Workshops
We love to share what we know.
My favorite way to showcase our organically and sustainably grown flowers and plants is through hands on workshops. Whether it’s learning to design spring centerpieces, dyeing eggs with plant dyes, or learning how to grow plants from seed, there’s something for everyone here on the farm.
All workshops begin with a short farm tour. The classes themselves are held in our cottage garden or out at the ranch, so you’ll be surrounded by flowers. We offer tea and cookies, or a pot luck lunch for each workshop. While there is a sun shade, it can get hot and very sunny in this area so be sure to bring sunscreen and a sunhat to keep you protected during the workshop. These workshops are hands on so you won’t be just sitting around but rather actively learning and doing. Our workshops are kept small, only 8-10 people, so you have time and space to relax, learn and enjoy each other’s company.
Finally, with each workshop you go home not only with new knowledge, but with a physical object be that a bouquet, dyed eggs, or a tray of seedlings.
All workshop registration sales are final. No refunds are offered for students who cannot make it.
If the weather is extreme we will either reschedule or cancel the workshop. Refunds will be offered to everyone if we have to cancel.
If you have ideas for workshops you’d like to see at the farm, just drop me an email. I’d love to hear from you.
Grow Your Own Vegetable Garden
Whether you already grow your own veg or you are wanting to start, this workshop can help you get everything planned and in place before you even break ground. Learn all about crop rotation, succession planting, direct sowing vs. seed starting, how to understand your seed packet, when to plant and more. Whether you plant in the ground, in raised beds or in containers on a patio, you can grow your own veg and herbs.
You’ll go home with a lot more knowledge, a crop plan, seed packets, and some sown seeds to get you started.
We’ll start with a garden tour to get ideas flowing and light refreshments will also be provided.
Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs
Natural dyes, are the pigments that exist in various plant materials, insects, fungi, and soils. They have been used for millennia by people all over the world. They were only replaced by synthetic dyes in 1856, but have always remained in use and have recently experienced a resurgence in popularity.
In this workshop we’ll use plant dyes to color eggs for the spring. You’ll get six hard boiled eggs to dip into different dye baths. Plus, you’ll go home with an instruction booklet so you can replicate the process at home with family and friends.
We’ll have tea and cookies plus a short farm tour to kick things off.
Design a Succulent Garden
Succulents are amazing plants. They require very little care, are easy to propagate, and are really fun to design with! In this workshop, you’ll create your own succulent garden to take home and enjoy. A variety of succulents will be available for you to choose from and a vessel will be provided as well. These table top gardens last for years and there is no end to the ways you can design them.
You’ll also enjoy a farm tour, light refreshments, and a lovely setting to learn and work. We’ll have a shade tent but be sure to bring a sun hat and sunscreen in case it’s needed.
Marvelous Spring Centerpieces
The perfect gift for Mother’s Day! Spend a morning in the cottage garden creating a beautiful spring centerpiece with flowers such as tulips, daffodils, anemones, hyacinths, ranunculus, feverfew, stock and more. You’ll have access to all the tools and flowers you desire plus a chance to cut your own from the farm. A lovely vessel will be provided for you to create your centerpiece and bring home with you. Bring a friend or a mom and share the fun together!
As with all our workshops, light refreshments will be provided as well as a farm tour.
Grow Your Own Cut Flower Garden - Tender Annuals
Saturday, May 21, 2022 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Love flowers and the idea of growing them yourself? Let us help you do that. In this workshop we’ll give you instruction from the ground up to create your own cut flower patch whether that’s an in ground garden or in containers. You’ll learn all about seed selection, the best flowers for cutting, how to start seeds, how to grow the plants and how to cut the blooms. This is a hands on workshop, not just a listen and learn. Dress to get dirty.
This workshop focuses on tender annual flowers, those grown in summer’s warm weather including: zinnias, celosia, sunflowers, basil, cosmos and more. You’ll go home with seed packets, a crop plan, as well as a tray of sown flower seedlings to get you started.
