Urban Farming Series

In this intro class we will answer the following questions: What is Urban Farming? Is urban farming the idea of growing food to feed my family or my community, or both? What are the policies that are currently in place in the Twin Cities? Where is policy headed? How do I get started? What are the best resources to start with? What are the different methodologies to pursue? I want to grow food where do I start?

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This class will cover the basics of growing most crops that you can grow in Minnesota. We will talk about both the easiest and the hardest crops to grow with tips for every crop along the way. We will also discuss which tools may be waste of money and which ones you can’t live without. We will also touch on pest and weed control strategies for the beginning grower. This class will help get you started in planning your garden for spring.

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What’s the best way to turn sod into a garden? What soil amendment options do I have? What soil amendments do I need? Should I double dig or rototill my beds? What shape should I use for my beds? These questions and more will be discussed and answered in this class that will cover preparing, planning and planting your site.

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Using permaculture as a framework we will look at growing using organic principles and techniques. This class will go deeper into ways to organically control pests, diseases, weeds and management techniques for maximizing your production.

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Utilizing Crop rotations (planting different crops of different families in the same place over time), Companions (planting two or more crops that benefit each other together) and Successions (planting multiple crops in the same space over the course of the season) can maximize your productivity and minimize potential pests, diseases and weeds. We will look at each of these concepts in depth which will help you create a cohesive plan for your growing space in the coming season and beyond.

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Producing food crops for sale is only one half of the equation. Successfully marketing your crops is what will make your growing endeavors worthwhile financially. We will consider a wide variety of marketing avenues looking at everything from Farmer’s Markets to CSAs to Wholesale options plus a few think outside of the box ideas. Each marketing option requires different skills and time commitments, we will uncover the pros and cons to each so that you can figure out which marketing options will work best in your system.

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Creating a solid business plan is one of the most important steps you can take as you begin or build a growing business. We will walk through the steps of identifying your values, assessing your current situation, defining your vision, mission and goals, and creating a strategic plan for your business. We will also discuss resources available to new farmers and next steps to take.

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