Organic Gardening Without Digging – 8 day course

This is a course, designed for growers, potential growers and anyone interested in learning how to grow food to sell.
Cost: € 240 (if again part-funded by the National Organic Training Skillnet -to be confirmed))

All days will begin at 9.30am and finish at 4.30pm. (Food will be provided).

No – Dig methods have the potential to save up to 40% labour and most of the saving is on the hard back breaking work. Full respect is given to the soil and the life within it,. through feeding the soil and strict crop rotations Our experience and observations leave us in no doubt that the more we can work with the undisturbed soil and develop methods for assisting the soil to work with our chosen crop, the better our time will be spent. The labour saving above should give adequate time to most growers to carry out their own trials. No – dig or more commonly referred to as No – till system, is actively progressive on field scale crop production.

Tutors: Paul O’Flynn, Selvi Iyilkci, John Conway, Ron De Bruin

Day1
An Introduction to Organic Production Principles and No Dig gardening.
This day is designed to give participants a thorough understanding of the above while focusing on soils and the life contained within. Healthy soils lead to healthy crops which can resist many pests and diseases. We will compare dig and no-dig methods of growing and discover the importance of organic matter in healthy soils.

Day2
This day is designed to give participants an in-depth insight into the financial cost of setting up, and day to day running of an intensive commercial garden, building and maintaining soil fertility, growing reliable cash crops and selling direct to the consumer through local markets.

Day3
Garden design: Planning and management techniques.

Day4
This will be a day of practical seed-sowing, techniques; and seed-saving.

Day5
Composting made easy.
Today we will look at several methods of producing high quality compost. Successful composting saves you money and leads to a more sustainable method of gardening. Learn about the role of Mycorrhiza and bacteria and the ideal ratios of components. During the afternoon session we will compare slow and fast methods of composting and fill a bee hive style compost bin.

Day6
Planning crop-rotations, green-manures, preparing and using liquid feeds and how to best deal with common pests and diseases, through preventative measures such as companion planting and how to make your own natural and safe insecticides and fungicides.

Day7
This morning participants will look at a DVD “The Power of Community”, followed by discussion. The remainder of the day will be spent looking in detail at current world-food systems and localizing food systems.

Day8
To round off the course today will be spent looking at setting up an Orchard and wildflower meadow. We will look at existing coppice plantations, a reed-bed system in operation and green buildings.
If the weather permits, participants and tutors will have the opportunity to make their own pizza and cook it using a cob oven.

Course Tutors:

Paul O’Flynn NCH. NCA: Has 22 years of experience as a practitioner and teacher of organic horticulture. Since 2003 he has been teaching Organic Production Principles and Food Crops modules at the highly successful 2-year ‘Practical Sustainability’ Course at the Kinsale College of Further Education – Since 2004 also at the Return to Education Centre in Mallow.

Selvi Iyilikci trained at An T-Ionad Glas, Centre for Organic Education, for 2 years. She broadened her experience by working and volunteering on numerous organic farms and gardens, both abroad and in Ireland over the last few years. Selvi is chiefly involved in developing the No-Dig market garden at The Hollies, selling produce on farmers markets and through a veggie box scheme.

John Conway has a B.A. in geography and is currently researching for his Masters on issues surrounding food sustainability and the revival of localised food networks in Ireland. He is a keen gardener and enjoys growing and selling food from the Hollies Garden Project through direct sale from the garden and at Bandon farmers market throughout the growing season.

Ron de Bruin HND (horticulture) is an experienced gardener and grower. He specializes in Ecological Landscape Design and Urban food gardening and has taught at An t-ionad Glas Organic College at Dromcollogher Co Limerick. He is currently teaching Soil Science and Plant Science at Mallow Return to Education Centre. Ron is currently running the Hollies apple Orchard.