UPCOMING EVENTS

UPCOMING EVENTS

START A WATER SYSTEM

In this workshop, we’ll dive into the essentials of efficient water management and plant propagation.

  • This hands-on session will teach you how to set up drip irrigation systems, harvest and store rainwater, and start seeds for healthy, thriving plants. Whether you're focused on water conservation, sustainability, or enhancing your crop success, this class will equip you with the skills you need to optimize water use and grow with confidence.

  • Chris Cowley moved to Nashville in 2004 as a sound engineer, pursuing his passion for music while utilizing his technical engineering skills. Chris and his wife Tonya Lewis opened and successfully operated The Post East cafe in the heart of East Nashville for over five years. As the Director of Operations, he handled accounting and improved all mechanical systems until the sale of the restaurant in 2019. In his day job, Chris is Director of Video Production at QuaverEd Inc., an education company in Nashville, TN. He also owns Cowley Properties, LLC overseeing commercial retail properties where he continues his responsibilities of managing tenant contracts, maintenance schedules, and operations. At QuaverEd Inc., Chris has helped the company grow from 3 employees to over 300 in the past 17 years, and is passionate about continuing his mission of education through the art of farming.

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    Maxwell Patterson is a a Nashville native and accomplished African American farmer, has devoted his career to educating black youth about the significance of agriculture and environmental conservation. As a member of Nashville's BIPOC community, he has made it his mission to serve as a role model for younger generations, showcasing the numerous career opportunities and personal satisfaction that can be attained through the agricultural industry. This commitment to cultivating the next generation of farmers is exemplified through his 2019 role as CBG farm manager, where he passionately educated high school interns on a diverse range of topics, including greenhouse environment control, cloning, hydroponic system design and management, and hoop house construction.

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KNOW BEFORE YOU GROW

A valuable info session for new and aspiring farmers.

  • This workshop connects participants with experts from Tennessee State University, University of Tennessee, and TSU Extension. Learn about funding opportunities, technical assistance, and sustainable farming practices to help you start or expand your farming journey. Whether you’re thinking about growing food, launching a farm business, or stewarding the land, this session will equip you with essential resources and guidance to move forward with confidence.

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FOREST KEEPING

Explore the art of forest management and foraging in this hands-on workshop.

  • Explore the art of forest management and foraging in this hands-on workshop designed for land stewards, nature enthusiasts, and anyone curious about sustainable woodland care. Learn how to maintain healthy forests, identify edible and medicinal plants, and cultivate a balanced ecosystem that supports both the land and those who depend on it.

    Whether you’re managing a woodland property or simply want to deepen your relationship with the forest, this class will give you the knowledge to tend, protect, and forage responsibly.

  • Jeremy Lekich was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee by two hippy parents who fostered a sense of reverence in him for the more-than-human environment. He received a Bachelor of Science from Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, North Carolina (near Asheville) and majored in biology, where he focused on plants and systems design. During this time, he also got a Permaculture Design Certificate and, more importantly, he was introduced to the magic of the forest and all of the wondrous wild edible and medicinal plants that are our neighbors.

    In 2010, Jeremy founded Nashville Foodscapes and in 2014, Jeremy co-founded Compost Nashville. As of January 2021, Nashville Foodscapes became a worker-owned cooperative. Jeremy's journey as an entrepreneur has allowed him to witness the value of leveraging our current systems and capital to create new ones that are more equitable and harmonious. He is a community resilience enthusiast and believes in the power of a localized economy and an inspired, well-fed community.

    Nashville Foodscapes is a full service design/build foodscaping company. Our mission is to cultivate biodiverse and nourishing landscapes in Middle Tennessee. As a worker-owned cooperative, we practice just and abundant relationships to food, land, and labor. We strive to honor the past, improve the present, and embrace our responsibility to the future.

    Compost Nashville is a food waste pick-up service for residential and commercial customers. We take our clients' food scraps, turn them into soil, and give them finished compost in return.  

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GROW YOUR OWN SHROOMS

This hands-on workshop will guide you through the fundamentals of growing mushrooms on logs!

