Workshops
A Poem is a (Love) Letter
Facilitated by
Alex Patrick Dyck (they/them)
Exploring poetic letter-writing and ways to play with communication and form. Through slideshow and discussion we will delve into the history of epistolary poetry and its uses in visual art and writing both past and present. Letter-writing is a powerful tool for connection and resistance as well as a way for us to bridge personal and collective desire and grief. Using an array of provided materials, techniques and interactive writing exercises we will create multimedia pieces of epistolary art and poetry.
Befriending Bees -
Intro to Beekeeping!
Facilitated by
Hana' Maaiah (she/her/they)
Bees are our ancestors, pre-dating human existence on the Earth by tens of millions of years. When we host bees on land, they teach us about communal living, positive environmental impacts, and how to dance and make sweet treats. The goal of this workshop is to make bee keeping as possible as possible, so by the end of it, you will know how to manage your very own backyard hive! In this hands on workshop, we will:
Learn about the history of bees
Understand honey bee biology
Discover pests and diseases that impact the hive
Learn where and how to install a backyard hive, plus how to connect with a bee mentor
Explore how to source bees, hive materials, beekeeping equipment and other related start up costs
Be introduced to the honey extraction process
City to Country: How to Move Without Losing Your Mind!
Facilitated by
Tomia MacQueen (she/her)
Most of the time farming is represented as either euphoric and ideal or as absolute, thankless drudgery. This workshop is about the reality of the middle ground and all of the little, and not so little, things that no one actually tells you about country life. From the funny and the beautiful moments to the life altering and dangerous times and all of the funky, quirky wonderfulness in between, farm life has it all. Are you ready? This workshop covers the basics of looking for land and funding your farm, and the all important prospect of finding the right community as a person of color., but will also go more in-depth about preparing for day to day country life,.. such as what to bring with you and what not to bother packing up (yep, just sell it LOL), what to setup first, the chicken coop or the garden, how to save yourself and your family a ton of money and heartache and why your kids will likely love you and hate you at the same time for moving them into the country. Come ready to take notes in this information packed workshop.
Connecting to the Earth through Qi Gong Workshop
Facilitated by
Taganyahu Swaby (he/him/they)
In this knowledge share we will practice qi gong together. Qi gong is an ancient technology to ground us into the earth and align with the heavens above us. We will explore our inner awareness by listening and tuning into the signals that are bodies are transmitting. Through movement and an engagement with the breath, we will work to break down our perceived separation from ourselves and our environment. Through this practice we will experience our interconnection to the plant kingdom—rooted in the earth and growing upright to the skies.
Communal Cooking as a Tactile Approach to (Re)membering the Land and Ancestors
Facilitated by
Sabrina Beydoun (She/they)
In this hands-on workshop, we will collectively cook recipes from the Levant, such as "mouneh" or local preserves of Lebanon. Together, we'll explore how using our hands to cook and transform local seasonal harvests alongside others, can be a bridge into remembering our own ancestral lands and cultures.
Connecting to the Earth through Capoeira Angola
Facilitated by
Taganyahu Swaby (he/him/they)
Capoeira Angola is an Afro-Brazilian liberatory art form that teaches us how to place our hands onto the earth. In this class we will explore with how the earth holds us up and our connection to the vehicle that we inhabit this world in. Within the African matrix our ancestors reside in the earth. And their blood runs through our veins informing our perception of our bodies and the world. We will experiment with placing our palms on the floor to see what we can sense touching the ground. Through playful interaction and consent, we will learn to play the game of Capoeira together to try to break down some of the programming that has held us captive in our bodies. Our bodies have known movement that isn’t limited to societal norms. Within this workshop we will work on liberating ourselves back to the movements of our ancestors.
Cultivating A Culture of Care: Herbs for Farm Team Unity and Connection
Facilitated by
Amara Ullauri (they/them/elle)
Khadija Khansia (they/she)
In this immersive experience, we will introduce ourselves to plants that embody the medicine of heart-centered communication, collaboration and cooperation. We will learn about a selection of herbs that have been traditionally known for their abilities to promote harmony, understanding, and cooperation among individuals, and will create herbal medicines together that can be used as tools for team bonding and personal growth.
This workshop is perfect for farm teams looking to strengthen their bonds, enhance communication, and create a nurturing and harmonious work environment. Whether you're new to herbalism or have some experience, this workshop offers insights and practical tools that can be applied to your farm team's daily life.
