Eco Experience

Permaculture Research Institute at the 2009 MN State Fair!

We can grow more food in the city. You don't need a lot of space to grow food. Through companion planting and healthy soil you can grow lots of food in containers and raised beds in a small space. Planting 'polycultures' - multiple crops in the same space, designed to
mimic natural ecosystems - greens your garden by connecting to the soil
food web.

As part of the 2009 MN State Fair Eco Experience, PRI Cold Climate designed and installed several intensive edible demonstration gardens.  Both beautiful and functional, these gardens showcased delicious combinations of tomatoes, herbs, edible flowers, leafy greens, peppers, beets, beans, strawberries, rhubarb and perennial flowers. 

About the Urban Permaculture Edible Gardens : 

  • Demonstrate how easy it is to grow your own food
  • Diversity of plants to increase nutrient cycling and plant health
  • Plants contain habitat for beneficial insects and pest repellents
  • Gardens are designed to produce multiple yields - abundant & perpetual harvest
  • Conserve water
  • Create healthy soils

Inside the Eco House we set up container gardens with an Insectory Island polyculture - to attract beneficial pollinators to the gardens; and a Companion Fruit combination. Outside near the farmers market we built a raised keyhole bed demonstrating a backyard garden of edible annuals and perennials. The backyard garden displayed companion plants utilizing a small space to grow a maximum amount of food. Included in the garden system were a bin to grow potatoes vertically, bee hive, and bird bath. For the acidic loving plants we included Peace Coffee's used coffee grounds in the soil mix. 

WHERE: Minnesota State Fair Grounds, Eco Experience, Progress Center Building

WHEN: August 27th - September 7th, 2009, 9:00am - 9:00pm

PRI's edible gardens were part of the Healthy Local Food area, organized by Renewing the Countryside. 

Photos

Below are some pics of the beds being built. Many thanks to Molly Jaffray, Jackie McGraw, Stefan Meyer and Jonathan Huebner for their hard work!!

shaping keyhole bed with compost topsoil Shaping the keyhole bed with compost topsoil
filling potato bin Filling the potato bin
adding bed border with coffee bags Adding bed border with coffee bags
planting potatoes   Planting potatoes
staking the coffee bags and seeding the beds Staking the coffee bags and seeding the beds
Planted keyhole bed