Organic Gardening 101– 5/27

A garden is more than just a means of providing food, it is a model of what is possible in a community.

What is organic gardening?  How is it different than conventional methods?

Why do it?

Organic gardening, sometimes referred to as sustainable gardening, is a method of working with plants and the ecosystem in your garden, apartment, or house to nurture plants to maturity.  Conventional agriculture uses many harmful chemicals to grow food, and focuses on growing the plant rather than nurturing the ecosystem the plant is a part of.  As a result, the soil, insects, plants are less than healthy- which is transferred to humans when we eat produce grown in such ways.

We’ll talk about various ways to cut out harmful chemicals in your gardening practices by using: integrated pest management, maintaining healthy soil, using compost, companion planting, and making homemade food based sprays.   Organically homegrown food has a higher micronutrient profile, and is healthier for you because it is fresher.  By growing your own food, you create a connection with your source of nourishment from the ground up.

The class will be held at Eco Rooftop Garden, a private rooftop garden in Pilsen, where you’ll get to see all discussed practices being directly applied to city gardening.  Taste your way through the garden, and come away with an eggshell start of your very own to add to your garden collection.

Location: Eco Rooftop Garden

Time: Sunday 5/27/12  1-2:30pm

Instructor: Andrea Mattson-McGaffey

Cost: $20

Pickle Party: Asparagus Monday 5/14

Asparagus: the heralder of spring! It’s one of the first crops up, and only lasts until the spring weather turns to summer. Thanks to our global economy you can find asparagus all year flown in from other continents, but the environmental impact is much lower if you buy local and preserve it yourself.

Date: Monday May 14, 2012

Time: 6:00pm-8:00pm

Location: Eco (RSVP for address)

Instructor: Andrea Mattson-McGaffey

RSVP here:  http://ediblealchemyfoods.com/order/#ecwid:category=369724&mode=product&product=10969774

Food as Medicine @ the Green Festival, Sunday 5/6– 2pm

Come see EA at the Green Festival this year on the DIY stage!  The Green Festival is the weekend of March 5 & 6, at Navy Pier.

Join Andrea and Dietrich of Edible Alchemy to explore your most crucial medical arsenal: what your put into and onto your body. Oils, seeds and nuts, grains, spices, herbs, fruits and vegetables, beneficial bacteria– these are the building blocks of human health. The chemistry of what we drink, taste, smell, touch, and breathe all have verifiable effects on the human system. Learn some of the mechanisms at work in the human system and how to tap into the body’s innate knowledge. It is well known that a full, round, balanced diet is the strongest preventative medicine available. We will share some properties of common and useful kitchen items and how to skillfully apply them in your own cooking.
Every culture throughout the world has had deep knowledge about their local flora and fauna, and how to apply these to the health of the individual and the community. Many traditions particularly focus on how nutrients in food make subtle adjustments to the physical and energetic systems of the body. We will learn from a sample of international medicinal traditions, and then focus on local, Midwest and Illinois foods and plants. Finally, we will talk about urban solutions for nutrition and healthy eating. We will exhibit the ease of transforming your garden and kitchen into a modern apothecary. Sample and taste some whole food remedies as we demonstrate in the kitchen!

More information here – - www.greenfestivals.org/chi/diy-stage.  This workshop is free with the price of Green Fest admission.  Sign up to volunteer on their website to get in for free.

Eat well to be well!