About this Event
"Learn some of the tricks for building a fertile, biologically-complete soil in the Parksville area using secret natural growing techniques and amendments. We will discuss charcoal, along with biochar, plus its little-known derivatives of torrification and bioceramics and how they work in the soil. Hand’s-on Bokashi Composting will be showcased along with a discussion on the good, the bad and the ugly of microbe identification. This is not a workshop for beginners…"
Alan Chomica Bio
Thriving on his Nanoose Bay property, Al is a passionate gardener, soilsmith, and enthusiastic experimenter. He is a life-long student of nature and plants, and digs deep to research, document, learn and share. An avid gardening writer and contributor to many online garden communities, Al is happy to share his knowledge so that others can excel at growing their own food.
His soil-making experiments are legendary, from kitchen waste to biochar, thermophilic piles to bokashi, and foraged items like leaves and seaweed. Al’s fruit trees, vegetable plants, and nut trees excel in his rich black loam.
Al is in his gardens every day, nurturing, experimenting, and harvesting from his one-third acre food forest, where no space is wasted...
Anyone attending the w/s should bring in a soil sample of their soil in question so we can analyze it and make suggestions for improvement. They would bring it in a jar with water left to settle with little agitation. This is from one of my soil articles and can be a guide, "A simple test can be conducted with a quart jar. Fill it ¾ with the ‘soil’ mix in question then add water to the top and shake. Let it sit for a while until it settles out into different layers of particle size. It’s easy to determine how much sand, silt, clay and wood chips are in that mix once they settle after several hours.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
MAC Community Garden, 133 McMillan, Parksville, Canada
CAD 45.00
