green living

Ever wanted to learn how to canoe, but you don't know where to start? Don't have the gear for it? Then Let's Go Paddling is for you! Participants will learn the basics of canoeing in a friendly environment, and then get to explore a calm portion of the historic Willamette River. All canoe gear is provided. Participants should bring personal items such as sunscreen, shoes, water, etc. Participants must be 8 years of age or older. Pre-registration is required. See you on the water!

Whether you're a hobbyist gardener, a professional landscaper or a licensed pesticide applicator, join us for the opportunity to grow your knowledge of fruit with this one-day continuing education course. Taking Place at Portland's TaborSpace, this course includes interactive lectures and a field trip to Oregon State University Extension Service's North Willamette Research and Extension Center. Register online: https://apps.ideal-logic.com/osupne?key=e8fb109570

What you will learn:

Berry and small fruit selection and installation
Basic horticulture for blueberries, cane berries, strawberries and more
Pest management for berries and small fruits
Edible landscaping basics

Fresh fruit grown on trees-from apples to peaches to cherries to plums-thrive in the Pacific Northwest, but to grow and maintain your own fruit trees, you'll need targeted continuing education to yield the maximum amount of high-quality fruit.

What you will learn:

Basic fruit tree horticulture
Site selection and planting
Basic Integrated Pest Management for fruit trees
Fruit variety and rootstock selection
Fruit tree pruning and grafting
Seasonal maintenance

Learn the ancient art of saving seeds in this hands-on workshop held at one of Portland's oldest and most established urban Permaculture gardens. Each participant will get to collect unusual and interesting varieties of seeds to take home with them.

Sign up on Growing Gardens workshop page: http://growing-gardens.org/our-programs/workshops/

Presenter Information: Connie Van-Dyke is a master of self-sufficiency and grows a large percentage of her food, year round in her urban Permaculture garden.  Connie has been an instructor at Portland Community College for 16 years.  Inviting people to come to her urban garden she shows them ways to close the loop and be more self-reliant.  Courses like urban farming, permaculture, rug making, weaving, medicine making, natural dyeing, cannin, raising meat in the city and seed saving show students how to get their needs met without money.  She gleans, barters, wildcrafts, and grows most of her daily needs.

Growing Gardens believes the seeds of a healthier world are planted in our own back yards! To find out more about Growing Gardens visit us at www.growing-gardens.org

Learn the basics of keeping bees for honey in your own backyard.  This workshop will cover materials, maintenance and harvesting.  It will be held at an urban farm where participants will get to see a real bee set up.  This workshop is in partnership with Sowing Circle Farm.

Sign up on Growing Gardens workshop page: http://growing-gardens.org/our-programs/workshops/

Presenter Information: Sowing Circle Farm was founded in 2009 in the small front yard of Seth & Kenya's NE Portland home.  Initially raising ducks and growing vegetables, they moved on to raising goats and keeping honeybees.  The animals soon attracted so much attention that they found themselves giving impromptu workshops to curious passersby.  Kenya is certified in organic gardening practices as well as Permaculture and has worked with Growing Gardens, the Multnomah Public Library and OSU Extension Service to teach workshops.  Seth is the Farm Manager and is a self-taught arborist, plant propagator, and hugelkulture enthusiast.

Growing Gardens believes the seeds of a healthier world are planted in our own backyards.  To learn more about Growing Gardens visit us at www.growing-gardens.org