Love Apple Farms

Workshop: Garden Mosaics

Who doesn't love pique assiette, also known as broken plate mosaics?  Learn how to create beautiful outdoor art with reused china, crockery, glass, mirror and tile.  In the allotted time we'll complete a stepping stone for you to take home, but with these skills you can craft custom designs for just about any surface you can think of. Click here to view stones created by students in prior classes.

This class is taught by Cynthia Sandberg and is held at Love Apple Farms' retail location, 5311 Scotts Valley Drive in Scotts Valley (behind Ivy's Porch).Read speaker and class reviews for Cynthia Sandberg, here. 

ALL CLASSES ARE HELD RAIN OR SHINE
AND REQUIRE ADVANCE REGISTRATION

September 14, 2019 (Saturday) 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. $79 (plus small materials fee of $20) << Click the date to register (gift certificate holders register by emailing loveapplefarms@gmail.com)

Materials to bring to class: dinnerware plates, tile, mirror, opaque glass, or ceramic pieces you may have. Also try to bring a tile nipper and safety goggles. If you cannot bring these, we will provide them. For more information about how to prepare for class, CLICK HERE.

If the workshop dates don't work for you, if the class is full, or if you'd like to request that another class be added, please email us at loveapplefarm@gmail.com to let us know and we'll do our best to accommodate you.

Please read our cancellation policy in case you are not able to attend your scheduled class.  

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive information about new classes, planting tips, free give-aways, and more exclusive content.  

Love Apple Farms gift certificates can be used towards classes, seedlings, and merchandise.  They are available for purchase here.  

Check out other classes at Love Apple Farms by clicking here.

Workshop: Compost, Vermiculture and Soil Fertility

Using your own home-made compost is the single best thing you can do to increase your garden's fertility, ward off pests, and keep diseases at a minimum. Worm castings have also been shown to be a similarly powerful tool. Great gardeners will have both an active compost bin and worm bin up and running at all times. They know the benefits to their garden are enormous. Using your own compost and worm castings will also drastically cut down on the amount of soil amendments, fertilizers, insecticides and fungicides that an organic gardener usually needs to purchase to maintain their vegetable plot.

Students will learn what these benefits are, how to properly build a compost pile (we build one ourselves during class), learn how to harvest it and use it on your garden. 

The second half of the workshop is devoted to vermiculture: how to start, maintain, and use to full benefit a proper worm bin. See how we feed our worms, harvest the castings, and even make a fabulous worm tea for use as a supplemental fertilizer.Students will take home a worm bin, complete with starter worms!

This class is taught by farmer Cynthia Sandberg co-founder of the World Tomato Society, and is held at Love Apple Farms' spring plant sale, located at 5311 Scotts Valley Dr., Scotts Valley, CA. Read speaker and class reviews for Cynthia Sandberg, here. 

ALL CLASSES ARE HELD RAIN OR SHINE
AND REQUIRE ADVANCE REGISTRATION 

May 25, 2019 (Saturday) 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.  $69 plus small materials fee of $20 (for worm bin taken home by each student) <<Click date to register (gift certificate holders register by emailing loveapplefarm@gmail.com)

Materials to bring to class: compostable materials. If you cannot bring these, we will provide them. For more information about how to prepare for class, CLICK HERE.

Please read our cancellation policy in case you are not able to attend your scheduled class. If the workshop dates don’t work for you, if the class is full, or if you’d like to request that another class be added, please email us at loveapplefarms@gmail.com and we’ll do our best to accommodate you!

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive information about new classes, planting tips, free give-aways, and more exclusive content. 

Love Apple Farms gift certificates can be used towards classes, seedlings, and merchandise. They are available for purchase here. 

Check out other classes at Love Apple Farms by clicking here.

Workshop: Winter Vegetable Gardening

 
Learn how to start and tend a winter vegetable garden. Growing a garden in winter is possible with our mild California climate. Winter gardens are not just limited to greens and cabbage.  This is an intensive, all-day workshop. We will discuss over 30 different kinds of winter vegetables.

Everyone gets to sow a flat from our extensive seed bank to take home to tend and transplant.

