9-Saturdays Summer Course Series and the GardenCorps Program

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Course Descriptions

Growing Your Biointensive Skillset
(Formerly 9-Saturdays Course Part 1: Introduction to GROW BIOINTENSIVE - Growing Abundance in Your Back Yard)


Timeline: The program consists of one class per week on Saturday, from 9AM-3PM, June 3 - July 29, 2023.
Cost: $625 per person, including all course materials. Not included: food, lodging, personal travel to and from the site (which will vary per participant), or medical insurance. All participants are responsible for food, lodging, travel and medical expenses associated with their participation in this program.
Application Deadline: May 21, 2023.

Click here to download a course outline (subject to change)

Register and pay online here with our secure form.

9-Saturdays Course Part 2: Garden Planning Simplified - Basic Techniques to Maximize Sustainable Backyard Food Production is not offered as a standalone course in 2023 - see GardenCorps Program, below.


The GardenCorps Program

In 2023, Ecology Action and Victory Gardens for Peace are offering the GardenCorps Program (which combines the curriculum of the Growing Your Biointensive Skillset and the former 9-Saturdays Series Part 2: Garden Planning Simplified - Basic Techniques to Maximize Sustainable Backyard Food Production). GardenCorps covers the essential components that make the sustainable, highly productive, closed-loop GROW BIOINTENSIVE Sustainable Mini-Farming system possible in your back yard. You will learn the eight principles of biointensive gardening that will increase your yields, grow your soil and conserve resources for the whole planet, as well as personal diet design and sustainable garden planning.

Timeline: The program consists of one class per week on Saturday, from 9AM-3PM, June 3 - October 7, 2023.
Cost: $450 if students agree to 50 hours of community service on a local, community-based food project; $1,250 without community service; price is per person, including all course materials. Not included: food, lodging, personal travel to and from the site (which will vary per participant), or medical insurance. All participants are responsible for food, lodging, travel and medical expenses associated with their participation in this program.

Application Deadline: May 21, 2023.

To download a sample course description click here, including curriculum and program expenses (subject to change).

For more information about the GardenCorps Program and Victory Gardens for Peace click here

Apply to attend the GardenCorps Program with our secure form. Your application will be reviewed, and you will be notified if you are accepted to the 2023 GardenCorps Program, and provided with a link to complete payment of program fees.

NOTE: The GardenCorps Program is also available as an on-site, live-in 4-Month Internship, and includes housing and an additional 32 hours per week of internship training in the garden (40 hours total including class day). Cost per person: $3,570. Application deadline: April 7, 2023. Click here for more information about this internship.



Course Location:
Ecology Action's Victory Gardens for Peace Mini-Farm

Ecology Action's Victory Gardens for Peace Mini-Farm, Mendocino, CA

Victory Gardens for Peace (Mendocino, CA)

Ecology Action's Victory Gardens for Peace (https://victorygardensforpeace.com/) site in the town of Mendocino, California is situated on the grounds of the Stanford Inn-by-the-Sea, an eco-resort nestled on the cliffs overlooking the confluence of the Big River and the Pacific Ocean. Our program is focused on: developing the GROW BIOINTENSIVE model for our coastal, cool, foggy climate, improving the soil and teaching the GROW BIOINTENSIVE method. There are many challenges at the site that create opportunities to demonstrate practical and effective ways of maximizing resources and managing fertility. There is an inherently good soil here but it underwent years of compaction as a horse paddock. We are working to build soil structure and fertility to restore the soil health. We experiment with growing complete diets and different crop varieties to find which are best suited to this unique growing climate. Our internships are unique and offer a great experience in water conservation, soil fertility management and food raising through the GROW BIOINTENSIVE method.

 

 


Also offered:

8-Month Onsite Internship
8-Month Web-Based Internship

3-Year Apprenticeship


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