May 10, 2013 | 5:44 pm | Share
Learn how to improve soil before planting and how to maintain its fertility and structure after planting. Fruit trees thrive in soils that are well-balanced in nutrient content with appropriate pH and a high cation exchange capacity (CEC). They benefit from growing in soils with good drainage, good gas exchange capacity, a healthy food web, and fungal dominance. Participants learn how to evaluate soils through testing and how to improve them with rock powders, cover cropping, mulching, and the use of compost and compost tea. The class includes information on nitrogen budgeting for fruit trees and a tour of soil improvement projects in the Bloomington Community Orchard. Rain date is 8/3; participants contacted if use of rain date is necessary. Co-sponsored by Bloomingfoods, the Bloomington Community Orchard, and Free University of Monroe County.
Date: Saturday, July 27, 2-4pm
Registration deadline: July 24
Cost: $7 in city/$9 out of city (registration code 56505-A)
Ages: all ages
Location: The Bloomington Community Orchard
Instructor: Ross Gay and H. Michael Simmons
May 10, 2013 | 5:43 pm | Share
Learn which trees benefit from summer pruning (as opposed to dormant pruning) and why. Participants receive hands-on instruction in proper summer pruning techniques. The class includes choosing proper tools and using them correctly, making pruning decisions, sanitation, and all other aspects of pruning successfully. Please bring bypass pruners, if you have them. Some tools will be available for use by those who do not own hand pruners. Rain date is 6/29 ; participants contacted if use of rain date is necessary. Co-sponsored by Bloomingfoods, the Bloomington Community Orchard, and Free University of Monroe County.
Date: Saturday, June 22, 2-4pm
Registration deadline: June 19
Cost: $7 in city/$9 out of city (registration code 56506-A)
Ages: all ages
Location: Bloomington Community Orchard
Instructor: Ross Gay and Michael Simmons
May 10, 2013 | 5:43 pm | Share
A tree is a long-term investment, so it makes sense to give it the best chance possible for a long and productive life. Planting correctly is essential in order to assure the health and productivity of a fruit tree. Learn how to plant correctly in this hands-on workshop. Participants learn best practices for digging the planting hole, inspecting and correcting problems with roots, staking, filling the hole, watering, mulching, installing trunk protection, and performing necessary remedial pruning. Please wear work clothes and shoes and bring gloves, if you have them. Rain date is 6/1; participants contacted if use of rain date is necessary. Co-sponsored by Bloomingfoods, the Bloomington Community Orchard and Free University of Monroe County.
Date: Saturday, May 25, 2-4pm
Registration deadline: May 22
Cost: $7 in city/ $9 out of city, (registration code 56502-A)
Ages: all ages
Location: Bloomington Community Orchard
Instructor: Ross Gay and Michael Simmons
May 10, 2013 | 5:41 pm | Share
Learn organic gardening from the experts and share your knowledge with the community in this organic outreach horticultural certification program, which covers everything from soil science to seed saving and everything in between. Complete the course and volunteer hours in a number of community projects to be certified as a Grow Organic Educator or just take the course for your own enrichment. Get gardening with GOES! Textbook and comprehensive reference notebook included in fee. There are a number of optional Saturday workshops and field trips scheduled. Class does not meet 11/27. Co-sponsored by Bloomingfoods,The Center for Sustainable Living and Hilltop Gardens and Nature Center.
Thanks to the generosity of a GOES graduate, scholarship assistance is available through the Cassell Memorial Scholarship fund. Scholarship applications must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the start of the program and are available at the Parks and Recreation office. Applicants must provide proof of income and a brief statement indicating why they are interested in completing the GOES series. For more information about applying for a scholarship, call 349-3702.
Date: Wednesdays, Sept. 4-Dec. 4, 6-9 p.m. (no class on 11/27)
Registration deadline: Aug. 30
Cost: $125 in city / $145 out of city (registration code 56503-A)
Ages: 18+
Location: Hilltop Garden and Nature Center, 2367 E. 10th St.
Instructor: a team of gardening experts
May 10, 2013 | 5:40 pm | Share
Join Kayte Young and Stephanie Solomon of Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard to explore the exciting world of lacto-fermented foods. We’ll do an in-class demonstration transforming fresh seasonal produce into delicious and nutritious probiotic foods. We’ll also discuss basic methods for making delicacies such as kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha and yogurt in your own home. Co-sponsored by Bloomingfoods and Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard.
Date: Wednesday, July 10, 5:30-7:30pm
Registration deadline: July 8
Cost: $8 in city/ $9 out of city (registration code 56508-A)
Ages: all ages
Location: Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, 1100 W. Allen St.
