Author Archive: Alyson Earl

We’ve entered the season of rest and repair. The irrigation hoses are rolled up and tucked away on shelves in the barn, the garlic is planted and mulched with a thick layer of straw, and the trees have shed their leaves and stored their energy in their roots. In the coming weeks we will finish cleaning the barns, replace the plastic roof of the greenhouse, and plant the last of the trees for this year. There’s still plenty to see, and there are two more opportunities to join us on the farm.

Our monthly class, The Living Landscape, takes place on Saturday, December 7. This ecological adventure walk through the woods and the meadows of the Horn Farm Center will spark your sense of wonder! We’ll focus on broad patterns of landscape as well as diving deeply into the details of the worlds under rocks, inside dead trees, beneath the soil, and beyond.  This is an all-ages class. All are welcome!

On Saturday, December 14, we’ll be hunting for wild foods. Many of the summer and fall offerings have died back, but there is still plenty for the adventurous forager to add to the dinner table. Come see what we can find and utilize as the months proceed into winter! Find out more and register here: December Foraging.

Upcoming events:

December 7 – The Living Landscape 
December 14 – Foraging: Winter Offerings
Custom Classes & Workshops
2020 Regenerative Farming Training Program
February 29 – Native Plants for Winter Interest and Wildlife
March 14 – Green Mulch: Native Plants as Groundcovers
March 28 – Stormwater Management 101 for Homeowners

See you at the farm!

Applications are open for the Regenerative Farming Training Program for 2020!
At the Horn Farm Center for Agricultural Education we are educating skilled land stewards who, by restoring ecological balance to our place on the earth, are better able to feed our community. We are teaching farming practices that restore damaged ecosystems while producing food for our community. Emphasis is placed on learning to see the farm as a whole, highly integrated agricultural ecosystem.

This is a part-time, hands-on training program for people with any amount of farm or gardening experience. The program provides foundational knowledge and practical skills for those interested in small-scale, regenerative farming and permaculture-based production methods. This program will be valuable and suitable for anyone interested in exploring a future in small-scale agricultural production as well as anyone interested in learning growing skills for the purpose of homesteading, gardening, and feeding themselves and their community. For more information, visit our website, or email: educationdirector@hornfarmcenter.org.

Upcoming Events:
November 19 – Bread Baking
December 7 – The Living Landscape
December 14 – Foraging: Winter Offerings
Custom Classes & Workshops
2020 Regenerative Farming Training Program

See you at the farm!

There are two opportunities to join us at the farm tomorrow! On Saturday November 9, we will be braving the cold for Foraging: Roots. Now is the time to begin digging roots – as the plants begin to drawn their energies into the ground to store them for winter, we can begin to take advantage of this and dig them. They can be used as tasty root vegetables, or dried for coffee, tea, and medicine. We’ll demonstrate the process of taking them from root to coffee, and sample a warm brew at the end of class. The class is two hours long, from 9 to 11 a.m. Beginners and experienced foragers are welcome. Be prepared to walk, often at times on muddy or uneven surfaces. Dress for the weather and season! We meet at the pole barn.

In the afternoon, from to 2 to 4 p.m., we are hosting a free workshop called Foundations of Soil Health.

This is a free event and all ages are welcome! Please let us know you’ll be coming on the Facebook event page.

– Soil (Identification, Fertility & Nutrient Cycling, Creation)
– Compost (Basics, Tips for Winter months)
– Bed Prep (BioIntensive, Synergistic, Raised Beds)
– Cover Crops
– Planning a garden for 2020!

This hands on workshop takes place this Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. and is a great opportunity to get some great hands on experience digging BioIntensive beds. We will look at various methods we use here at the farm to regenerate the soil, close the loops, and encourage healthy plants.

This won’t only be about the farming/gardening methods. We will also be talking about and exploring how physical movement (or maybe the lack thereof) is incorporated into our lives, and how making small changes in our daily routines helps us to become better movers. The goal is to move well before we move often. Plan on meeting at the farm house at 2.

We hope to see you soon!

Upcoming Events:
November 9 – Foraging: Roots
November 9 – Foundations of Soil Health
November 19 – Bread Baking
December 7 – The Living Landscape
December 14 – Foraging: Winter Offerings
Custom Classes & Workshops

See you at the farm!