with Dr. William Brinton
Composting for Soil Life is a workshop that combines scientific
research and practical experience in composting, with an
emphasis on use of the product to build living soil, and grow seedlings
and field crops. Growers who are interested in organic and
biodynamic methods will find the seminar particularly rewarding.
Topic covered will include:
* how to compost to meet the unique needs of your own soil
and crops,
* composting methods to optimize soil microbial life for living humus,
* enhancing the capacity of compost to prevent disease;
making and using compost teas to suppress disease,
* easy methods to determine compost maturity and humus stability, and
* how farm-composting fits to the big picture of sustainability.
Participants are invited to bring samples of their own soil, compost
or compost products. Outdoor activities are planned, so bring
boots and gloves. Dress is informal.
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Dr. William F. Brinton is the founder and president, since 1974,
of Woods End Research Laboratory, an internationally renowned
agricultural and environmental research and consulting group in
Mt. Vernon, Maine, and the author of numerous articles and
books on soil and composting.
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Program Schedule
*******************
Friday Evening March 22nd
5:00 Registration
6:30 - 7:30 Dinner at Hawthorne Valley Farm Dining Hall
7:45 - 9:00 Introduction: Composting for Soil Life
by Dr. Brinton
Saturday, March 23rd
7:45 - 9:00 Breakfast - Dining Hall
9:00 - 9:30 Bothmer Gymnastics
9:30 - 10:45 Session I - Basics of Composting
10:45 - 11:00 Break
11:00 - 12:15 Session II - The Practice of Composting
for Farms and Gardens
12:30 - 1:30 Lunch
1:45 - 2:45 Bothmer Gymnnastics
2:15 - 3:30 Session III - How to Determne Compost Quality
3:30 - 4:00 Break
4:00 - 5:00 Closing and Questions
***********************
Bothmer Gymnastics will be taught by Krista Palmer,
Wittenberg University, B.A., Phys. Ed. She has been teaching
Bothmer Gymnastics since 1981, and is currently teaching at
the Rudolf Steiner School in Great Barrington, MA.
Krista is a graduate of the first Spacial Studies Class in 1994.
**********************
The Seminar will be held on a 400 acre bio-dynamic farm and
farm education center in upstate New York, one hour south of
Albany, three hours north from New York City.
FEES
$40.00 - SEMINAR FEE
$15.00 - ACCOMODATION - Bunk Bed Main House
$3.00 - extra sheets and towels
MEALS (must be reserved prior to arrival)
$6.00 - Friday Evening
$5.00 - Saturday Breakfast
$7.00 - Saturday Main Meal
REGISTRATION
Make checks to Cadmus Corporation;
Please send payment to:
Rachel Schneider
Hawthorne Valley Farm
Box 225A, RD 2
Ghent, NY 12075
1-518-672-4465/7902
Please contact John Carlson at 1-518-329-1663
for further information or questions.
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