Diversifying Your Farm Business's Revenue Streams
Facilitated by
Dishaun Harris (he/him)
In this workshop, we will view a presentation on a currently successful Urban Agriculture business, Root Life LLC, and discuss how the company utilizes multiple streams of revenue, from a relatively small farm space, to generate profits.
Edible & Medicinal Plant ID Forage Walk
Facilitated by
Dishaun Harris (he/him)
In our time together, we’ll walk the surrounding areas to identify local edible and medicinal plants to forage. We will learn the basics of foraging safely, using field guides and technology for proper identification and discover the abundance all around us!
Fiber Craft Circle
Facilitated by
Sav Thomas (they/them)
Do you knit, crochet, weave, spin, hand sew, or some other amazing fiber craft? Bring your preferred craft and join other fiber lovers for a fiber crafting session. This is a space to ask other crafters and artists about their mediums, share about your own, or just craft and vibe!
Game Time!
Facilitated by
Amara Ullauri (they/them/elle)
Khadija Khansia (they/she)
Let’s play together! This is a space to explore interactive games that can be woven into our day-to-day farm life to introduce levity and play. These games can be used as team building exercises with your team or ice-breakers with visitors or volunteers! We’ll bring our favorite farm games and you bring yours!
Growing Soils
Facilitated by
Dishaun Harris (he/him)
Dive into a condensed yet impactful 90-minute workshop designed exclusively for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) farmers. "Growing Soils" is a dynamic session that equips BIPOC farmers with the composting knowledge to enhance soil health. And we will guide participants in the importance of creating their own compost space, empowering them to embrace sustainable agricultural practices.
Hemp, Sustainability and
Justice for Communities
of Color
Facilitated by
Freedom Gerardo (he/him)
In this workshop, we will learn all things Hemp. Hemp (Cannabis sativa, chemotypes II, III and IV) has been cultivated by humans for over 50,000 years for thousands of uses. Hemp cultivars have been bred for high seed(superfood), hurd, and fiber production - providing for many human uses, including nutrition, clothing, building materials, rope, and netting. Hemp hurd and lime concrete (hempcrete) is a long-lasting (over 900 year old structures are still in use today) and carbon-negative structural building material. Hemp textiles, rope, and netting has been used for thousands of years and were a required crop in the early United States. More recently, hemp oils have been adapted for use as fuels and feedstocks for chemical manufacturing and replacements for plastics. Shifting cultural and legal acceptance of hemp in the United States and globally, is part of a global revolution in shifting to a green and circular economy - whereby land-based products and resources are cycled through numerous interdependent economic sectors - equitably adding value to an ecosystem of human enterprises and co-produced flourishing landscapes. In our time together, we will discuss the resurgence of hemp as a sustain material for clothing, construction, and consumer products, and the social and environmental benefits of Hemp.
This region's climate is conducive to hemp production, which, if properly cultivated, is a regenerative crop that can rebuild soil nutrients and health.
Hoodoo Spiritual Tools:
Broom Weaving 101
Facilitated by
Sav Thomas (they/them)
Most of us use brooms to sweep our floors and knock down cobwebs, but in the Hoodoo tradition, brooms are so much more. Hoodoo practitioners use brooms for spiritual cleansing, bringing in good luck, and more. And while we love our brooms, few of us know how to make them ourselves.
This workshop will guide participants through the process of weaving their own hand brooms and participants will leave with tips on how to use their brooms as an old school spiritual tool.
Introduction to Traditional Mayan Medicine
Facilitated by
Sabina Cecilia Ajcot Sosof (she/her)
In this introduction to Traditional Mayan Medicine, we’ll explore what is the Mayan Cosmovision and the connection it has with traditional medicine. Through natural medicine based on Mayan ancestral knowledge, we will learn about the various energies of the human being and the cosmos, and begin to learn how to identify our personalities in relation to the cosmos and how to be in harmony with the environment.
We will learn techniques that help the body to eliminate or alleviate different pains and diseases that occur regularly in daily life, such as: situations of stress, fright, imbalance and will identify different areas in the body that we must work and heal through herbs, syrups, and lung treatments.
Knife Skills: a 101 guide
Facilitated by
Sabrina Beydoun (She/they)
In this hands-on workshop, we'll go through the practical skills of selecting and maintaining a good knife, and practice the foundations of various knife cuts. To learn these skills, we will prepare and share a traditional Palestinian salad together.
