Dates: Saturday's February 13, March 5, March 19, April 2 2016

Fee: $25 / 2 hr session (up to 4 people with minimum of 1 adult) or $80 / 4 sessions (Materials are included in the fee)

This 4 session family learning program is based on a practical sequence of activities to prepare you and your family for your first (or best ever) gardening season! Each session begins with a short indoor time, snack/game break, garden tour, and project to use your new skills. Each session will be based on the lesson before the timing between each session should allow you time to work towards creating your 2016 family garden. Any questions can be brought to the following session for discussion. This program has been developed to suit a variety of ages with parent supervision & assistance. Bring your children along and learn to GROW TOGETHER!

*Session 1 – Seeds & Starts

Learn to select and grow your own nutritious edibles from seed, including; how to select varieties, using valuable information on seed packets and in catalogues. See and try different methods of seed starting mediums and containers, and take some home to get you started!

*Session 2 – Garden Prep Basics

Learn about plot orientation, soil preparations, and your local obstacles (poor soil, deer) and have the tools to create a garden at home or in your local Community garden. Using these skills on site will help get everyone in shape for the growing season and leave a lasting impression in our JMG Garden Plot with the creation of a new raised garden bed!

*Session 3 – Maximizing Your Yield

Find out how to maximize your yield and grow healthy crops with some advanced planning. Using the crops that you have started (session 1), you will plan out your crops for the season/s using guidelines of size, duration, exposure and more. Then you and your family will be able to add in additional crops selections at home.

*Session 4 – Creative Food Growing

Use your creative means to plan and plant a food garden or particular crop in a small space. Not everyone has endless room for all or select crops. This is a fun way to explore alternative planting methods including vertical growing and planters. We will construct a new bed in our JMG Garden Plot and have some plans available to share. Of course we will also plant up a seasonal planter to take home!