Master Gardener Series on Organic and Sustainable Food Production and Landscaping

Part 1: Intro to Permaculture
An Evening with Richard Herman
Thursday, May 16, 2013 | 6:30 p.m.
Botanical Center 2400 South Scenic Ave, Springfield, MO

Richard Herman, Certified Permaculture Consultant, will be sharing permaculture techniques he uses on his farm. In seven years, Richard has turned his dry creek into an almost year-round creek with fish. Quite an accomplishment in our drought. In addition to his knowledge, Richard has worked on three continents and is dedicated to sharing natural techniques of food production. He has established a food forest, intensive grazing systems, a no-till garden and a water-enriched fertile farm. Come learn with someone who does what he talks about. Learn about permaculture techniques, why you may want to incorporate these techniques into your farm, garden or yard.

Part 2: Carbon, Minerals & Microbes: Fully Fertile Soil to Grow Nutrient-Dense Food
An evening with David Yarrow
Friday, May 31, 2013 | 6:30 p.m.
Botanical Center 2400 South Scenic Ave, Springfield, MO

David Yarrow is a brilliant and dedicated promoter of new methods of soil fertility that produce healthy and nutrient dense foods. His website is a wealth of information. David is coming to Springfield for this event. He personally knows many of the leading researchers in the field of soil fertility and biological farming. He has written for Acres USA and has a chapter in a book which is to be released in December. Currently he is involved with a SARE Grant studying Biochar and is organizing and teaching in Kansas.
Part 3: New Perspectives on Tree Health
An evening with Dean Alberty
Friday, June 7, 2013 | 6:30 p.m.
Botanical Center 2400 South Scenic Ave, Springfield, MO

Dean Alberty is another person dedicated to protecting the environment. Tree health is an economic component of farm, garden, and landscaping. There is a plethora of new diseases threatening our trees, such as the thousand canker disease that is threatening our walnut trees. Not usually visible externally, we can learn to be on the watch for it and other new diseases. What we can look for and what we can do, to keep our trees healthy. It can take a long time to recognize that a tree is in trouble. Dean also treats trees that have pesky fruit droppings. Anyone with a Ginko of Gum Ball Tree understands this dilemma. Although not entirely eradicated, the fruit can be decreased by injections. In addition to trees, Dean also provides information on bugs, pests and mosquito controls via preventive practices, plants, and natural spays.

Part 4: Organic Landscaping and Lawn Care
An evening with Seth Entwhisle
Friday, June 14, 2013 | 6:30 p.m.
Botanical Center 2400 South Scenic Ave, Springfield, MO

Seth Entwhisle has provided organic lawn care for over sixteen years. Have you ever thought about having organic lawn care? This is your opportunity to explore what the difference is between organic lawn care and organic landscaping versus the more common methods. Can it be done? What are the advantages? Are their disadvantages? Seth not only has provided this service, but has been a dedicated organizer for the Southeastern and Missouri Organic Association. Lots of energy, knowledge and enthusiasm makes an evening with Seth enjoyable and informative. A chance to learn from someone who has a lot of experience and knowledge.

Part 5: Biochar, the Soil Food Web and Soil Fertility
An Evening with Dr. Patricia Patterson Tursi
Friday, June 21, 2013 | 6:30pm
Botanical Center 2400 South Scenic Ave, Springfield, MO

A few years ago, only a handful of people in the country had heard the term “soil food web”. It refers to the relationships among the wide range of living organisms found in soil. The soil food web is similar to the food chain, except that the typical food chain is linear, while the soil food web works from the premise that everything that can eat or be eaten is involved in a cyclical relationship.
Discover our relationship with the Soil Food Web and how our health and well-being is connected to the soil. Learn about a little known world and focus on new methods of increasing our soil fertility, food production, and maintaining plant health without fertilizers.
Patricia specializes in mind-body issues and has studied health for over 50 years.  She joined Master Gardeners in 1987 and, in the early nineties,  she and her late husband had a farm in Arkansas where they raised paddock contained grass-fed beef, tractor-pulled chickens, and used some permaculture methods of farming.