A farm tour and light refreshments will also be provided.
Hand Tied Bouquets
Saturday, June 25, 2022 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Spend a morning in the cottage garden learning to create your own hand tied bouquet. You’ll have access to all the tools and flowers you desire plus a chance to cut your own from the farm. Go home with a lovely hand tied bouquet wrapped in ribbon designed by you!
As with all our workshops, light refreshments will be provided as well as a farm tour.
Fanciful Floral Crowns
Saturday, July 9, 2022 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Come learn to make your own gorgeous floral crown and select from fresh cut flowers from the farm. Your workshop fee gets you all the materials and flowers you want and need to create a beautiful crown. These crowns dry really well too so they can be an everlasting product.
You’ll also enjoy a farm tour, light refreshments, and a lovely setting to learn and work. We’ll have a shade tent but be sure to bring a sun hat and sunscreen in case it’s needed.
Shibori: Dyeing with Indigo
Saturday, July 23, 2022 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
What is Shibori?
Shibori comes from the Japanese word ‘shiboru’ which means to wring, squeeze or press. Although this type of resist dyeing of fabrics is practiced in many cultures around the world, here in America, we call these methods, Shibori, after the Japanese.
There are six main Shibori techniques:
Kanoko -- you can think of this as what we call ‘tie-dye’. It involves binding sections of cloth and securing them, then dipping in the dye bath.
Miura -- this involves looping and binding the cloth with thread, using only tension to secure the bind.
Kumo -- fabric is wrapped around objects such as stones and bound with thread.
Nui -- this is a stitching technique where needle and thread are used to create patterns of resist against the dye.
Arashi -- the fabric is wrapped around a pole, secured with string and compressed to create lines of resist.
Itajime -- compressed method where the fabric is folded and compressed between blocks of wood.
In this workshop we’ll try 5 of these techniques. As Kanoko and Miura are so similar, we’ll combine them.
You’ll go home with a sample of each technique. Please wear clothing which can get stained. We’ll be outside for the workshop and it might be hot so dress accordingly.
We’ll start with a farm tour and light refreshments will also be provided.
Plants for free! All about propagation.
Saturday, August 13, 2022 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Propagation is a method of making more plants for free from plants you already have in your home or garden. (It is against the law to propagate patented plants so we will be avoiding those). You’ll learn how to take both soft and hard wood cuttings and you’ll go home with cuttings of each. Once you get the hang of propagation, you’ll love this way of adding to your plant collection at no cost.
We’ll do a farm tour and have light refreshments as well.
Eco Printing: Painting with Flowers
Saturday, August 27, 2022 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Eco printing is the art and craft of taking botanicals, i.e. plants and flowers and applying them to fabrics. This is done with heat and time. In this workshop you’ll learn the step by step process and go home with your own eco printed scarf. We’ll have dried botanicals for you to use and you can forage on the farm for fresh botanicals to use as well. Kits for this workshop are available in the Farm Store as well.
Bring a lunch dish to share for our pot luck picnic.
Grow Your Own Cut Flower Garden - Hardy Annuals
Saturday, September 10, 2022 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Love flowers and the idea of growing them yourself? Let us help you do that. In this workshop we’ll give you instruction from the ground up to create your own cut flower patch whether that’s an in ground garden or in containers. You’ll learn all about seed selection, the best flowers for cutting, how to start seeds, how to grow the plants and how to cut the blooms. This is a hands on workshop, not just a listen and learn. Dress to get dirty.
This workshop focuses on hardy annual flowers, those grown over the winter for spring blooms such as: bachelor buttons, stock, statice, strawflower, snapdragons, agrostemma, sweet peas, calendula and more. You’ll go home with seed packets, a crop plan, as well as a tray of sown flower seedlings to get you started.
A farm tour and light refreshments will also be provided.