Event

Reducing Waste: Indigenous Permaculture Practices

How can we recycle more organic matter from crop production and save water at the same time? What can we learn and apply from Native American practices?

During this workshop, learn how Indigenous people used both compost and biochar technology to transform a jungle into a food forest. Generations of ancient cultures utilized a special burning practice for sustainable farming called"Terra Preta" or biochar.

Biochar is a form of charcoal suitable for use as a soil amendment (typically combined with compost) to increase agricultural crop yields and conserve nutrients and water.

Cuauhtemoc Villa and Raymond Baltar will show you how to adapt these indigenous practices for use in your home garden.

This is the last workshop of a three-part workshop series with Cuauhtemoc Villa.

Cuauhtemoc Villa is an expert on Native American farming practices and on the making and use of bokashi, a fermented, anaerobic form of composting. He promotes sustainable agriculture development in his outreach programs for youths and adults, encouraging best-use practices for future generations.

Raymond Baltar is the Director of the Sonoma Biochar Initiative (www.sonomabiocharinitiative.org), a project of the Sonoma Ecology Center (SEC) (http://www.sonomaecologycenter.org), and is also Senior Biochar Projects Manager for SEC.

All the proceeds help support the activities of the Sonoma Ecology Center.

Sonoma Garden Park is a 6.1 acre public park, working farm, and educational resource. The land was donated to the city of Sonoma in the 1970's by Pauline Bond, a retired schoolteacher and avid gardener. The Sonoma Ecology Center developed and has been maintaining the Park since 1993. For more information, please visit our websites (http://www.sonomaecologycenter.org) (http://www.sonomagardenpark.org)