Learn how to battle the cold temps, bed preparation, winter pest and disease issues, as well as the critical sow dates for winter crops. The earlier in the season you get going, the better, as you need to sow some crops in late summer for winter growing.

This class is taught by farmer Cynthia Sandberg co-founder of the World Tomato Society, and is held on-site at Love Apple Farms, located at 2317 Vine Hill Road, Santa Cruz, CA. Read speaker and class reviews for Cynthia Sandberg, here. 

ALL CLASSES ARE HELD RAIN OR SHINE
AND REQUIRE ADVANCE REGISTRATION

August 10, 2019 (Saturday) 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.  $79 plus small materials fee of $10 (August is the perfect time to start sowing your winter vegetables) << Click on date to register (gift certificate holders register by emailing us at loveapplefarms@gmail.com)

September 15, 2019 (Sunday) 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.  $79 plus small materials fee of $10 << Click on date to register (gift certificate holders register by emailing us at loveapplefarms@gmail.com)

October 12, 2019 (Saturday) 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.  $79 plus small materials fee of $10  << Click on date to register (gift certificate holders register by emailing us at loveapplefarms@gmail.com)

Please read our cancellation policy in case you are not able to attend your scheduled class. 
If the workshop dates don’t work for you, if the class is full, or if you’d like to request that another class be added, please email us and we’ll do our best to accommodate you!

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive information about new classes, planting tips, free give-aways, and more exclusive content. 

Love Apple Farms gift certificates can be used towards classes, seedlings, and merchandise.  They are available for purchase here. 

Check out other classes at Love Apple Farms by clicking here.

Class Participants Say  

" We've taken your summer veg and winter veg classes.  They were invaluable.  I really can't thank you enough for those workshops.  The knowledge and inspiration you gave us has changed the way we relate to food, the way we eat, and even the way we feel about our home.  Growing and cooking our own food is deeply satisfying and nurturing -- and not just for us.  My co-workers have been treated to a whole lot of pumpkin bread, muffins, and risotto, thanks to that first summer veg class!"  -- Andrea

"Cynthia, I am an experienced gardener and I enjoyed your class immensely.  Other people who know you also appreciate and praise your work and your sharing!  You put a lot of thought into preparing for classes. Thank you for all the materials, suppliers, new veggies, tips!  You are doing a terrific job with the farm and you are an inspiration to me." -- Inani

"Great class! I came away with some great plans for my garden.  Your style is great!  You don't intimidate us and we feel free to ask questions." -- Rick

"I really felt that you had great information on winter gardening.  I feel so inspired."  -- Carolyn

"I thought the class was great. This is now my second class I have taken with you (tomato seed class).  The class moved along in a timely fashion, was interesting throughout and filled with tons of valuable information.  I will definitely continue on with your classes.  Thanks for offering them!" -- Cherie

 

Workshop: Pickling

This class is designed for the beginner preserving student interested in pickling. We will cover all of the basics from fairly simple tricks and techniques to the more intimidating and involved preserving processes. 

Among the subjects we will cover in class are:

        - Food safety (your number one priority)
        - Causes of food spoilage and how to avoid them
        - The right ingredients for pickling
        - Tools of the trade
        - Water bath canning pickling method
        - Simple, fresh refrigerator pickles
        - Japanese-style pickles

Students will create and take home various jars of pickles. 

This is a hands-on workshop limited to six students only. Cynthia Sandberg will teach this class at Love Apple Farms, located at 2317 Vine Hill Road, Santa Cruz, CA

CLASSES ARE HELD RAIN OR SHINE
ALL CLASSES REQUIRE ADVANCE REGISTRATION
 

August 4, 2018 (Saturday) 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.  $119 plus materials fee of $30 SOLD OUT!

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Please review our cancellation policy in case you are not able to attend your scheduled class.

Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates on new classes, planting tips, free give-aways, and more exclusive content.

If the workshop dates don't work for you, if the class is full, or if you'd like to request that another class be added, please email us at loveapplefarm@gmail.com to let us know and we'll do our best to accommodate you.

Love Apple Farm gift certificates can be used toward classes, seedlings and merchandise and are available for purchase here.

Check out other classes at Love Apple Farm by clicking here.

