Biodynamic gardening - vegetables, herbs and fruit

Workshop content:

This experiential two day workshop  provides a balance of practice and theory in a beautiful and productive organic farm setting in Draper, QLD, only 35 minutes from the Brisbane CBD.

The workshop is suitable for backyard and acreage food growers, hobby farmers and commercial scale urban/peri urban farmers who are seeking to enhance their organic food production, reduce the impact of pests and diseases in growing spaces and grow better quality organic food for their own well being, enhanced with biodynamics methods. 

Biodynamic methods taught at the workshop can be used on any scale for vegetables, herb, flowers, fruit trees, native plants and pasture  We focus on teaching you how to use biodynamic methods to potentise nature's processes so you can be as efficient and effective as possible in your organic food growing.

Biodynamics is used globally in the organic movement and commenced in 1924. By working with biodynamics methods you have the opportunity to gain a deeper appreciation of nature and the earth's rhythms and how this connects to your own well being.  Biodynamics is part of the regenerative agriculture movement.

The workshop content is contextualised to the food growing spaces at the venue and the presenter also works closely with each participant to ensure there is an action plan to bring all content into the context of their own food growing spaces. The workshop has a maximum of 20 participants.

During the 2 days, Saturday and Sunday, you will:

• Work with our pasture, vegetable/herb growing and orchard areas gaining practical experience of how to work with organic and biodynamic methods
• Understand the philosophical framework that drives all biodynamic processes so you can work with them from a place of knowing 
• Immerse yourself in our nurturing and beautiful space 
• Appreciate how biodynamic methods will fit into the rhythm of your organic food growing system to produce the highest quality organic food

Presenter

Peter Kearney is an experienced workshop presenter, educator and urban farmer who has worked with and studied biodynamics for 23 years and run biodynamic workshops for 15 years. Peter is the founder of My Food Garden, director of Biodynamic Agriculture Australia and presents at national and international conferences on biodynamics and urban agriculture.  Peter's business also consults to individuals, schools, community organisations, governments and corporations on integrating sustainable urban agriculture into their environments.

Participant comments

“The ‘Biodynamic gardening workshop was amazing, Peter is truly an inspiration and a wealth of knowledge. I enjoyed the balance of practical (actually working in the patch), theory and general discussion with other participants sharing their experiences and knowledge. While the subject matter is quite complex Peter was very articulate and has also provided follow-up notes and alternate pathways for me (and other participants) to continue to learn more about biodynamics and how to implement the principles in our own patch. If you are interested in a holistic approach to growing organic food this is well worth your time."  Angela, Brisbane

Course format and program - over 2 days - Saturday - Sunday

Day 1 – 9.15 - Welcome with tea and coffee 

9:30-11:00 - Introduction to the concepts of biodynamic gardening - theory

11:00 – 12:30 - Biodynamic compost making – practice & theory

12:30 – 1:15 - Lunch - bring your own

1:15 – 2:15 - Soil management practices using biodynamics - theory

2:15 – 3:00 - Making and applying biodynamic soil and foliar conditioners – practice & theory

3:00-3:30 - Afternoon tea - provided

3:30 – 4:30 - Usage, stirring and applying biodynamic horn manure – practice & theory

4:30 - Finish for the first day

Day 2 – 9:15 - Arrival with tea and coffee provided

9:30-11:00 - Working with planetary rhythms in growing food & planting techniques 

11:00: 12:30 - Making and applying biodynamic tree paste including fruit tree management practices using biodynamics – practice & theory

12:30 - 1:15 - Lunch - bring your own

1:15 – 3:00 - Understanding and applying key biodynamic preparations, crop rotation, companion planting, planting techniques, pest and disease management  – theory & practice

3:00-3:30 - Afternoon tea - provided

3:30 – 4:30 - Questions and game plans for your own food garden space/urban farm or hobby farm and applying what you have learnt

Times and location

Saturday - 9.15 am – 4.30pm

Sunday  - 9.15am - 4-30pm

Where : 674 Eatons Crossing road, Draper, QLD

Cost and registration

The workshop fee is $330 per person. Use the booking link above to pay by credit or debit card. The price includes 2 day workshop, afternoon teas each day, welcome coffee and tea each morning,  biodynamic preparations kit and training material.  If you attend with a friend the workshop fee is reduced to $300,

Contact information

Peter Kearney on 0401156532 or peter@myfoodgarden.com.au 

My Food Garden provides knowledge and services to support the transformation of our food system to being more local and organic. Our business empowers people living in and around cities to be more productive at growing their own food. 

We are located in Brisbane, Australia and deliver our services locally and nationally. Our services in urban farming and organic gardening combine a mixture of hands-on education, mentoring and garden building, in addition to working on larger scale urban agriculture projects. Supporting the emergence of financially sustainable urban farming is one of our core goals.

The business commenced in 2006 and our first web site release in 2008 was under the name of Cityfood Growers and we are now branded as My Food Garden. The company was founded by Peter Kearney, an experienced organic and biodynamic gardener, educator, urban farmer and strategist.

The business has a small team with passion and knowledge in organic food growing and an expanding set of relationships with the movers and shakers of urban agriculture around the world.