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Dates for Spring Gardening Classes are Set!
We are very excited about 2023 and our new classes. Listed are classes currently scheduled, but we will be adding more as the season progresses. Exact dates for all classes will be posted soon. Please contact us if you are interested in private classes for groups of up to 6 students.
Learn how to grow, harvest, and cook your own produce. You won’t worry about having too much food and wasting your hard work and lovely produce. Learn unique and new ways to prepare vegetable and fruits in a fun atmosphere. Be ready to get dirty and eat some good food with these classes. Sara is currently working on a cookbook, so be ready to try out some new recipes and experience farm cooking as nature intended. Our classes are offered on our farm, and the kitchen is located outside for a full immersion experience in farm living.
Cooking Basics for Cooking Fresh; June, $50 ($90/couple);
Get some hands-on experience working with fresh foods and practicing the basic skills needed for fresh cooking. We will learn how to use garden produce in unique and different ways to help you
maximize the goodness from your garden and market. There will be vigorous discussion of a variety of foods and preparations. Bring a notebook and an apron if you really want to dive into the kitchen demonstrations.
Cast iron cooking; August, $50 ($90/couple);
Learn about how to care for your cast iron and how to cook three different dishes using cast iron techniques on cast pieces from my grandmother’s kitchen. Bring a cast iron skillet that needs some love and we can help teach you how to clean it up and season it properly. With the right care, a cast iron skillet will last several lifetimes. Late summer is when many of the favorite and most iconic veggies grace to the plate. Eating fresh is oh so easy with so many delicious choices of fresh veggies. A concise menu will be provided closer to the actual date of the class based on what is available on the farm.
Learn the basics of food preservation from drying and fermenting to freezing and canning. Get some hands-on experience in preparing foods for preservation and selection of different varieties of veggies or fruits to create the preserved foods you want.
Special courses will be offered on hot water bath canning and pressure canning methods where students will go through the process to prepare a food item to preserve. Students will learn to create beautifully preserved foods to enjoy for years to come. See a functional can room with over 100 gallons of various foods and learn how to store and categorize your foods for long term food security and enjoyment
Jams, and Jellies, and Chutneys oh my; July, $50 ($90/couple);
Midsummer is when some of our favorite fruits come pouring in. We will make a preserve with fresh fruits, as well as do a hot water bath canning. Everyone will get to sample some classic and unconventional treats and take home a jar of goodness to share. This class will give practical advice on what kinds of fruits you can grow as well as the tastiest ways to prepare those fruits and preserve them for later use. Get ready to enjoy summer at its fullest!
Putting up the Harvest; August, $50 ($90/couple);
Learn food preservation techniques for several common garden veggies including tomatoes and beans. We will cover a variety of techniques including freezing, drying, fermentation, pickling, and hot water and pressure canning. A canning demo will wrap it all up, and everyone will get to enjoy some samples. We will not only get to talk about the pleasure of eating but about the cultural and ecological significance of your food choices. Learn about eating in season, and how careful preservation can extend that season throughout the year.
Learn how to design a garden, choose which varieties to grow, build healthy soils, implement your plan, and follow through with care and harvest. Various classes cover all of the stages of gardening depending on the season and available garden space at Two Trees Farm. Learn from growers with over 30 years of combined experience in growing food for both self-nourishment and small market growing.
Gardening in the Mountains; Planning and planting for success, April 16 or 30 1-4:00, $30; Sign up for
gardening and soil class for $55
This class will cover what to grow, how to grow it, and how to get started. We will talk about garden varieties that will
do well in the cool evenings and wet mornings in the mountains of WNC. The class will dive deep into how to cultivate healthy
soils to encourage healthy plants and how to use integrated pest management to keep them strong. We will explore how to use your garden help the environment, garden maintenance, space saving techniques, pollinators, season extension, and how to
prep for next year at the end of the season. We will talk about the basics of botany, ecology, and permaculture to create harmonious goals with a practical plan for a low maintenance space that is fruitful and beautiful. Come for class and shop in our greenhouses for healthy, appropriate plants for your garden.
Gardening in the Mountains, Building soils and farming fungi, May 21 2:00-4:00, $30; Sign up for both soil and a gardening class for $55;
Get hands on instruction in building natural soils. Most of WNC has lost much of its topsoil due to poor land management over the last 200 years. It takes at least 100 years to build one inch of topsoil, up to 500 years to get fertile soil. We can speed up that process by providing organic matter and the right soil microbes and fungi. Get information and hands on experience with our techniques. We will also discuss farming fungi as a great way to increase soil fertility. Be ready to get dirty and go home inspired. Come for class and shop in our greenhouses for healthy, appropriate plants for your garden.
The Art of Herbs; September, $25 (couples $35);
Enjoy a cup of tea and have a walk about our farm and get herby. We will discuss
growing fresh herbs, making homemade teas, syrups, and cooking with herbs. Get ready to taste some unusual flavors and explore the pairing of herbs with all kinds of foods. Bring your favorite mug and be ready to enjoy a fresh new adventure.
Are you interested in learning how to live more sustainably? We would love to impart some of our knowledge about what we do on our farm. We teach one-on-one or group classes in skills ranging from planning and permaculture to farm repairs and implementing your dreams.
Sustainable Living Made Easier; July, $20 (couples $35);
Enjoy a cup of tea and have a walk about our farm to discuss sustainable living. We will talk about simple techniques to incorporate ecology and permaculture into your landscape. We will also discuss appropriate technologies and which sustainable options you can take advantage of. Timing and planning are everything and getting a good idea of where to start, or continue is best done with a warm beverage and friends. Bring pictures of your property for personalized advice.
Have you always wanted to learn how to work with metal? We offer flexible schedules and affordably priced classes for individuals and small groups on basic welding and smithing techniques from an experienced instructor. Our shop is located on the farm, offering you the ability to get hands-on experience in creating your own tools and having your own shop for farm/homesteading purposes. Learn metal-working techniques, how to set up a shop, and how to acquire/make tools needed for the tasks of sustainable living. Contact us for information about private classes.
