1 CNPS hour
Instructor: Don Boekelheide holds an MS in Agriculture from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and served as a Peace Corps agriculture volunteer and training coordinator in West Africa. He is known locally for launching Mecklenburg County's home composting and Master Composter Volunteer programs, and for his work establishing community gardens across Charlotte. A former USDA-certified organic farmer, he now tends an ecological yard in Plaza-Midwood (Wildlife Federation and City of Charlotte certified), and a foodtastic community garden plot at Reedy Creek Park. Don is also a journalist and editor who has covered everything from County Commission meetings to community mental health programs. Most recently, he served as Editor-in-chief of Community Gardening Magazine, published by the American Community Gardening Association. He thinks this diverse background gives his classes hybrid vigor, but still sees a connection: Journalists dig dirt while gardeners dig soil.
Class Date: This class meets once on the following day:
Unlocking the power of your soil fundamentally comes down to one word: Compost. Every gardener knows it, too. It's as close as we come to a Gardener’s Creed. Trouble is, it is easy to slip down rabbit holes of browns v. greens (which is which?) and elaborate compost contraptions. This class cuts to the chase: The evidence-backed science, tested techniques, and your choice of methods. Nature composts successfully everywhere, without gadgets. Learning from her example, all of us can be successful compost makers, growing living soil simply by recycling what we too often throw away as trash. Stop banishing those leaves. Learn how to turn them into black garden gold instead.
Location: UNC Charlotte Main Campus - McMillan Greenhouse
Cost: $20
Parking: During the week you must park in our visitor decks. Park in East Deck #1. Parking is free on the weekends. We still recommend parking in East Deck #1. If you park in an open lot through the week you will receive a fine of $85 from the university. We do have very limited free parking spots in front of the Greenhouse, but those fill up quickly.
UNC Charlotte Campus Parking Map
*If you have any questions, please contact garden-education@charlotte.edu
Stock number:
8601176
Price:
$20.00