  • This hands-on workshop will guide you through the fundamentals of growing mushrooms on logs! You’ll learn about the role of fungi in nature, easy-to-grow varieties, and different cultivation methods. We’ll cover everything from tools and wood selection to inoculation techniques—and you’ll get to drill, plug, and wax your own logs! By the end, you’ll know all about proper care, harvesting, and pest management. Perfect for anyone interested in growing sustainable mushrooms at home or on a farm.

  • Wes Wojtowicz has a long and winding path with the natural world and the realm of growing food and medicine. Born in Pennsylvania, he took an early interest in foraging plants, and found himself transfixed by the beauty of the boreal forests. He spent time studying for certification with the PA chapter of the American Herbalist Guild, and led his first mushroom workshops here. In 2010, he spent several months volunteering at Earth Tribe Trust, a permaculture and research farm outside Berea Kentucky, learning about earthworks, food storage, rainwater management, and ever more about foraging. This is where Wes went on his first mushroom hunt, a singular act that defined his life going forward.

                Fast forward to now, Wes has shared his love of wild mushrooms, plants, and accessible ways to grow them with people of all ages and walks of life. Since moving to Tennessee in 2014, he has led yearly wild identification walks, yearly mushroom cultivation workshops, done appearances in grade schools introducing kids to the magic growing in their yards, led Q+A’s at the Belcourt theater following the Nashville premiere of the “fantastic fungi” film, and more. He and his family have been maintaining their homestead in Charlotte TN for the past 7 years, and expanding their small business of tinctures, extracts, and mushroom growing materials. Wes’s journey has been one of opportunity and resourcefulness, values that continue to guide him.

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BREAD MAKING

Explore the art of baking fresh, delicious bread from scratch.

  • Explore the art of baking fresh, delicious bread from scratch, starting with the very foundation: grains. In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to select and work with different types of grains, from wheat to ancient grains. We’ll dive into fermentation, kneading, shaping, and baking techniques, emphasizing the importance of high-quality, local grains for creating flavorful, nutrient-rich bread. Whether you're a beginner or seasoned baker, this workshop will give you the skills to bake bread that’s both delicious and nourishing.

  • Soirée-Leone Sinclair is a teacher and writer focused on food preservation and putting food on the table. She lives and works on her 57-acre Tennessee homestead.

    She brings her background and experience as an urban homesteader growing food for her family to food preservation education. Her workshops include in-depth explorations into cheesemaking, fermentation, and canning (pressure, water bath and steam canning).

    She grew up on an off-grid homestead in rural Maine in the 1970s. After 23 years in San Diego, California, she and her husband moved to Tennessee.

    Historically, food preservation was a seasonal activity to have food between seasons of abundance, stretch the food budget, and ride out tough times. Soirée-Leone approaches food preservation as a strategy to put food on the table. We can minimize waste, share the bounties, and rely more on local and regional farms by preserving food at home. Along the way we can also build and support our communities. In 2023 Soirée-Leone was awarded the Patti Myint Phila Award that “celebrates the person, group, or organization that best exemplifies Patti and Phila’s spirit for using their food/cooking skills to improve, assist, and/or support their community.” She is on several boards including Chinkapin Craftstead.

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INTRO TO BEEKEEPING

In this workshop, you'll discover the essentials of starting and maintaining a healthy beehive.

  • This beginner-friendly workshop will cover bee biology, hive components, colony management, and the critical role pollinators play in sustainable agriculture. Whether you're an aspiring beekeeper or simply want to learn how to support local pollinators, this class will give you the knowledge to help your hive thrive.Item description

  • Hanes Motsinger grew up on a farm in State Road, North Carolina, a rural community located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Throughout her childhood, she spent the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas helping her grandparents on their small "choose and cut" Christmas tree farm in Allegheny County, North Carolina. In hindsight, that early experience piqued her wonder for the natural world and her curiosity about agriculture and land-based livelihoods.

    Today, Hanes' professional life is defined by the pursuit of social and environmental justice, and her engagement with this work has consistently returned to food and agriculture. She has spent time working with farm-to-table kitchens, migrant farmworker rights organizations, agricultural land trusts, and the global coffee sector. She is ecstatic about joining The Nashville Food Project and diving deep into the work of building community and justice through food (what a dream)! When she's not at work, you can find Hanes beekeeping, playing clawhammer banjo, tasting new coffees from around the world, or visiting the mountains of North Carolina. She moved to Nashville in May 2019.

