Introducing Our New Class Series: Homemade 101!

We’re excited to introduce our brand-new, in-store class series for 2016: Homemade 101.

Ever wanted to start a vegetable garden, can vegetables and other foods, make your own candles or soap…but just didn’t know where to start? Well, look no further! We’ve gathered expert instructors to present informative, entertaining and friendly DIY classes at our store, just for you.

If you’re already familiar with these simple living skills, you’ll have the chance to “pick the brains” of our instructors, ask questions and glean the most up-to-date information on your favorite old-time skill.

Stay tuned for more information on upcoming classes, and read on to learn about our first event!

Our first class is happening Saturday, March 5th: 
Ready, Set, Garden: Planning For a Year-Round Harvest

The instructor for this class is our favorite neighbor and organic gardener, Karen Geiser. Regular customers know Karen as one of our regular demonstrators in the store. She can often be seen churning butter, shelling peas or pitting cherries as she chats with visitors. There’s no doubt though – Karen is a true expert gardener and engaging speaker, too.

Click here to register for this class. (Space is limited!)

Questions for Karen Geiser: Get to know Karen a little better, before you come to the event! She was kind enough to answer some questions for us recently.

1.) Why did you get started with gardening? I grew up as a “slave” in my mom’s veggie garden (at least that is what it feels like when you are a child!) As a young married gal, I began gardening on my own and one experiment with a “new” pack of seeds (a cool mesclun mix) plummeted me into many more garden experiments and much garden joy over the years. I now garden about an acre and spend way too much on cool seeds and am an addicted plant collector.

2.) How did you educate yourself about this skill set? Learning at home
with my mom was a good foundation, and I continued building by reading piles of good gardening books during the winter. I also enjoy attending a farm seminar or two throughout the year.

3.) What is one thing you have learned in gardening that you wish you had
known when you got started? That the only way to get rid of quack grass is to dig it out, every last morsel and don’t start planting till you are sure it is gone forever.

4.) Let´s be honest, we all have “fails.” Do you have an example of a time
one of your gardening attempts didn´t work out? In all my seed experimentation, there are a few things my family simply did not enjoy – okra comes to mind. I also remember the year we put fresh manure on the garden and it burned all the plants … it was a sad and disappointing gardening year.

5.) List three words that you would use to describe gardening: joyful, earthy, delicious!

6.) How does gardening help you to live a simpler life? Producing your food from seed to plate gives a satisfaction that goes far beyond what money could buy, even at the farmers’ market. It also takes creativity to deal with both the abundance and the scarcity that a garden can produce.

Click here for more information on our March 5th class with Karen. Space is limited, so register now to reserve your space!