What's Cooler Than Being Cool? Our Cold Frame Growing Workshop

On Saturday, September 20th, LifeDirt hosted our first Cold Frame Growing Workshop. The purpose of this workshop was to introduce people to a simple form of season extension. We held it at the South End Community Garden in Saint John. Kara Carline, a grower from New Brunswick who currently lives in Nova Scotia, led the workshop. We had two sample cold frame growing boxes (made in partnership with George Robinson on the Kingston Peninsula), and participants were able to install it in an empty garden bed and sow some seeds we had brought. This box was donated to the local non-profit People United in the Lower South End. 

What Was Covered?

Kara led a very hands-on and practical workshop, covering topics such as why season extension works, what plants are suitable for cold season growing & harvesting, how to use the cold frame box to support your growing year-round, working with your cold frame to ensure the success of your harvest, ways to make your own cold frame, how to sow different types of seeds, and planting schedules. She also took lots of great questions from participants specific to their own contexts. 

What Seeds Did We Sow?

Literally, we brought, sowed and distributed the following seeds: spinach, cilantro, mache, arugula and endives.

Figuratively, we hope we sowed seeds of inspiration for food sovereignty which enables each one of us to have more of a say in what we eat. Growing your own food is a huge part of that, and cold frame growing makes this goal more attainable to us in our climate!

Ah I Wish I Had Gone!

Well, we are pretty into the idea of making fresh food more accessible to people, and love the concept of cold frame gardens. For that reason, we are planning to have another workshop in the late spring and another one early next fall. Stay tuned!