Instructor: Kayte Young and Stephanie Solomon, Nutrition Educators
May 10, 2013 | 5:39 pm | Share
When it rains, it pours. So why not harvest that abundance and learn to dance with drought? Dry times aren’t going away. With a bit of planning and good design we can buffer harsh conditions. Permaculture Design offers a holistic approach to water management. We will cover drought proofing strategies, water catchment and storage, passive water management, and learn to stop sending water “away”. Co-sponsored by Bloomingfoods and Hilltop Garden and Nature Center.
Date: Thursday, June 13, 6-8pm
Registration deadline: June 10
Cost: $11 in city/$14 out of city (registration code 56507-A)
Ages: all ages
Location: Hilltop Garden and Nature Center
Instructor: Jonas Carpenter
May 10, 2013 | 5:37 pm | Share
Learn how to be an expert composter and how to share your expertise with others. The class is based on the Cornell Waste Management Institute’s Master Composter curriculum with additional content added. Students may take the class for their own enrichment or, with the completion of a final presentation and 20 hours of volunteer educational outreach, be certified as Master Composters.
A reference notebook is included in the registration fee. Optional field trips and hand-on activities will be scheduled on some Saturdays during the class. Co-sponsored by Bloomingfoods, Bloomington Food Policy Council, Center for Sustainable Living, and The District…Where Green Living Begins.
Date: Tuesdays, 6/18-7/16, 6:30-8:30pm
Registration deadline: June 14
Cost: $55 in city/$60 out of city (registration code 56504-A)
Ages: all ages
Location: Hilltop Garden and Nature Center
Instructor: H. Michael Simmons
May 10, 2013 | 5:36 pm | Share
Domestic Resilience: Growing Food in the Neighborhood
Through the lens of permaculture, we will take a look at food security at the home and neighborhood levels. This is where we have the greatest impact, so let’s be creative and build the future of which we want to become a part! We will cover perennial foods, food storage, utilizing open neighborhood spaces, creating edible neighborhoods, waste streams and fertility cycles, niche and staple crops, and the development of neighborhood identity. Co-sponsored by Bloomingfoods and Hilltop Garden and Nature Center.
Date: Thursday, June 6, 6-8pm
Registration deadline: June 3
Cost: $11 in city/$14 out of city (registration code 56501-A)
Ages: all ages
Location: Hilltop Garden and Nature Center
Instructor: Jonas Carpenter
April 16, 2013 | 11:02 pm | Share
Length of Internship: 3 months (Mid May – Mid August)
Working Hours of Internship: Monday – Saturday, 10-15 hours per week
Compensation: Unpaid
Direct Supervisor: Amanda Werhane
The Bloomington Community Orchard inspires communities to cultivate thriving systems of sharing and growing fruit. As one of the only projects of its kind in the nation, the Bloomington Community Orchard is on the forefront of sustainable living and community building. Incredible, dedicated volunteers have worked thousands of hours to carry the Orchard from its first community meeting in February 2010, through two major grants and two community-wide planting days, and onward to harvesting and maintaining a place they love. Thanks to hundreds of community members who voted in the Communities Take Root contest, representatives from Edy’s and the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation came to town to provide the trees and instruction for our first planting.
The Orchard will contribute to Bloomington’s food security, inspire joyful community engagement, and educate citizens while making sustainability delicious. Our publicly owned Orchard operates in partnership with the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department.
The Orchard is run by a volunteer Board of Directors. Learn more about our Board, or check out the minutes archives from their monthly meetings.
Responsibilities
The Bloomington Community Orchard (BCO) is seeking an Outreach Intern for the 2013 Summer season. As an intern with the BCO, you will be responsible for assisting the Volunteer Coordinator with all aspects of outreach. The intern will assist in finding organizations,companies and individuals to attend weekly workdays at the Orchard. In addition, he/she will arrange and attend Orchard tabling events. These events allow the Orchard to be present in the community and gain awareness amongst community members. As a vital part of the metrics required for many grant applications, the intern will assist in recording volunteer hours each week, to properly organize monthly volunteer hours at the Orchard.
As a BCO Outreach Intern you will gain knowledge about sustainability and assist in the community growth of the Orchard. As a budding organization, the BCO needs more visibility which is why we need more recognition in the Bloomington community. If you are interested in outreach, sustainability, or community development, then our Outreach Internship is a perfect fit for you!
April 3, 2013 | 8:10 pm | Share
Title: Workday
Location: Orchard, 2120 S. Highland Ave.
Description: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- 11:00 Welcome, instructions, and planting
- Noon Community potluck. Bring a dish to share–and your own dishes/silverware to use if you have them.
Date: 2013-04-20
Rain date is April 27.