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HONEY HARVEST

Get ready to experience the sweet rewards of beekeeping!

  • This hands-on workshop will guide you through the harvesting, extracting, and bottling process, ensuring you use the best techniques for a successful and sustainable honey harvest. Learn the tools of the trade, proper handling methods, and how to preserve the integrity of your honey—whether you're a seasoned beekeeper or just starting out.

    Perfect for beekeepers and honey enthusiasts looking to refine their skills and deepen their connection to the hive.Item description

  • Hanes Motsinger grew up on a farm in State Road, North Carolina, a rural community located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Throughout her childhood, she spent the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas helping her grandparents on their small "choose and cut" Christmas tree farm in Allegheny County, North Carolina. In hindsight, that early experience piqued her wonder for the natural world and her curiosity about agriculture and land-based livelihoods.

    Today, Hanes' professional life is defined by the pursuit of social and environmental justice, and her engagement with this work has consistently returned to food and agriculture. She has spent time working with farm-to-table kitchens, migrant farmworker rights organizations, agricultural land trusts, and the global coffee sector. She is ecstatic about joining The Nashville Food Project and diving deep into the work of building community and justice through food (what a dream)! When she's not at work, you can find Hanes beekeeping, playing clawhammer banjo, tasting new coffees from around the world, or visiting the mountains of North Carolina. She moved to Nashville in May 2019.

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FERMENTATION

Discover the ancient art of fermentation in this hands-on session.

  • Discover the ancient art of fermentation in this hands-on session where you’ll learn the traditional methods, health benefits, and history of fermenting foods. Participants will start with seasonal vegetables and learn the foundation for fermenting everything from fruits to veggies. A local chef will also demonstrate creative ways to incorporate these flavorful, probiotic-rich foods into your everyday meals, making it easy to enjoy the benefits of fermentation at home.

    Perfect for food lovers and those looking to preserve and enhance their ingredients naturally.

  • Nicolette Maio is a private chef, farmer & forager. Her background in integrative nutrition, food science & herbalism inspires unique, wholesome, delicious experiences to optimize your health. She offers farm-to-table catering, private cooking experiences on her homestead, and cooking classes to share the love of living off the land. Her Forager's Supper Club is a monthly meal membership to pick up a unique, locally sourced farmed & foraged meal.

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WINTERPROOFING

Get ready for the colder months with this practical workshop on winterproofing your farm or garden!

  • Get ready for the colder months with this practical workshop on winterproofing your farm or garden! You’ll learn how to protect your soil, choose the best crops for winter, and create cold frames, hoop houses, and other season extension methods to keep growing through the chill. Perfect for farmers and gardeners who want to make the most of their land year-round.

  • Alex Bice arrived in Nashville in June 2018 at the end of a 5-month bicycle tour that began in his hometown of Watsonville, California. He settled in Nashville to pursue a career in music, and has had the good fortune to connect with some amazing artists, playing drums and bass here in town and around the world.

    When the pandemic hit in 2020, touring came to a stand-still and the recording studio he was working at shut down, and like many others, he indulged in his lifelong hobby of gardening in a bigger way than ever before.

    In the Fall of 2021, he decided to make a go of it commercially, and did his first farmers market in April of 2022. Now there’s a whole amazing team working with him and he’s leasing 2 acres of farmland on Pennington Bend near Opryland, cranking out literal tons of amazing, nutrient-dense, chemical-free produce!

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CHEESE MAKING

Discover the art and science of making your own cheese in this hands-on workshop.

  • Discover the art and science of making your own cheese in this hands-on workshop. Participants will learn the basics of cheese production, including milk selection, cultures, rennet, and aging techniques. We'll cover the process of making soft cheeses as well as the fundamentals of hard cheese production. Whether you’re a foodie, homesteader, or just curious about cheesemaking, this workshop is the perfect introduction to creating delicious, homemade cheese from scratch.

  • Soirée-Leone Sinclair is a teacher and writer focused on food preservation and putting food on the table. She lives and works on her 57-acre Tennessee homestead.

    She brings her background and experience as an urban homesteader growing food for her family to food preservation education. Her workshops include in-depth explorations into cheesemaking, fermentation, and canning (pressure, water bath and steam canning).

