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Soil Health and Microbial Life

March 20th 2022. 10:00 to 12:00

SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 2022 AT 10 AM – 12 PM
Event by Crooked Farmz
How can we become more mindful stewards of the earth beneath our feet?


In anticipation of a robust and generative summer of healthy soils and healthy plants for the upcoming growing season, Crooked Farmz will be offering a 2-hour intensive workshop in mid-March titled Soil Health and Microbial Life. The course is designed to develop or refresh a baseline knowledge about soil composition and chemistry, and then to update this received wisdom with a better understanding of the life teeming underground in the microbiome — the vast living network that allows our plants to thrive.

The workshop will take place via Zoom. In part one, we will explore elements of classic soil science and introduce the key microbial actors at work in the soil microbiome. In part two, we will consider the decomposition of organics and a full spectrum of composting techniques available to suit any growing context. Finally, in part three we will outline a variety of probiotic strategies available to us in agricultural and horticultural applications, from the urban microfarm to the backyard garden.

Though we intend to take a “deep dive” into the soil to better understand the microbiome and its relationship to biodiversity, this workshop is designed for beginner and intermediate gardeners and growers. No prior knowledge is assumed, just some experience having your hands in the dirt growing things and a desire to know a little bit more about our role in creating healthy soil.

Workshop Fee: $20

Please register at https://www.localline.ca/crookedfarmz under the 'Workshops' category. Select 'Pickup' and 'Zoom Workshop' for your delivery options.
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The workshop will be hosted by Sean Smith of Crooked Farmz.

Crooked Farmz is a small urban microfarm located in Toronto that produces high quality small-batch composts and vermicomposts for use in brewing fresh actively-aerobic compost teas. These are sold across the city by CSA subscription and at farmers’ markets for use in home gardening and urban agriculture, as well as in larger quantities to professional gardeners and urban farmers.

We are passionate about the role that urban agriculture and horticulture might play in fostering biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and regenerative growing practice. Compost tea offers one important probiotic approach to building microbial health in soil and reducing the need for synthetic pesticides and fertilizers — plus so much more.

As part of our commitment to these goals, Crooked Farmz is launching a west-end satellite and research station with the Fresh City Farm Partners project in Summer 2022: the Compost Research Array at Downsview Park (CRAY@Downsview).