Living Soil: The Foundation for Healthy Plants

A healthy plant starts with healthy soil. In this class, we will cover the basics of soil nutrition, the necessary ingredients of a healthy soil mix and what types of soil different plants require. This short lecture will be followed up with a short demo.
Participants will then learn to make a batch of Barrel Compost- a biodynamic preparation formulated by Maria Thun, an authority on biodynamics who dedicated her life to the research and application of Rudolf Steiner’s anthroposophical philosophy.
Registration fee is $35.

This class is a partnership between the Josephine Porter Institute and Seven Springs Farm.

About the Instructors:

Elizabeth Turkette grew up in Indiana surrounded by “Big Ag.” A desire to live a healthier and eco-conscious lifestyle lead her down the road to nutrition. Here she learned that nutrition starts with the soil and how our food is grown and processed. She has since found a passion for farming and gardening with the belief that nutrient-dense food is the foundation of a happy, healthy life. She gained her hands-on experience first by starting a small garden which was surrounded by acres of wild berries. After becoming a licensed wholesale supplier, selling to a local juice company, Elizabeth realized that Indiana no longer felt like home so she set out to travel.

In 2016, Elizabeth found the mountains calling her name and moved to Roanoke. After 2 years, she made the leap to Floyd (her dream town) where she found Seven Springs Farm, a supplier of organic farm and garden supplies. There she is the Agricultural Sales Representative, responsible for assisting customers with the proper product selection and use of products based on specific agronomic needs. She advises on a wide array of topics such as soil amending, cover crops, pest and disease management, crop rotation, and more. She finds great joy and importance in growing food and hopes to share that with the community in any way possible.

Larry Mabe will be instructing on Barrel Compost making and usage. He works as Josephine Porter Institute’s Pfeiffer Technician and Master Preparation Maker since 2001. Larry has been making and using the biodynamic preparations for over 20 years. He has worked closely with Hugh Courtney (JPI Founder) and has worked within the biodynamic community for several years. He is passionate about Oldtime music, and you can often hear him playing banjo for the Floyd Country Store.

Learn More about this event here: https://jpibiodynamics.org/blogs/events/living-soil-the-foundation-for-healthy-plants-may-22-2020-1pm-4pm