FROM GARDEN TO TABLE

Saturday June 28

Have you ever wondered:

• How to design your garden so you will have the produce you want when you want it?
• How to maximize your garden's production while minimizing its maintenance?
• What to do with all that ripe produce so you can enjoy it long after the leaves have fallen?

If you answered yes to any of the above, then this is the workshop for you! This full day workshop is designed to help you get the most out of your garden, whatever its size.

9:00 Intro to Permaculture Garden Design - with Mark Hoffman

This ring of asparagus planted at the drip line of a black cherry tree maximizes production while minimizing required space.

This presentation will give an overview of the principles of permaculture design and show examples of permaculture systems you can use in your own garden and orchard. As part of the talk, Mark will give a tour of the yard at the Greenhouse B&B where he and his wife Guia have built permaculture principles into their organic gardening system. Click here to see some of their permaculture applications.
Handout provided.

11:30 Lunch - prepared with garden fresh produce

Quiz: Would you remove this plant from your garden?

12:30 Weed ID How do you determine what is a 'weed'? Not all weeds are undesirable, in fact, some you can eat and some are better if left in the garden. We define a weed as - 'a plant growing where it is not wanted'. Relying on this definition, we will browse the garden and surrounding areas to identify the plants that need to be pulled and the plants that are better left alone.
Presenters: Carroll English and Mark Hoffman

Canning bounty!

1:30 Preserve your Harvest – A panel presentation providing information on how to extend the growing season, how and when to harvest your fruits and vegetables, what produce can be frozen and how to freeze it, what produce to dry and how to dry it, and how to cure and keep root cellar vegetables. A handout will be provided.
Panel discussion - Julie Larsen, Carroll English, Guia Hoffman, Mark Hoffman, Sue Fisher

Washing a spinach leaf produced in the 'solar pod' season extender.

3:30 'Stump-the-Chef' and Communal-Dinner Preparation – bring a food item you are not sure how to prepare and as part of the evening meal preparation Chef Guia Hoffman will walk you through it, providing creative ideas for how to incorporate it into your menus.

Everyone will take part in bringing the dinner meal to the table. During the preparation, Guia will provide tips on how to flavor with culinary herbs and answer your cooking questions. Activity includes - harvesting, cleaning, preparing, flavoring, cooking, and presentation.

6:00 - Evening meal

7:00 - Evening Campfire and Community Living discussion - moderated by Bill Land
Cooperation instead of competition can be a valuable goal, but is it attainable? Is living and sharing with others going to invade a person's privacy and erode their independence? Bill Land will use his 2-decade experience of living in Community to moderate a discussion of the benefits of living in an Intentional Community. Come join the fascinating discussion with other Stelle residents, and see how and why Community living can be a blessing of living close with those who have shared values.

Location: The Greenhouse Bed and Breakfast (two miles from Stelle)

You have the option of attending the full workshop or individual sessions.

Cost for full workshop and meals: $95.00 per adult.
Children (ages 3 -12): $40
No charge for children under age 3.

Morning session only (includes lunch): $35 per adult, $15 per child

Afternoon sessions of Weed ID plus Harvest Preservation (not including meals): $50 per adult, $20 per child

Communal dinner prep and evening meal only: $25 per adult, $12.50 per child.

To maximize your experience, this event is limited to 20 people. We recommend you register early. Attendees will be responsible for any accompanying young children. Registration deadline: June 26, 2008

Note: This program is available for private groups (minimum of 12 attendees). To schedule this program for your group please e-mail us or call Julie at
708-828-4325.

Overnight lodging is available at the Greenhouse Bed and Breakfast, in the homes of Stelle residents, or in area hotels. Camping space is also available. Click here for further details on lodging.

Register online, or send payment to:
Center for Sustainable Community
127 Sun Street
Stelle/Cabery, Illinois 60919

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations made prior to June 21 will receive full refund.

For more information please e-mail us ……..
or call Julie at 708-828-4325.

Our Presenters:

GUIA HOFFMAN
Guia enjoys the challenge of preparing simple and creative – yet nourishing – culinary delights. She co-owns and operates The Greenhouse Bed and Breakfast located two miles from Stelle. Guia received Culinary Art training in Joliet, Illinois, and is a member of the American Culinary Federation. She has been involved with the Stelle community for 18 years and is known for her healthful, delectable culinary masterpieces.

Guia and Mark Hoffman

Guia’s attention shifted to cooking after she moved to the United States and realized that despite America's wealth, there were many deficiencies in the American diet. Prior to this, Guia had received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of the East, Manila, Philippines, majoring in Accounting with a minor in Banking and Finance.

MARK HOFFMAN
Mark serves on the Board of Directors for the Center for Sustainable Community and has been engaged in the Stelle Community for over 20 years. Mark grew up on a wheat and cattle farm in central Kansas, and his farm boy roots provide the foundation for a number of agricultural pursuits include beekeeping, raising poultry, and operating the permaculture oriented gardens at the Greenhouse Bed and Breakfast two miles from Stelle. Professionally, Mark works as a technical writer, trainer, and engineer, and serves as the webmaster for the CSC web site.

Carroll English

Carroll English

Carroll English has lived in the Stelle community for almost 35 years and is a native plant expert. Carroll’s love of the land began as a toddler, following her grandparents around their farm. Their knowledge and use of numerous plants was passed along, and Carroll became well-versed on the nutritional and medicinal value of plants.

Carroll has traveled and taught extensively. She holds a master’s degree in Education, and speaks Spanish fluently. Carroll also authored a booklet, “Health Values of Our Most Common Local Weeds,” describing the benefits of 20 native plants, which will be available for purchase.

Julie and Zorro

Julie Larsen
Julie lives on a 5 acre farmstead outside Manteno, Illinois with her husband Jim and daughter Grace (as well as Zorro her pet goat, a couple llamas, a flock of chickens, and two beehives). She has a passion for sustainable living, holds a masters degree in environmental biology, has operated an organic flower and vegetable farm, and was chef/owner of a cafe in Chicago. She is also CSC's Outreach Coordinator.

Bill Land

Bill Land

Bill has over 2 decades of experience of living in Community. For over 8 years he was a council member of the Kneadmore land trust in Indiana. In 1980 he helped to start the Intentional Community called Chrysalis, which became one of the core communities of the Federation of Egalitarian Communities. For a couple of years he was a national board member of the Fellowship of Intentional Communities. He also started the Network of Virginia Communities and lived for over a year at the Twin Oaks Community in Virginia.

A resident of the Stelle community, Bill has assumed the role of CSC Project Manager including the management and stewardship of over 120 fruit apple, peach and pear trees as well as the CSC's community gardens.