May
17
4:30 PM16:30

Garden Tools & Maintenance

In this workshop, Kevin will cover a wide range of tools useful to the home gardener or small-scale farmer and how to keep these tools in working order. He will cover tool sharpening, maintenance, and proper storage. Come find out our favorite tools that we use at OFS and how we use them to keep our vegetables happy. This workshop is for anyone who is interested in gardening no matter their level of experience. At OFS, we use a wide range of tools from the classics to more new school tools such as soil blockers and broadforks which will be covered in detail. 

Suggested donation of $20.

Please RSVP here:

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Jun
28
5:30 PM17:30

Poultry Processing

This workshop will take you through the entire process of chicken harvesting and processing. Mindy will begin by guiding you through the whole process from the killing cone to packaging. You will learn the most ethical way to harvest a chicken, how to scald, pluck, and to eviscerate, chill, then to pack up your birds. This will be a hands-on workshop where you can choose to jump between stations or stick with one job depending on your comfortability. There will be blood and guts so please wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty or rain gear that can be easily rinsed off. OFS will provide knives and gloves and other necessary equipment.  

Suggested donation of $20.

Please RSVP here:

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Jul
5
5:30 PM17:30

Garden to Garb - Intro to Botanical Dyeing

In this workshop, Kirsten will walk you through three dye processes, all involving fresh material harvested directly from our field. She will begin with a discussion around types of fiber and respective scouring and mordanting methods appropriate to cellulose vs. protein fibers, then will outline three different dye processes, each yielding unique results. 

The dyeing techniques covered in this workshop include: Hapa-zome printing with blooms on silk bandanas; Fresh leaf indigo dyeing on a skein of 100% wool and Solar Dyeing hemp/cotton socks. Participants will also leave with an informational pamphlet full of common natural dye terms and processes, as well as best care practices for maintaining the integrity of naturally dyed garments over time. 

Suggested donation of $20.

Please RSVP here:

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Jul
19
4:30 PM16:30

Planning for Fall & Winter Gardening

Have you ever wondered how to extend your gardening window or how to properly put your garden to sleep for the winter? In this workshop you will learn the basics of fall and winter gardening and how to plan for extended harvest through the winter with minimal infrastructure. Kevin will explain how to crop plan for the fall and winter, the best cold hardy vegetables to plant, with tips and tricks to keep those vegetables extra happy. Garden maintenance and keeping your garden protected through the cold months will also be covered. 

Suggested donation of $20.

Please RSVP here:

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Apr
26
4:30 PM16:30

Soil Building & Fertility for Home Gardens

In this workshop, Drew will be discussing soil fertility and the use of compost and other sources of alternative nutrients to use as amendments for your garden soil. Topics such as the process of biochar production and its use in composting, and how to access and use mealworm frass and liquid anaerobic digestate will also be discussed. 

Suggested donation of $20.

Please RSVP here:

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Apr
20
9:00 AM09:00

Farm Hands Work Party

We're looking for what some might call "volunteers", but we’re really looking for individuals who want to become part of the fabric of the Organic Farm School's programming. People who want to connect to place by working with the land, who are eager to support the future of these two locations, and who want to build a community that supports farmers.

Please bring your gloves, water bottle, and favorite weeding tool for an Organic Farm School Farm Hands work party!

Please RVSP here.

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Apr
10
5:30 PM17:30

Dishing Up the Dirt

This is a continuing conversation of the film series Roots So Deep. Questions to think about:

  • What's the difference between farming and ranching?

  • What are the interdependencies between farming and ranching?

  • How much acreage is used for rangeland/grazing in the US?

  • How much acreage is used for vegetables?

  • Do "regenerative" methods look the same on farms and ranches?

  • Are there some ecosystems where grazing does NOT make sense?

  • How does an indigenous perspective come into play?

  • How does our diet come into play with regenerative methods?

  • To more deeply understand the importance of Peter Byck's work, what do we need to better understand about our food system?

Suggested donation of $20. Please RVSP here.

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Apr
6
9:00 AM09:00

Farm Hands Work Party

We're looking for what some might call "volunteers", but we’re really looking for individuals who want to become part of the fabric of the Organic Farm School's programming. People who want to connect to place by working with the land, who are eager to support the future of these two locations, and who want to build a community that supports farmers.

Please bring your gloves, water bottle, and favorite weeding tool for an Organic Farm School Farm Hands work party!

Please RVSP here.

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Happy Hour Farm Tour
Aug
17
4:00 PM16:00

Happy Hour Farm Tour

Join us for our second and final happy hour tour of the season. Hear about our current work, peek into our vision for the next few years at both our home-base Maxwelton Farm, and the Keystone Farm & Forest Preserve, and meet the team behind it all! Learn more about the tools we give our trainees to succeed, the importance of including the community in our efforts, and how you can personally support the training of new farmers who are ready to bring resilience to these rapidly changing times. Once again, Nancy Nordhoff and a pool of other OFS supporters are generously offering a “match” for “new or increased gifts” this summer, so we are hosting two events of this nature to continue our progress towards that goal. We’d love to have you join in, as either a potential donor or a potential ambassador for the OFS out in the larger community!

