Classes at the farm

Thinking of giving classes here at the farm to generate a little revenue. I found a great farm for sale in Penrose with ten acres and water, and we are going to look at it today, but coming up with that $1500 earnest money is a struggle. We have half and are waiting for our tax refund to show up in the bank, but what if we decide we really want this property? Maybe it's not the right time. We will go look first and then see.

Also the conservation man from the USDA is coming out today to do an assessment on our property and decide if we can get one of the high tunnels to grow in. Exciting. And we meet with another department of the USDA tomorrow to officially get the farm on the books and see what programs are available to us. I'm hoping a farm loan for a real farm. Wouldn't that be cool?

Anyway, wondering if anyone is interested in some gardening classes or maybe chicken basics that we could run on Sundays? Ideas for classes would be great too.

Still working on the earthbag barn. We decided to stucco the portion that is done, and continue with more bags to make the walls a couple of feet higher, but we have to get the bags out of the sun, so this weekend we will be mixing up the stucco and plastering the outside. If anyone wants to come out and help, you are sure welcome to, just give us a call.

Class ideas:
Chicken basics...from day old to laying, to retiring to the stew pot.
Seed starting
Garden prep
Composting
Cold Frames
Soil Science
Bio Intensive Gardening
Build a hoop house
Cheese making (when the milk comes in)
Build a chicken coop
How to make a recycled can tin man
Goats...care and housing
Fencing

If anyone is interested in any of these subjects, let us know and we can put together a class. Donations to the farm are always welcome and can be made through Pay Pal at the Green Desert Eco Farm site.

We are getting serious about farming now. Support the farm...ours, or any small, local, organic and natural farm. It is important that we change the food paradigm of America by not participating in Agribusiness.

Day 3...build a barn

Day three had a great turn out too! The weather was not so nice...a little cold and windy, but our participants stuck in there and we got eight levels of bags up when the day was done.

 

digging more dirt to fill the bags

hauling the dirt to the earthbag barn

six courses

Rolling out the barbed wire for the next course

seven courses

Eight courses done at the end of day 3

Thanks to everyone who participated! It was definitely a hands on learning experience for everyone. Now we have to research some kind of mud plaster to cover the bags to protect them from the UV rays. It will be slow going now with just the two of us...or one of us as the case may be, so anyone who still wants to come out and help, give us a call.

Day 2 of the Earthbag Building Blitz

Big turn out today. People went home tired and sore, I'm sure, and we appreciate everyone's help. The structure came a long way in a few hours with so many hands.

 

 

Three courses...looks solid

Tying the bag

The end of four courses

It was a long day. Everyone was a big help and everyone's little kids had great fun together. We are meeting so many people who share a common interest in learning more about alternative building. It's a wonderful thing--earth friendly structures built out of recycled materials. You can't get more grounded than that for housing options. This structure will remain cool in the hot summer heat, warmer in the cold winter and block out some of the wind we get here in our high desert. It sure seems to make more sense than the modular home we live in now. We need to go back to building with the land, and for the climates we live in, keeping in mind the climate changes that are occurring and will get worse over time. Which is more sustainable, a modular, stick built house or an earth house?