Growing Power is offering two unique workshops in 2008:

Growing Your Community Food System "From the Ground Up"

and

Growing Power -- Growing Farmers! Commercial Urban Agriculture Training Program

Growing Power, Inc in conjunction with

presents

 Growing Your Community Food System

“From the Ground Up”

2008 Workshops

*Friday, Saturday and Sunday

•  January 12-13, 2008

•  February 16-17, 2008

•  March 15-16, 2008

•  April 19-20, 2008*

•  May 10-11, 2008*

*Friday’s are special training days for the New Commercial Urban Agriculture Training Program participants and for the Multicultural Alliance Building through Dismantling Racism training days.

“Growing Your Community Food System” is an intensive, hands on, training workshop offering diverse groups the opportunity to learn, plan, develop, operate, and sustain community food projects.  Project participants leave the workshop with improved skills that they can take back into their communities and pass on to others.  These workshops are for both rural and urban projects.

• We encourage you to bring several members of your group or operation to these workshops if you are interested in multiple topics; this is especially helpful if you are a member of a training or outreach organization.

• These workshops put organizations, projects, and food producers in touch with each other to help build collaborations and long-term, sustainable partnerships.

• Please come prepared to get your hands dirty!  Leave your dress shoes at home and wear your farmer duds – this is not a dressy training event.. Bring work shoes, warm layers of clothing – the greenhouses are very warm and it can be very cold outside. Workshops often take place in both settings.

Workshops are held at Growing Power’s Community Food Center:

Growing Power Community Food Center I 5500 West Silver Spring Drive I Milwaukee, WI 53218

Tel: (414) 527-1546 I Fax: (414) 527-1908

Email: katie@growingpower.org 

To attend these workshops please call or email to request a registration form. The $300 fee is payable when you attend the workshop.  

Click here to download a registration form.

COST:  $300 (cost includes 5 meals) for the Saturday and Sunday workshop.

Friday Workshop:  The cost for the Multicultural Alliance Building through Dismantling Racism workshop is an additional $75.00.

Limited scholarships are available.

Meals are a very important aspect of the two days.  The food is produced by sustainable, small family farmers.  Vegetarian dishes served, Vegan or special dietary needs can be accommodated. Please let us know if you have special dietary requirements.

Workshops Topics:

Animal Husbandry

Have you been thinking of adding animals to your farm operation? Not sure where to start?  What the profit margins are?  Or the start up cost?  Learn the basics of animal care that uses sustainable methods feasible for the small farmer or rancher. This workshop will have a focus on pastured poultry, goats, and sheep.

Aquaculture/Aquaponics

Learn how to build indoor fish and plant systems for food production. Participants will set up a small scale Aquaponics system and learn how to maintain and monitor tilapia fish production in a closed loop/natural system.

Bee Keeping

Learn the ABC’s of urban or rural beekeeping without the use of chemicals.  Participants will leave with a solid understanding of the materials, suppliers and environment to keep these amazing animals content and productive.

Community Project Design: (limited to 10 participants)

Participants will learn how a well-designed planning process will create a successful food systems project. There will be discussions and facilitation of how to develop a vision, goals and program activities. Hands on project mapping and identification of community assets and strategies to identify and establish innovative partnerships will be explored. Participants will create a vision map, and outline a plan of action for their return. This workshop is ideal for project leaders who are beginning new projects or programs or for existing projects seeking to begin strategic planning or expansion.

*Please bring photos, site plans, business plans, and brochures of your program for this workshop.

Ethnic Marketing (limited to 10 participants)

Learn about the basics of farmer-to-buyer marketing from a seasoned expert; participate in group discussions focused on strategies to market your products and programs, to a variety of buyers and consumers, including establishing wholesale accounts. Learn about ethnic crops that are in high demand and ways to pack and package your products. *Please bring your business plan, samples of your product, labeling or other resources that you would like to develop in this workshop

Living Biological Worm Systems

An Innovative Approach to Sustainable Production.  Learn how to develop a comprehensive and sustainable growing system

that can grow food year-round without heat.

  Included in this 2-day workshop:

• Vermiculture

Learn how to construct and maintain a worm bin, how to use vermicompost for fertilizer and making money, and how vermicompost, along with plants, remediate the soil.

• Composting

Learn how to build indoor/small scale compost systems, and design and maintain outdoor/small and large scale systems.  Discuss collection of waste streams in the city or on the farm.

Year-round Greenhouse Production

Learn the basics in seed starting, propagation and how to grow year round greens of all types, herbs and Micro greens. This is a great way to round out your farm operation and bring in profit and food security all year-round.

Please call to find out when other specialty workshops will be offered.

Other workshops may include: Record keeping/accounting, Mushroom growing, farm animal care, soap making, and cheese making.

Hotel Information: 

Growing Power Workshop participants receive a discount at the LaQuinta Inn, which is located just 10 minutes away from the Growing Power Community Food Center. The cost is $60 plus tax per night.  Please mention that you are attending the workshop and you should receive the Growing Power rate.

LaQuinta Inn I 5442 North Lover’s Lane Road I Milwaukee, WI I Phone: (414) 535-1300.

Airport Information:

The Growing Power Community Food Center is located 20 minutes from the Milwaukee General Mitchell Field Airport. 

For directions please refer to the Map Quest website (www.mapquest.com) or call or email us.

Workshop Schedule:

FRIDAY                 

8:00 AM-5:00 PM    Commercial Urban Agriculture Program participants

                            Dismantling Racism (April and May workshops only)

SATURDAY

8:00-9:00 AM           Breakfast and registration                                 

9:00 AM                  Introductions of Growing Power and all participants 

10:00 AM                 Educational Tour of Growing Power                             

12:00 PM                 Lunch                                                              

1:00-5:00 PM           Workshop breakout session of your choice          

6:00 PM                   Dinner and social time

SUNDAY

8:30-9:30 AM           Breakfast                                                          

9:30 AM                  Workshop breakout sessions                                   

12:30 PM                 Lunch                                                       

1:30–4:00 PM           Wrap up morning sessions

Please note that we are quite flexible with the schedule to allow for questions, networking, etc.