Sheet Mulch & Straw Bale Gardening Workshop

Sheet mulching is a great low intensity technique to create healthy garden beds without tilling or heavy digging of the soils. Growing in straw bales uses some of the same techniques and has some similar benefits to gardeners, including not having to bend over as far to reach the garden for planting and harvesting, and limiting the need to weed and water. Both can be done easily and with great success using easily found items like cardboard, leaves, seaweed, and composted manure. Come to this hands-on workshop and learn about using both of these Permaculture methods to create easy garden beds. We will build a sheet mulched bed and "condition" straw bales to be ready for planting in several weeks. Participants will leave with reference materials and a clear idea of how to incorporate these methods at home.

This workshop was postponed from April 26th and will present the same material.

COST: sliding scale of $5-15 per person payable at the workshop.

About Leslie Stevens:

Leslie is a UNH Cooperative Extension Master Gardener and Natural Resource Steward and was introduced to Permaculture through these classes. She owns an urban farm in Portsmouth (Sidewalk Farms: www.Sidewalkfarms.com) and tries to incorporate Permaculture in many different ways including rain water catchment, intensive raised bed gardening, and year round growing. As well, Sidewalk Farms has just taken over the lease on a small farm in Rye, NH, called Goss Farm, and is beginning the process of creating raised beds for market growing by using sheet mulching and straw bale gardening. This workshop will take place in Rye, NH at Goss Farm and participants will be able to see examples of both as well as participate in building both and sheet mulched bed and a straw bale garden.

Goss Farm is located across the street from the entrance to Rye Harbor at 251 Harbor Road. There is plenty of parking but be prepared to walk through the field to get to the sheet mulching area.