New Earth School:
Plant Wisdom Transmissions
Facilitated by
Yura Sapi (they/them)
Step into a world where plants talk to you sharing their wisdom with answers to your deepest questions…
Join us for New Earth School: Plant Wisdom Transmissions to learn how to communicate with plants. Rediscover your role as a creator and steward of Mother Earth.No matter who we are, we as humans are stewards of Mother Earth and it’s time to remember our power in bringing to life our liberated future.
We are beings entrusted with the responsibility of nurturing our planet. New Earth Bodies is your opportunity to reconnect with the natural world and explore the profound connection between humans and plants. Join this immersive experience where you’ll learn the ancient arts of communicating with plants through a series of hands-on activities, guided meditations and interactive discussions. Unlock these sacred codes, journey to self-discovery and re-awaken your connection to the Earth. We are birthing the rEvolution towards a liberated and harmonious future.
Are you ready? New Earth School awaits you. Join us to sow the seeds of transformation together.
Rooted in the Diaspora;
a Somatic Dance Journey
Facilitated by
Rishona (Rishi) Hines (she/they)
Explore the roots of somatic therapy through an African Diaspora lens. Learn basic foundation of African dance through ethnomusicology. Every BODY is welcome and invited on this journey. Rishi will guide us through an active warm-up based in Afro-Caribbean technique, building heat and releasing stagnancy through explorative somatic dance and African dance technique, and exploring community learning and engagement through relational dance experiences. We will explore dances from Congo, Angola, Mali, Brazil, Haiti and Jamaica, giving substance to our dance as prayers to ourselves, our past and future ancestors and to the earth we commune with.
Silvopasture at Soul Fire Farm
Facilitated by
Danielle Peláez (she/they || ella/elle)
Leah Penniman (all pronouns)
Maya Hector (she/her)
Goats, chickens, and fruit trees can be raised together in a system called silvopasture that captures carbon, self-fertilizes, and manages pests. Soul Fire Farmers Danielle, Maya, and Leah will share what we have learned integrating livestock into our 4-acre orchard. We will cover orchard care, stocking rates, fence rotations, parasite management, and more. In the spirit of "each one teach one" we will ask participants to share their own experience and knowledge.
Shiitake Mushrooms Cultivation on Logs
Facilitated by
Michael Del Rio (they/them)
In this hands-on workshop, we will learn in theory and practice how to cultivate Shiitake Mushrooms on hardwood logs, from Inoculation to harvest. We will also discuss how to make powerful shiitake medicine in the form of a tincture, from our harvests.
The Road to Food Sovereignty
as a Right of Life for All
Facilitated by
Sabina Cecilia Ajcot Sosof (she/her)
In this knowledge share, we will talk about the rights of Indigenous peoples to consume their own products both nationally and personally, and discuss the necessary resources that must be taken into account for a vision of production, as well engage in dialogue about climate change, its cause and effect, and the health of the ecosystem (Mesoamerican blanket and its history).
Through lecture and demonstration, we will learn about the conservation of different nutritional foods through various cultural techniques and community work, and discuss the optimal nutrition for human beings.
What's organic got to do with me?
Facilitated by
Christine Hutchinson (she/her)
In this workshop, we’ll explore organic growing and certification. What does it take? What does it cost? What supports exist? Is it worth it for me? Make an informed decision about whether organic practices or certifications are the best choice for you.
The Care and Keeping of
Poultry: Chickens, Ducks,
Geese and Turkeys
Facilitated by
Tomia MacQueen (she/her)
This workshop will equip you with all of the basic information that you need to know to start, grow, and care for your flocks. Including, how to choose the right breeds, How to find healthy birds, what to do before you bring them home, how to choose the right coop for your family, how to identify and treat common illnesses, introduce your birds to your pets and children, egg hatching (natural vs incubator) and more.
Wild Altars
Facilitated by
Alex Patrick Dyck (they/them)
There is so much divine magic in the natural world that surrounds us, a beautiful way to reverence this magic is to build altars for and with the plant spirits. Through slideshow and discussion we will explore uses of nature and wild materials in cultural, spiritual and artistic practices past and present. Along with the use of provided supplies, we will go on a plant walk to get inspired, gather wild materials and create art and/or altars that honor divine plant spirits.