The important work of the Organic Farm School only happens with community support.

Expect refreshments including finger-friendly snacks, wine from Spoiled Dog Winery, and a selection of beers and non-alcoholic beverages.

Guests will be split into two groups and rotated across numerous stopping places to keep the group size small enough for conversation.

RVSP via email to Judy

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Community Potluck @ Organic Farm School
May
20
5:30 PM17:30

Community Potluck @ Organic Farm School

Join us for the start of our community potluck season on the Organic Farm School campus. We welcome members of our community to join is from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm on Friday, May 20th! You are welcome to stay until 8pm, but after a long day in the field, we will start cleaning up the Picnic Shelter around 7pm.

Bring your own beverage and a dish to share, take a guided tour of our field, ask questions about what's to come in the season ahead, and maybe catch something tasty coming out of that beauty of a wood-fired oven!

If you'd like to volunteer to help make pizzas, we'd love to have your help. It's a great way to get involved, meet others from our community, and it's fun! Email us at OFS@organicfarmschool.org for more info.

Note regarding pets: We love dogs, however, as a working farm with livestock, production food crops and mixed mobility community members on site, we ask that you leave your pets at home. We have hosted pets in the past and we have realized this doesn’t work well for our community gatherings. Thank you for your understanding.

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GiveBIG for the Organic Farm School
May
3
to May 4

GiveBIG for the Organic Farm School

At the Organic Farm School, we give aspiring farmers a strong foundation in a broad range of skills so they can achieve their unique farm goals. 

Empowering new farmers takes a lot of resources—from land and farm equipment to classroom space and staff, just to name the essentials!

With more than half of all US farmers 55+ years old and with 91 million acres of farmland needing to be transitioned to new farmers in the next five years, helping new farmers is vital to ensuring that our food system develops sustainably into the future.

We're hoping you see yourself as part of the future of food and farming, and that you'll be inspired to make a gift during GiveBIG. Your contributions are an investment in a resilient and accessible food system. Thank you!

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Farm Fired Earth Day Conversation
Apr
22
5:30 PM17:30

Farm Fired Earth Day Conversation

OFS invites community members to join us for the first gathering of 2022 on the Farm from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm on Friday, April 22nd! You are welcome to stay until 8pm, but after a long day in the field, we will start cleaning up the Picnic Shelter around 7pm.

This will give us a chance to catch up with each other after the winter season and meet our new students. We hope you join us...bring your own beverage, walk through the field, ask questions about what's to come in the season ahead, and maybe catch something tasty coming out of that beauty of a wood-fired oven!

If you'd like to volunteer to help make pizzas, we'd love to have your hands to help. It's a great way to get involved and it's fun! Email OFS@organicfarmschool.org for more info. 

Note regarding pets: We love dogs, however, as a working farm with livestock, production food crops and mixed mobility community members on site, we ask that you leave your pets at home. We have hosted pets in the past and we have realized this doesn’t work well for our community gatherings. Thank you for your understanding.

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Jul
30
7:00 PM19:00

Farm Fashion Show

Join us for the first-ever FARM FASHION SHOW!! A night of fashion, comedy, music, and fun at the Organic Farm School. Small bites and beverages will be available by donation. BYOB and plan to arrive early to tour the farm, buy veggies from the farm stand, and talk to local vendors.

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Farm Fired Conversations
Jul
30
to Sep 3

Farm Fired Conversations

If the goal is to make our food system more resilient, it's not enough to train new farmers -- we must also engage communities in conversations about what farming is and how, together, we can make farming and eating more regenerative. 

So, yes, each Friday, from 5:30 - 7:00 PM, the OFS invites community members to join us for an evening of community engagement and togetherness! (you are welcome to stay until 8pm, but after a long day in the field, we will start cleaning up the Picnic Shelter at 7)

These gatherings give us all a chance to catch up with each other and meet someone new. It's also GREAT for our students to see who is supporting them as they learn how to be farmers - and they are getting really good at offering farm tours. We hope you join us...bring your own beverage, walk through the field, ask questions about what's growing, and maybe catch something coming out of that beauty of a wood-fired oven!

If you'd like to volunteer to help make pizzas, we'd love to have you! It's a great way to get involved and it's fun! Email judy@organicfarmschool.org for more info. 

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Picnic Potluck
Jul
25
4:00 PM16:00

Picnic Potluck

This is one of our very favorite events at the Organic Farm School because it cultivates such a feeling of community. Everyone is invited! Yes, everyone. It's a potluck, so if we all play along there will be so much wonderful conversation and connection - and more than enough food. Please invite your friends and neighbors to come along with you.

We set up long tables and provide water and lemonade and you are welcome to BYOB. You bring a dish (can we suggest one that features local food?) big enough to share with 8-10 people (and bring a recipe card to set with it so folks know what it is they are eating). Also bring serving utensils and your own plate, knife, fork, and spoon.

There will be music. We'll have the corn hole boards set up. You can bring a frisbee or your favorite lawn chair.

Please, please, please say you'll join the fun?! We do ask for an RSVP, only so we know how many tables to set up. All you have to do is send an email to Judy.

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