August 2009 Forum Theme: Extending the Harvest

Come celebrate summer's bounty at the August Forum, where we address extending the harvest. We will explore new (or renewed) technologies, techniques, and spaces (and critters) that extend growing seasons, increase yield, improve opportunities for local food production, and bring the harvest to new places and spaces.

We open with presentations from leaders who are changing traditional concepts of growing and harvesting food.



Warren Karmol and Paul Osterlund chat before the forum.

Speakers include:

• Paul Osterlund,
  Abundance Farming Project
  [presentation]
  
  
• Mike Rasmussen,
  Oregon Soil Corp
  
  
• Dan Bravin, Portland Organoponico Project
  
  
• Erin Altz, Edible Skylines (shown on right)

We’ll be asking each presenter to share their specific projects and how their ideas and strategies may be adopted by you.

1. What are the key issues around growing food?
2. When and how do technologies, techniques, and spaces overlap to create new potential for food growing?

Workshops:
What to do with our own gardens and yard ~

• Design a beautiful and edible yard —Mary Bedard, Landscape Architect
  What plants can help feed our families and also make our yard beautiful? How can you create an edible and attractive yard? Learn from an expert.
  
  
• Vermiculture, Soil, and Gardens —Mike Rasmussen, Oregon Soil Corp
  Mike will explain what bermiculture is and how to practice this on a smaller scale in your own yard. What are the benefits and how do you get started.
  
  
• Join us in the Brainstorming Room
  Join us as we share ideas, tools, practices, and maybe even a few seeds for extending the harvests of our gardens now and into the future. We discuss local horticulture and issues around the world.
  

 

 

Mike Rasmussen of Oregon Soil Corporation shares the "reports we funded" about the use of worms and worm castings for growing gardens, reducing waste, and extending growing seasons.

Other Community Resources Related to Growing Food, Harvesting, and Sustainability:

Toby Hemenway is offering a Permaculture Design Certificate course that will
meet one weekend a month beginning the weekend of September 19-20 and
continuing  October 17-18, November 14-15, December 12-13, January 16-17 and
February 20-21.  In addition, a group project will require at least five
meetings outside of class. Tuition is $850. Toby's Web site explains in detail what to expect from a permaculture design course.

Class will meet from 9am-5:30pm Saturdays and 9:30am-5:30pm Sundays. Our
primary meeting room will be Portland State University's Browsing Lounge,
overlooking the SW Park Blocks, the PSU Farmers Market, an ecoroof & cob
gathering structure and a Permaculture demonstration garden.

The curriculum is the full 72-hour certification course, with certification
being offered through the Permaculture Institute USA, the US branch of the
International Permaculture Institute. For more information.