Welcome to our fourth annual Organic Workshop
Saturday and Sunday April 24 & 25, 2010

Come join our FREE Organic Workshop and learn about composting, planting and growing organically, natural pest and weed control, and benevolent bugs for your garden. Visit our new Organic Fair featuring all organic gardening products, food, coffee and clothing.

 
GUEST SPEAKERS (download a printable list of our speakers)
Saturday
10:00-12:00 Welcome to Yardscaping
Join Gary fish as he explains how a growing number of Mainers have changed how they take care of their lawns and yards—for the health of their families and the environment.
» Learn more about Yardscaping.
1:00-2:00 Community Supported Argiculture (CSA)
Ralph and Lisa Turner, Laughing Stock Farm, Freeport, Maine: Laughing Stock Farm is a four season, certified organic vegetable farm that offers fresh local produce to restaurants, retailer establishments, and directly to consumers through its Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Laughing Stock Farm has perfected a way to use spent fryolator oil from local restaurants, in their heating systems.
» Learn more about Laughing Stock Farm
2:30-3:00 Solar and Wind Powered Energy for Homes
Matt Crawford SOLARIS: Solaris installs residential and commercial solar thermal heat & hot water and photovoltaic (PV) & wind systems. In addition we install high efficiency heating systems and may other fuel saving products. Our goal is to help you cut your energy costs and reduce your carbon footprint. We will be displaying a working solar thermal system, the Tangarie vertical windmill and more. At our presentation we will be explaining the basics of solar energy and the many incentives that help with costs.
» More information on Solaris
3:15-4:30 Growing Fruits Organically
Dick Brzozowski, Cooperative Extension Educator: Organic methods for growing small fruits and fruit trees.
Sunday
10:00-11:00 VitaminSea
To make the seaweed useable, it is slowly solar dried for 3 seasons, or mechanically dried, using low temperatures to better preserve the many vitamins, hormones, nutrients and growth regulators it contains. VitaminSea is a small independent company, that harvests, processes, and packages all of it products in Buxton, Maine. Products include: Fresh Seaweed Mulch, Kelp Meal, Soluble Kelp Powder, VitaminSea Pet.
11:30-12:30 Organic Soils for Containers and Gardens
Jim Reck, Organic Mechanics: Will be on hand both Sat. and Sun. Organic Mechanics representative, Jim Reck, will be available all weekend to answer questions about their organic potting mixes and soil amendments. Organic Mechanics soil products are 100% organic and used by professional gardeners at arboretums and botanic gardens including Longwood Gardens, Scott Arboretum, Chanticleer Garden, and more. Potting soils contain blends of compost, pine bark, coir, worm castings, perlite, and rice hulls. Organic Mechanics® delivery trucks and manufacturing equipment run on bio-diesel fuel made from local waste oil, and our bags are made from 20% recycled plastic.
» More information on Organic Mechanics
1:30-2:00 Solar and Wind Powered Energy for Homes
Susan and Matt of SOLARIS: Solaris installs residential and commercial solar thermal heat & hot water and photovoltaic (PV) & wind systems. In addition we install high efficiency heating systems and may other fuel saving products. Our goal is to help you cut your energy costs and reduce your carbon footprint. We will be displaying a working solar thermal system, the Tangarie vertical windmill and more. At our presentation we will be explaining the basics of solar energy and the many incentives that help with costs.
» More information on Solaris
2:15-3:30 Composting
Mark Hutchinson: Information on composting from soup (compost "tea") to nuts will be presented by an educator from the Maine Cooperative Extension. Problem solving for troublesome piles will be available, and you may be surprised at what we can recycle!