    She grew up on an off-grid homestead in rural Maine in the 1970s. After 23 years in San Diego, California, she and her husband moved to Tennessee.

    Historically, food preservation was a seasonal activity to have food between seasons of abundance, stretch the food budget, and ride out tough times. Soirée-Leone approaches food preservation as a strategy to put food on the table. We can minimize waste, share the bounties, and rely more on local and regional farms by preserving food at home. Along the way we can also build and support our communities. In 2023 Soirée-Leone was awarded the Patti Myint Phila Award that “celebrates the person, group, or organization that best exemplifies Patti and Phila’s spirit for using their food/cooking skills to improve, assist, and/or support their community.” She is on several boards including Chinkapin Craftstead.

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SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

In this workshop, you’ll explore the benefits and applications of hempcrete, an eco-friendly building material revolutionizing construction.

  • This hands-on workshop covers the properties of hempcrete, mixing techniques, and various application methods, including cast-in-place and spray application. Led by industry experts, this session is perfect for builders, architects, and sustainability enthusiasts who want to integrate hempcrete into their projects, creating sustainable structures that benefit both people and the planet.Item description

  • Cameron McIntosh is the President and Principal owner of Americhanvre Cast Hemp, a full-service hempcrete installer and supplier of raw materials for hempcrete building out of Allentown, PA. With Americhanvre, Cameron has built a mobile hemp house on wheels that has toured the country, collaborated on the first spray application of hempcrete for a residential home in the United States in Missouri, and has imported and distributed over one-hundred and fifty thousands pounds of industrial hemp hurd for hempcrete construction. Cameron McIntosh is a Director at Large on the board of directors for the United States Hemp Building Association, a professional trade organization focused on the promotion and support of hemp building materials and hemp builders here in the United States. The goal of this organization is to achieve full code compliance and acceptance for hempcrete, hemp wood, hemp plastic, and hemp fiber-based building materials by the ASTM, International Code Council, and local building code enforcement offices across the country. Additionally, Cameron is the Hemp Local Supply Chain Coalition Coordinator for the Philadelphia based non-profit organization All Together Now Pennsylvania, led by local activist and restaurateur Judy Wicks. All Together Now aims to reunite urban and rural communities around the shared common goals of local self-reliance, inclusion and diversity, and community development. The Hemp Local Supply Chain has hosted educational networking events at Jefferson University, Pocono Raceway, and a collection of member farms in Pennsylvania throughout the past two years.

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URBAN LIVESTOCK

Thinking about adding animals to your small farm or backyard homestead?

  • This practical workshop covers the essentials of raising pigs, goats, ducks, and chickens in urban and small-scale farm settings. Learn about animal care, housing, feeding, and local regulations to create a sustainable and productive system.

    Whether you're dreaming of fresh eggs, milk, or just the joy of tending animals, this session will help you get started the right way!Item description

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HYDROPONICS 101

  • EvenCurious about growing food without soil? In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn how to grow fresh, nutrient-packed greens using hydroponics (soilless growing) and start growing microgreens right at home! We’ll cover the basics of hydroponic systems, microgreen production, and sustainable practices for efficient, year-round food production. Perfect for urban gardeners and anyone wanting to grow food efficiently, even with limited space.

  • Maxwell Patterson is a Nashville native and accomplished African American farmer, has devoted his career to educating black youth about the significance of agriculture and environmental conservation. As a member of Nashville's BIPOC community, he has made it his mission to serve as a role model for younger generations, showcasing the numerous career opportunities and personal satisfaction that can be attained through the agricultural industry. This commitment to cultivating the next generation of farmers is exemplified through his 2019 role as CBG farm manager, where he passionately educated high school interns on a diverse range of topics, including greenhouse environment control, cloning, hydroponic system design and management, and hoop house construction.

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Curious about growing food without soil?

SEED KEEPING

This hands-on session will teach you how to save, store, and preserve seeds for long-term viability!

  • Want to ensure you have seeds for the future? This hands-on session will teach you how to save, store, and preserve seeds for long-term viability! We’ll cover drying, labeling, and storage techniques to maintain seed quality, plus best practices for selecting and preserving seeds for the next planting season. Perfect for gardeners and farmers who want to build seed resilience and sustainability in their growing practices!

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