Grow your own Christmas Dinner:

We are running a course at Beech Hayes which covers all elements of poultry rearing right through to plucking and drawing a bird. 

Whether you are a smallholder, farmer or just want to get your hands dirty this is a fantastic course that covers everything from conception to consumption will be of real benefit to you to practise before you are left trying to get those turkeys ready for the Christmas table in a rush!!

A hot meal and tea and coffee are provided and the day runs officially from 10 - 4 but invariably overruns.

Full notes to take away are provided too and we can also help arrange local B&B for those coming a distance.  Cost will be £75 for the day plus you get to take your work home with you in the form of your dressed and prepared bird.  We also stock turkeys, geese, chickens and ducks should you wish to buy your birds from us.

To book, please email beechhayes@aol.com . There are only 10 places available so book now to avoid disappointment.  A booking deposit of £15 is required and group discounts are negotiable.

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Written by: Freddies Farm
View the original article for contact information and more images: Turkey Rearing – Grow your own Christmas Dinner – Saturday 22nd September 2012 Somerset/Devon/Dorset
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

Husbandry Matters for the garden one day course. 2012 dates are 25 May, 24 June and 16 September. 10am-4pm.

Husbandry principles and practice in a small space

This course looks at the ancient art of Husbandry and how its principles and practices can be adopted in your own garden. Learn how to plan future projects in a sustainable way, setting up good practice right from the start.

We will be exploring:
• Planning the space
• Companion planting
• Plant health
• Pest Control
• Plant Supports
• Garden Structures

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Written by: husbandryschool
View the original article for contact information and more images: Husbandry Matters for the Garden
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

Eat your flower beds one day course. 2012 dates are 8 July and 6 August, 10am-4pm

Growing, using and cooking edible flowers.

Edible flowers have been used for centuries to flavour salads and various dishes as well as for their medicinal properties. Recently there has been a lot of interest in restoring these edible delights back into the kitchen. Learn about some long forgotten flowers and be amazed at what you can eat from your own garden and the beauty and flavour they can bring to your meals.

Spend the day in the garden and kitchen:

• Identifying and choosing edible flowers
• Learn about what to grow and how to grow it
• Harvesting and storing the crop
• Using edible flowers in salads and combining tastes and flavours
• Cooking flowers in the kitchen
• Making flower preserves, flower oils and petal sugars.

A delicious lunch is provided from produce grown at The Husbandry School. Materials are also provided and you will have plenty of learning materials to take home and use to your advantage.

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Written by: husbandryschool
View the original article for contact information and more images: Eat your Flower Beds (one day Course)
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

Garden Remedies one day course 13 May and 18 July, 10am-4pm

Using plants and natural methods to create a flourishing garden

At the Husbandry School we use lots of natural methods to keep our plants healthy and reduce pests, including making natural fertilizers and tonics, companion planting and inventive ways to deter slugs! This course will give you an insight into looking after your garden in an environmentally friendly way. The course explores:

• Using plants to feed each other
• Making natural liquid feeds and tonics
• Pest control using plants and fibres ( make garlic tea and slug rugs from sheeps wool)
• 

Make your own hand scrub from plants in your garden (substituting plants for household products) and make a gentle scrub for your hard working hands.

A delicious lunch is provided from produce grown at The Husbandry School. Materials are also provided and you will have plenty of learning materials to take home and use to your advantage.

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Written by: husbandryschool
View the original article for contact information and more images: Garden remedies (one day course)
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

Allotment Allies ( One day Course) 2012 dates: 28 April and 15 June

This course explores Husbandry principles and practice and how to apply them to your own allotment or garden, large or small. Learn lots of practical things and ideas including how to plan, structure and look after your veg patch, soil management and creative planting ideas. The course explores:

• Looking after the soil
• Creating structures such as raised beds, arches and climbing supports from the plants themselves.
• Vertical cropping – making the most of the space available
• Companion planting for health and vitality
• Pest control – using plants
• Making the most of your space, growing from pots to plots

A delicious lunch is provided from produce grown at The Husbandry School. Materials are also provided and you will have plenty of learning materials to take home and use to your advantage.

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Written by: husbandryschool
View the original article for contact information and more images: Allotment Allies (One day Course)
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

Foundation in Dirt to Dinner in 2012 (two day course) 14/15 July, 25/26 August

On our 'Dirt to Dinner' courses you will learn how to create a productive, easy to maintain vegetable and flower garden to WFA (Wholesome Food Association) standards. 
From there you will be shown how to take the produce into the kitchen, how to best look after it for maximum benefit, whilst revelling in the new dimensions all this will add to your cooking experience.

We will show you how to use some of the more unusual produce available when you 'grow your own', such as edible flowers and heritage varieties of vegetables, as well as how to make petal sugars and preserves - and so much more.

You will leave with plenty of learning materials to take home and use to your advantage.
Course numbers are restricted to a maximum of 10 people so there will be plenty of time for your questions and one-to-one attention.