Workshop: Jam Making

Irma Rombauer, the author of Joy of Cooking, wrote in her chapter on Canning:  "It is a thrill to possess shelves well stocked with home-canned food.  In fact, you will find their inspection - often surreptitious - and the pleasure of serving the fruits of your labor comparable only to a clear conscience or a very becoming hat."

Unfortunately, the Canning and Preserves chapters of current editions of Joy of Cooking have been removed in favor of more modern culinary techniques and interests. We think that's a shame.  Gone are the neat line drawings of pressure cookers and Mason jars. One can't ogle a diagram of how to skin a squirrel or find a recipe of how to cook an armadillo (We are not making that up). These are definitely lost arts.

The art of jam making doesn't have to be lost on you, however. Here at Love Apple Farm you can learn this fun and satisfying craft. We will make several kinds of jam during the workshop, utilizing a couple of different methods. Students will take home a few jars of jam that we process in class.

This workshop is hands-on and limited to six students. Taught by Cynthia Sandberg in her home kitchen located at Love Apple Farms, 2317 Vine Hill Road, Santa Cruz, CA. Read a nice review of our canning type classes here and then here.

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ADVANCE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED, EVEN FOR GIFT CERTIFICATE HOLDERS
AGES 13 AND UP ONLY PLEASE

June 23, 2018 (Saturday) 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.  $119 plus materials fee of $30 <<Click on date to register.

Materials to bring to class: knife, apron. If you cannot bring these, we will provide them. For more information about how to prepare for class, CLICK HERE.

If the workshop dates don’t work for you, if the class is full, or if you’d like to request that another class be added, please email us at loveapplefarms@gmail.com and we’ll do our best to accommodate you!

Please read our cancellation policy in case you are not able to attend your scheduled class. 

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive information about new classes, planting tips, free give-aways, and more exclusive content.  

Love Apple Farms gift certificates can be used towards classes, seedlings, and merchandise.  They are available for purchase here.  

Check out other classes at Love Apple Farms by clicking here.     

 

Workshop: The Fine Art of Dahlia Growing

We like to call dahlias, "the king of flowers," because of their awesomeness. If roses are the queen of flowers, then dahlias are certainly their equal. We'll learn the various shapes and sizes of dahlias, and their names, as well as how to propagate, plant, stake, prune, fertilize, and deal with their worst garden pests. Students will take home potted cuttings after we walk the garden, talking, discussing, and learning all about this wonderful flower family. 

This class is taught by Cynthia Sandberg, renowned gardening expert, founder of the World Tomato Society, and is held on-site at Love Apple Farms, located at 2317 Vine Hill Road, Santa Cruz, CA (please no visitors unless you are a registered student and only on class day). Read speaker and class reviews for Cynthia Sandberg, here. 

ALL CLASSES ARE HELD RAIN OR SHINE
AND REQUIRE ADVANCE REGISTRATION

June 3, 2018 (Sunday) 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.  CLASS CANCELED

 

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive information about new classes, planting tips, free give-aways, and more exclusive content.  

Love Apple Farms gift certificates can be used towards classes, seedlings, and merchandise.  They are available for purchase here.  

Check out other classes at Love Apple Farms by clicking here.     

Workshop: Tomato Masters

Learn how to master the art and science of the world's most popular fruit. Follow the growing techniques learned in this workshop to grow 7 foot tall plants that yield 100 pounds of fruit per plant! This is a hands-on seminar on backyard tomato growing. Get the latest techniques for fertilizing, pruning, and soil amending for maximum production, health and taste.  Yes, you CAN help your tomatoes taste better. Yes, you CAN achieve results to make even your most doubting relatives and neighbors envious.

We'll also talk staking, proper garden siting, mulching, watering, disease and pest control, harvesting, the heirloom vs. hybrid debate, and seed saving.

This Tomato Masters class is taught by farmer Cynthia Sandberg co-founder of the World Tomato Society, and is held at Love Apple Farms' spring plant sale, located at 5311 Scotts Valley Dr., Scotts Valley, CA. Read speaker and class reviews for Cynthia Sandberg, here. 

