Backyard Farmer 2011

The Morris Farm, Backyard Farmer, Winter 2011

Date: February 5
Time: 9am - 11am
Title: Planning Your Spring Garden, Companion Planting and Ordering Seeds
Description: This is the year you are going to make the effort to plan your garden early and get your seeds ordered on time.  Let us help you!  Come hear a talk on how to get the most from what nature offers through companion planting and learn how and what seeds you will need to order.  We’ll have Fedco catalogs on hand and will help participants complete their seed orders.  Coffee, tea and muffins will be provided.
Cost: $20 non-Morris Farm members, $15 Morris Farm members


Date: February 12
Time: 10am - 12pm
Title: Guided Farm Tour and Snowshoe Walk
Description:  Make the Morris Farm your own this winter by coming on a free guided tour.  The barn in winter is a wonderful place! The cows and heifers are in and calves are on the way.  You’ll get a tour of the barn, chicken house, out through the pastures to the trails, on to the yurt and then back again.  You'll meet the animals, learn how to pass electric fences and find the trail to the yurt.  Hot cocoa and coffee will be provided.
Cost: Free
Register Here  Registration not required, but appreciated

Date: March 8 CANCELLED
Time: 6pm -- 9pm
Title: Brewer's Workshop
Description: We had so much fun last fall we have to do it again -- Home-brewer's unite!  All levels of brewer from beginner to expert are invited to brew a batch of beer, share tips, experiences and a bottle of your own home brew that you bring from home.
Cost: $20 non-Morris Farm members, $15 Morris Farm members
Register Here

Date: Rescheduled to June 4th and 5th
Time: 9am – 3pm, both days
Title: Introduction to Cheese Making
Description: A hands-on workshop with Appleton Creamery, in basic home cheese making.  In this two-day workshop you'll be using simple equipment you may already have at home to make a jack cheese the first day, press overnight, then finish the second.  In addition, we will also make feta, yogurt, a lactic cheese, quick mozarella, ricotta (a whey cheese) and butter, depending on the interests of the class. This workshop will concentrate on basic cow cheeses using Morris Farm cow and goat milk. Basic use of ripening cultures and rennet and milk chemistry will be covered. Resource list and basic recipes supplied. You will go home with cheese that you've made!
Cost: $120
Register Here

Date: Rescheduled to April 26th
Time: 6pm – 8pm
Title: Making Soap with Mandy Nolan
Description: Learn the basics of making soap at home with artist and master soap maker Mandy Nolan.  The class will make a block of soap together, learn about making lip balms and shampoos and have a chance to ask Mandy questions like what inspired her soap called Hippie Stink Vegan or, more simply, where does she buy her organic essential oils and extracts.
Cost: $25 non-Morris Farm members, $15 Morris Farm members
Register Here

Date: April 9
Time: 9am - 11am
Title: Introduction to Composting
Description: An amazing opportunity to take a class with Mark Hutchinson, founder of the Maine Compost School, on the basics of composting.  Learn to start your own composting solution to food waste at home and how to turn your waste into fertilizer for your gardens from one of the top people in the field.
Cost: $20 non-Morris Farm members, $15 Morris Farm members
Register Here

Date: April 5
Time: 6pm - 8pm
Title: Vegetable Gardening with the Morris Farm Master Gardeners
Description: The Morris Farm Master Gardeners will talk about the garden they have established at the Morris Farm.  The garden includes both raised beds and non-raised beds.  In 2010 the group grew 1,356 pounds of food for Plant-a-Row using succession planting.  In addition to a presentation, the Master Gardeners will bring their collective experience and reference materials from their University of Maine Cooperative Extension classes to a question/answer session.  Workshop attendees can ask questions and all can share tips and the fun they have with gardening.
Cost: $20 non-Morris Farm members, $15 Morris Farm members
Register Here

Look out for these upcoming spring and summer classes at the Morris Farm: Backyard poultry: meat birds and laying hens, Square Foot Gardening, Potatoes in a Box, Plots in Pots, Growing an Herb Spiral, Medicinal Herbs and more!