Lunch and refreshments will be provided from produce grown at the Husbandry School, naturally.

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Written by: husbandryschool
View the original article for contact information and more images: Foundation in Dirt to Dinner ( two day course)
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

Dirt to Dinner (One day) Course dates for 2012: 30 June, 10 August, 12 September. On our 'Dirt to Dinner' courses you will learn how to create a productive, easy to maintain vegetable and flower garden to WFA (Wholesome Food Association) standards. 
From there you will be shown how to take the produce into the kitchen, how to best look after it for maximum benefit, whilst revelling in the new dimensions all this will add to your cooking experience.

We will show you how to use some of the more unusual produce available when you 'grow your own', such as edible flowers and heritage varieties of vegetables, as well as how to make petal sugars and preserves - and so much more.

You will leave with plenty of learning materials to take home and use to your advantage.
Course numbers are restricted to a maximum of 10 people so there will be plenty of time for your questions and one-to-one attention.

Lunch and refreshments will be provided from produce grown at the Husbandry School, naturally. More details on our website.

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Written by: husbandryschool
View the original article for contact information and more images: Introduction to Dirt to Dinner
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

Vegetable growing – getting started with self sufficiency,growing your own vegetables (Short Open Course):

NEXT COURSE WITH AVAILABILITY SUNDAY 8TH APRIL 2012  Please see www.gardenfarming.org for full details and other dates etc.

Fancy starting to ‘grow your own’? Getting on your way to self sufficiency but not sure how and where to start, what equipment you might need and how to store, preserve and process your garden produce into maximized tasty food for the family?

Perhaps your children are getting into gardening at school and you wish to support them in their interest but don’t know how?

• We’ll explore plot size requirements and efficient utilization of restricted space as well as the luxury of growing vegetables when land is plentiful.
• We’ll investigate cropping and rotation planning and analyze soil types to help you understand what your particular soil type is and how that will dramatically affect your vegetable growing.
• Nutrients & fertilizers – including composting, bought in products and the affects of PH levels (that’s acidity and alkalinity) on your veg growing.
• We’ll take some time to discuss preparing, cooking and preserving your harvested produce .

Course commences 10a.m. and concludes 2 p.m. – purchase price is per person and includes tea or coffee with home baked cookies. Course delivery is mixture of practical demonstration, discussion and participation outdoors plus some theoretical delivery and discussion in the comfort of my own home with a cup of tea or coffee and home baked cookies.

Tutor with in excess 27 years self sufficiency experience of both upland and lowland situations, former agricultural college tutor/assessor & full scale farmer. Please see www.gardenfarming.org for full details – attendance by prior booking only & all courses restricted to 4 placements.

(Can also form part of your own Private, Bespoke/Family Course Day-see the blue ‘Bespoke’ button on the www.gardenfarming.org  web site for details.)

Mixture of technical theory and practical delivery.

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Written by: Gardenfarming
View the original article for contact information and more images: Vegetable Growing ‘Open’ Course (East Yorkshire)
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

See below for 2012 dates.

Work closely with the MWC gardeners in the Victorian walled garden, forest garden, orchard and other arable plots around the site. Take part in woodland management and chores around the farm. Experience a mix of traditional organic methods, biodynamics, permaculture and good common sense. Participate in specially designed projects and the work of the season. The work is flexible and tailored to the participants' interests to the extent possible: no two weeks are ever the same!

These residential courses are suitable for all levels and styles of gardening enthusiast.

Garden Weeks in 2012:

SPRING  March 12th - 16th

SUMMER  June 11th - 15th

AUTUMN  September 10th - 14th

WINTER  December 3rd - 7th

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Written by: Monkton Wyld Court
View the original article for contact information and more images: Seasonal Farm & Garden Weeks
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

2012 dates: One day courses on 22nd April, 11th May, 3rd Sept, 29th September. If you are interested in growing more of the food you eat each week, and wish to do so in a natural, ethical, time-honoured and sustainable way, mindful of the rhythms of nature, then our Husbandry Skills courses are probably for you! Husbandry is the practice of productively managing nature's ecologies within your own boundaries and capabilities, whilst developing your personal relationship with your 'bit of dirt', be it a small yard, a garden or a larger piece of land. In so doing, we are addressing some of the most important aspects of our simple relationship as human beings with the earth. Our Husbandry Skills courses will offer you a fascinating introduction to the philosophical, theoretical and historical aspects of husbandry whilst also providing real 'hands-on' experience – turning principles into practices that should serve you well in all the years to come. By the end of the course you will hopefully not only be inspired by some new ideas and techniques, but also by ways of looking and seeing – plus you get to take home plenty of learning materials, including literally the seeds you sowed.  Lunch and refreshments will be provided from produce grown at the Husbandry School, naturally. Full course details on our website.

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Written by: husbandryschool
View the original article for contact information and more images: Introduction to Husbandry Skills (one day)
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.