOU WISH VIA E-MAIL OR US MAIL

For more information or to make a reservation call:

315.252.3977

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