UPDATE: 2009 Course is FULL and CLOSED. Thanks!
Alemany Farm’s 2009 Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture
Download the application here: PDF / Word
If you are eager to learn more about urban food production and wish to gain some of the skills to become your own food producer, you should enroll in Alemany Farm’s Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture.
The 12-month course will take participants through the seasons, covering key garden and orchard tasks that occur in Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Workshops will teach core principals of food production such as soil fertility and composting, propagation and planting, seasonal tree care, water-wise irrigation, plant identification, integrated pest management, and crop planning. The hands-on training —using our vegetable gardens, herb gardens, and orchards — will cover several different methods of sustainable horticulture such as French Biointensive and Permaculture. In addition to gardening instruction, the classes will include discussions on social and political issues such as food security and government agricultural policies.
Our hope is that by learning the skills, concepts, and cultural context of urban agriculture, you are inspired to go out into the world as a “good food” activist. To this end, part of registering for the course includes committing to 40 hours of volunteer work, ideally at Alemany Farm or another sustainable food project in a low-income neighborhood.
Main curriculum for the Ecological Horticulture classes will be covered the second Sunday of every month, January through December, at Alemany Farm. The workshops will take place from 10 am to 5 pm, with a generous break for a potluck lunch. This core curriculum will be enhanced by 12 other workshops covering issues such as urban beekeeping, medicinal herbs, graywater systems, mushroom cultivation, and food preservation (drying and canning). Course participants have access to nearly 120 hours of instruction.
There is a suggested donation of $125 for the year-long course. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Students will receive a course reader. Non-core curriculum classes are also open to pre-registered members of the general public, but preference will be given to students registered for the Ecological Horticulture program. Participants are encouraged to purchase their own hand pruners and trowels for the class.
To register for the Apprenticship in Ecological Horticulture, please visit www.alemanyfarm.org and download an application. Completed applications should be mailed to: Alemany Farm, 2715 22nd Street, SF, CA 94110. The deadline to submit applications is January 1, 2009.
Download the application here: PDF / Word