Urban Homesteading
If you want to learn how to live well without needing a lot of money, we want to help you! We can teach you how to get food from the ground to the table (or from a local farm to the table), how to preserve fresh foods to eat during the winter, how to make cheese and soap, even how to raise poultry for eggs and/or meat.
Edible Landscapes and Foraging: Ages 18+. Don't just pull those weeds, eat them! Find out which native weeds are edible and how to prepare them, you'll be surprised how much food you've been throwing in the yard waste. Learn about common wild foraging plants berries, flowers, greens, roots, and common mushrooms and their habitats.
Class is held offsite; location and directions will be given after registration.
Saturday, 8/8, 2–4 p.m.
$20 ID/$24 OD. Register here
Seed Saving: Ages 18+. Learn a variety of techniques for saving heirloom vegetable seeds for planting, including ideal harvest times, collection techniques, preparation/drying, and proper storage.
Bob Keefer Center
Thursday, 8/13, 6–8 p.m.
$20 ID/$24 OD. Register here
Winter Gardening: Ages 18+. Learn to plan out a small to medium sized family garden, vegetables that do well over winter in our climate, and how to maximize production from a small space. Now is the time to start planting your winter garden to have produce all winter long and into spring. Also learn about saving seeds and sources for free vegetable and flower seeds.
Bob Keefer Center
Thursday, 8/20, 6–8 p.m.
$20 ID/$24 OD. Register here
Soap Making: Ages 18+. Learn the basics of making bar soap from scratch. We will discuss the chemistry of saponification, properties of different base oils, local sources, fragrance oils and other additives while we make a batch of soap. Take home a share of the soap we produce.
Bob Keefer Center
Thursday, 8/27, 6–8 p.m.
$20 ID/$24 OD. Register here
FAQs
What are you doing to keep participants safe?
We are enforcing six-foot physical distancing during class and have specified an entry to and from class that will minimize exposure to other Bob Keefer Center visitors.
Do I have to wear a mask?
For all indoor classes, patrons will be required to wear a mask. This is in alignment with state requirements for masks in all public indoor businesses, effective July 1.
Will the instructor wear a mask?
Instructors are required to wear a mask indoors. Instructors are also required to adhere to six-foot physical distancing.
What does ID/OD mean? People who live or own property within Willamalane Park and Recreation District’s boundaries support Willamalane with their tax dollars, and so they enjoy lower program costs. If you live in-district, you'll pay the ID cost; if you live out-of-district, you'll pay the OD cost. Not sure if you're in-district? Check the district map here.
