Opawa School to gain from gardening workshop

Opawa School to gain from “Earth Whisperer” gardening workshop

Opawa School will benefit from a gardening workshop this Sunday, September 13 led by one of the 10 extraordinary New Zealanders featured in the full length documentary Earth Whisperers/Papatuanuku.

Dirt Doctor founder Jim O’Gorman’s “Urban Eden” workshop shows how to create a highly productive garden to feed a family of four by spending an average of half an hour a week working on the garden.

Participants learn about Jim’s system of bio-intensive, permaculture and micro-organism technology to achieve high productivity from a small area of garden using powerpoint presentations, scientific demonstration and hands-on participation. And Opawa School will end up with a garden dug and planted; and an ongoing partnership with the school to teach pupils about gardening.

Suitable for home gardeners and micro-farmers, the Urban Eden workshop runs from 9.30 – 4pm at the school in Ford Rd, Opawa and costs $80 for waged and $60 unwaged.

Jim has designed his small farm holding around the idea that any green waste should be dug back into the soil. His growing space is made into mounds and hollows, with room between to walk, greater growing surface and soil depth.

“The weeds become a compost crop that you’re growing at the same time as your vegetable crop,” he says.

In his Kakanui garden he grows specialised crops including Florence fennel, early varieties of tomatoes and Maori potatoes, broad beans that originate from 1950s seed varieties, a rare red vein celery, as well as garlic, currants, nectarines, cherries, chard, Brussels sprouts, purple sprouting broccoli, coriander and more! Jim’s website www.dirtdoctor.co.nz gives an insight into his methods.

Jim talks about his gardening theories in the film Earth Whisperers Papatuanuku and since the film’s release across New Zealand, he has been in big demand for his Dirt Doctor workshops and seminars.

The Urban Eden workshops are limited to 20 participants. For more information or to register, contact local organiser Andrew Beaumont on 0210 226 5007 or email andrew@dirtdoctor.co.nz.

ENDS

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