About this Event
Turn fall garden cleanup into next season’s abundance with this hands-on workshop on building microbe-rich, thermophilic compost.
Event description
Healthy soil is alive!
Join Paradise Permaculture Institute for a friendly, hands-on workshop exploring how to turn garden waste into microbe-rich compost that supports thriving plants, productive gardens, and fresh, flavorful food.
Led by Annalisa Pedraza of Rising Crane Permaculture, this class will introduce you to thermophilic, or “hot,” composting and the incredible community of microorganisms that helps build healthy, living soil.
As growing conditions become less predictable, caring for our soil becomes even more important. Compost helps improve soil structure, increase water retention, support nutrient cycling, and turn materials that might otherwise be discarded into a valuable resource for the garden.
Learn inside, then build outside
We’ll begin indoors with an introduction to the soil food web and the tiny organisms that help make soil fertile. Then we’ll head outdoors and put that knowledge into practice by building a thermophilic compost pile using materials from the PPI gardens.
You’ll learn how to:
- Build a successful hot compost pile with the right balance of carbon, nitrogen, moisture, and air
- Support healthier, more productive plants by nurturing beneficial soil life
- Help soil hold moisture and develop better structure
- Turn garden leftovers into a valuable resource for next season’s beds
- Make and apply compost extracts and teas to introduce beneficial microbes throughout your growing space
- Tend your compost pile and recognize when your finished compost is ready to use
A well-built, well-tended pile can begin heating within days. You’ll leave with practical knowledge you can use to start composting at home and a new appreciation for the life beneath your feet.
A tip from Annalisa
Compost isn’t only useful in the garden. Its absorbent structure can also help manage moisture and odors in animal enclosures, from paddocks and arenas to runs and kennels, supporting cleaner, fresher spaces.
Come ready to get your hands in the process!
This is a hands-on workshop, so please wear weather-appropriate work clothes, waterproof gloves, and boots. You’re also welcome to bring a notebook and something to write with.
📅 October 17
🕙 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
📍 Paradise Permaculture Institute, Livingston, Montana
🌱 Instructor: Annalisa Pedraza, Rising Crane Permaculture
Grow living soil. Grow good food. Build a more resilient garden.
We look forward to learning and building with you!
Event venue & nearby stays
Paradise Permaculture Institute's Demonstration Site, address given upon registration, Livingston, United States
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