Chickabee is a demonstration and education site for green technologies, Homesteading, Permaculture and Ecosystem garden design.
Join us on the journey of learning, growing and cultivating the human spirit.
DAY; MONTH; 2018
Date TBD
The Principles and Ethics of a Hopeful future
A positive 2 hour seminar discussing where we are and where we are going
We will look at a brief history which has led to our current issues and just what those issues really are.
The feelings of guilt at being a ‘consumer’ or the fear of the future are negative distractions. We must be aware of but not dwell on the negatives; we need to focus on solutions for a hopeful future.
While the problems seem immense the solutions are surprisingly simple. They start at home with easy things everybody can accomplish. Solutions that are grounded in principles and three simple ethics
Cost: Free
DAY; MONTH; 2018
Date TBD
Permaculture design certificate (PDC) units 1 and 2
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Day 1: Natures patterns.
Morning: A discussion of patterns of nature. Participants will walk away with an understanding of the core pattern and its many examples. What a pattern represents as an expression of energy and how patterns relate to everyday life.
Afternoon: Participants will move outdoors where we will discuss several design and gardening techniques such as landscape reading, microclimates, sheet mulching, water supply and how to apply beneficial patterns to our gardens. (This is a hands on component).
Day 2: Ecological design
Morning: Nature hums along without (despite) our tampering. Learn to understand the natural process and how we can bring this abundance into our homes and social systems. We will discuss how to work with rather than against natural systems and energy flows.
Afternoon: Participants will move outdoors. Building upon the previous week we will discuss water catchment and the guild/food forest concepts. Planting of the herb spiral, installing a water butt and/or fruit guild polyculture installation.
Cost: $85/day
or
$150 both days
All workshops have limited capacity and are first come first serve, please pay in full to reserve a space. Full refund with 72 hour notice before workshops available. All costs include HST.
Please provide own lunch for full day courses.
2018
Sun May 27
Sun June 24
Sun July 28
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10am-3pm
Open farm tour
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Every month I receive many requests to visit and tour the farm so come and join us for a guided tour.
Together we will walk the farm discussing raising hens, rotational pasture methods, Beekeeping, permaculture design, forest gardening, high intensity annuals production, plant propagation, passive root cellar, microgreens production, ecological solutions and how the whole farm was designed and is developing into a regenerative ecosystem.
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Cant make it to an open farm tour?
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Farmcrawl
Over the last few years we have had the pleasure to join other local farmers in hosting 3 yearly farmcrawls. Join other crawlers in visiting the many farms and seeing how and where your food comes from.
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visit farmcrawlhamilton.ca for Tickets, farm participants or more information.
Cost:
$10 Adult 16+
$5 Child 5-15
2018
Sat June 2
Sat July 14
Sat Aug 18
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2018
April 28
10am - 5pm
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Later dates TBD
Introduction to Permaculture
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Discover Permaculture; This is a classroom and hands on style course.
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From chapter 1 to 14 we will develop an understanding of the scope and use of Permaculture. What it is and how to use it for designing our abundant future.
Starting with the ethics and principals we will work through the introduction with a focus on patterns and methods of design, and finishing with chapter 14, strategies for an alternative global nation.
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In the afternoon we will work our way outside and discuss some of the strategies used and inspire your own creative forces.
Cost: $85
20% off for
2018
May 19
10am - 4 pm
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Later dates TBD
Production gardening for home or market
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This is a hands on and classroom style course
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Whether you are an experienced gardener or just starting out there are many tips, tricks and methods still to learn. Using raised beds and in ground systems Chickabee grows market quality (and quantity) on less than a quarter acre with an additional half acre planted to a forest orchard to enhance fertility and support while providing tree fruit and berries.
Production gardening involves more than just planting and caring for our plants, from planning and design to weed control, no dig methods, harvest and storage we will look at the multiple steps needed to grow beautiful nutrient dense foods for your own kitchen or that of your clients.
Cost: $50.00
DAY; MONTH; 2018
Date TBD
Treatment-free Beekeeping courses
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This is a hands on and classroom style course
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Introduction to Beekeeping
The best teacher is the experience and time spent with the bees, but first we need to understand the super-organism that is the hive. From purchasing your first bees, through installation and a seasons care, we will go over the many facets of beehive management.
You will leave with the confidence and understanding of how to care for and manage your colonies treatment free, the importance of bee math, what equipment you need and what you don't, the basics of expansion and an understanding of how to use all of your senses to 'read' the sensual atmosphere of the hive.
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Expansion Beekeeping
This is not a queen grafting lesson.
Taking advantage of the bees natural tendencies to swarm and thus expand their numbers can allow us to grow our apiaries and operations. A strong overwintered colony will attempt to raise a queen and split into a swarm often seen as a loss of productivity but what if we let them, and even help them, to reach their destiny and desire. The hive knows within 20 minutes it is Queenless and will immediately begin to raise a new queen, in fact it will raise many, on a very predictable schedule. Learn the bee math behind this phenomenon and turn one hive into 2,3,6 or even 10 new hives.
Cost: $100.00
DAY; MONTH; 2018
Date TBD
Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC)
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Concepts and themes in design (PDC unit 3)
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Cost: $100.00
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