Wild Willow Farm | School for Sustainable Farming | Farmshare | Field Trips | Group Trips | Map/Location

Educating, Cultivating and Empowering Sustainable Food Communities in San Diego County

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Interviews with Staff

Common Good Podcast

San Diego Roots and Wild Willow Farm founder Mel Lions talks with Lee Van Ham of Jubilee Economics about the intersection of ecology and food production, and why healthy soil is so important to both.

 

SD Roots Works to:

GROW FOOD and teach others who want to grow their own food.

EDUCATE AND TRAIN the next generation of local farmers and gardeners though classes, workshops and training in gardening homesteading, and farming skills.

PROMOTE COMMUNITY as an effective means to change to a healthier, locally based food system.

HELP PEOPLE find food grown in San Diego County.

CELEBRATE local foods and their seasonality.

PRODUCE, ENCOURAGE and PARTICIPATE in events that strengthen the local food system.

PROMOTE the protection and preservation of farmland in San Diego County

SUPPORT school gardens and entrepreneurial youth training projects related to sustainable agriculture and the culinary arts.

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Upcoming Events & Classes

Farming 102: Brassica Family Saturday, September 9 10am to 4pm

Introduction to Beekeeping Saturday, September 23 10am to 4pm

Goats and Cheese Class Saturday, September 23 1pm

Farming 101: Intro to Regenerative Farming NEW DATES: Sep 30 to Nov 11

Classes Now Enrolling

Farming 102: Vegetable Plant Families

taught by Paul Maschka

One of the most fascinating and fun courses we've developed. Together we'll unravel the mystery and natural history of the plants that sustain us.

Class 1: Brassica Family. Saturday, Sept 9
Broccoli, Kale, Cabbage, Radish, Collards, Cauliflower, Arugula, Brussel Sprouts +

Saturday, 10am to 4pm at Wild Willow Farm

$60/class General Public
$50/class WWF Farm School Students/Alumni or Farmer's Guild Members

Farming 102 dives deeply into the plant families we call food. The more you know about the plants, the better you will be at growing them.

In organic gardening and farming, plant knowledge proves to be an invaluable tool that allows us to quickly assess a number of key considerations necessary for growing food successfully. In these classes you'll learn the fundamental conditions that help common vegetables thrive. Join us as we explore the history, cultural heritage, cultivation, preparation and use of common seasonal crop families.

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Introduction to Beekeeping

Saturday, September 23
10am to 4pm

WHATS ALL THE BUZZ ABOUT? Please join us at Wild Willow for a fun an informative class about keeping bees. If you have ever dreamt of getting to know honeybees a little better this is your chance. Get some hands-on experience with our resident bees and beekeeper. We'll discuss honeybee society, types of hives, hive parts, hive tools used, and beehive etiquette (do's and don'ts).

We will be doing a number of tasks that are common when caring for bees, such as

Observing bee behaviors
Looking inside hives to see the activities
Assessing the needs of the bees
Look for signs of pests
Indications to honey production
Attitudes of bees

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Goats and Cheese

Saturday, September 23, 1pm

Do you love goat cheese?! Ever wonder about the creatures behind the milk and how it turns into one of your favorite cheeses?

Join us as we meet the Wild Willow goats while learning the basic care that they need to be happy and healthy. Afterwards, enjoy a sampling of simple farmer cheese and chevre as you will be taken step by step on how to make a beginner farmer soft cheese. Discover the various ways of flavoring your cheese from using farm fresh herbs or honey and lavender.

This is a popular class and space is limited. Reserve your spot now!

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Farming 101
Introduction to Small-scale
Regenerative Farming

Six-week Course
13 classes | Wed. evening in the city, Saturday at the farm

Fall 2017 Session
October 11 to November 18

FIELD LABS at Wild Willow Farm

Saturdays, 9am-4pm

CLASSES in central San Diego

Wednesdays, 7pm-9pm

Farming 101: Introduction to Small-scale Regenerative Farming offers students an introduction to techniques and strategies for small farming or agricultural advocacy, or to simply grow more of their own food.

This six-week, two-day-per-week course is offered several times each year. With a horticultural and practical focus, students learn about soil fertility; tool use; till and no-till strategies; composting; sowing and transplanting; principles of irrigation; and pests, pathogens and beneficials. The last class is a discussion about building farm resiliency and a farm's relationship to many systems we must interact with: governmental, social, commercial, educational and regulatory.

Classes are held in the South Park neighborhood of San Diego (near 30th & Juniper) on Wednesday evenings, with field classes and labs at Wild Willow Farm on Saturdays.

Click for more information, a complete syllabus, or to enroll ($100).