ALL CLASSES ARE HELD RAIN OR SHINE
AND REQUIRE ADVANCE REGISTRATION

April 28, 2019 (Sunday) 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.  $69 << Click date to register (gift certificate holders register by emailing loveapplefarm@gmail.com)

May 11, 2019 (Saturday) 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.  $69 << Click date to register (gift certificate holders register by emailing loveapplefarm@gmail.com)

June 2, 2019 (Sunday) 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.  $69 << Click date to register (gift certificate holders register by emailing loveapplefarm@gmail.com)

Please read our cancellation policy in case you are not able to attend your scheduled class. 

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive information about new classes, planting tips, free give-aways, and more exclusive content.  

If the workshop dates don’t work for you, if the class is full, or if you’d like to request that another class be added, please email us and we’ll do our best to accommodate you!

Love Apple Farms gift certificates can be used towards classes, seedlings, and merchandise.  

Check out other classes at Love Apple Farms by clicking here.

Workshop: Succulent Wreaths

Come learn all about these precious, living beauties. You'll each make a living wreath from dozens of available succulent cuttings. Learn how to create, care for, and properly display your treasure. Warning: learning about succulents is addictive and may lead to excessive crafting, gardening and succulent purchasing!

 

About your instructor:

 

Tamara Cucchiara has been nick-named "The Succulent Diva." She is considered the “go to expert” in the community for succulent designing, demonstrations, teaching, care and propagation. Her succulent knowledge was first recognized by the community when she began teaching hundreds of volunteers at the Homeless Garden Project in Santa Cruz. Her luscious designs have been sold at both HGP retail shops and other area art and garden shops.

 

Tamara collaborates with local Master Gardeners by teaching propagation and care of succulents to the community. Her clients have traveled from all over the Bay Area just to learn from this recognized expert. Her succulent designs have been recognized as real living art. We are proud to have Tamara as a visiting expert instructor!

ALL CLASSES ARE HELD RAIN OR SHINE
AND REQUIRE ADVANCE REGISTRATION

THIS WORKSHOP IS HELD AT 5311 SCOTTS VALLEY DRIVE
IN SCOTTS VALLEY, CA 

October 28, 2017 (Saturday) 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. $99 plus materials fee of $20 <<Click on date to register (gift certificate holders register by emailing loveapplefarms@gmail.com)

Please read our cancellation policy in case you are not able to attend your scheduled class. Email us at loveapplefarms@gmail.com if you'd like to be notified when we add another such workshop.

If you'd like to be notified if we add another class date, please email us at loveapplefarms@gmail.com. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive information about new classes, planting tips, free give-aways, and more exclusive content.  

If the workshop dates don’t work for you, if the class is full, or if you’d like to request that another class be added, please email us and we’ll do our best to accommodate you!

Love Apple Farms gift certificates are available for purchase here.  

Check out other classes at Love Apple Farms by clicking here. 

 

Workshop: Wreaths from the Garden

 

The gorgeous wreath above was made last year by one of our students, Leslie Marshall, during this very hands-on wreath workshop. In this class you will learn how to make holiday garden wreaths using landscape trimmings available in your own backyard! The wreath is a symbol of continuity and renewal, a leafy green reminder of summer that pulls our homes and spirits through the depths of winter. Once you master the art of making wreaths, you will be happy to add it to your list of holiday traditions.  

We will explore wreath construction in multiple phases:  base, body, and decorations. You will start with loose landscape prunings and end with holiday masterpieces!  Incorporating wreath-making into your yearly garden cycle also helps reduce your carbon footprint by replacing store-bought decorations with lovely, handmade ones. Woody herbs like rosemary, lavender, or bay laurel make especially fragrant and beautiful wreathes. You will never look at your landscape waste pile the same way again!

Click here for a photo display of last year's wreath class!

ALL CLASSES ARE HELD RAIN OR SHINE
AND REQUIRE ADVANCE REGISTRATION

THIS WORKSHOP IS HELD AT 5311 SCOTTS VALLEY DRIVE
IN SCOTTS VALLEY, CA

October 22, 2016 (Saturday) Noon - 4:00 p.m. $59  CLASS CANCELED

Materials to bring to class: clippers or garden shears with a fine point (not a bypass pruner), wreath materials such as pine, fir, redwood, spruce boughs, dried flowers, fresh herb stalks, fall dried leaves, grape leaves and fines, etc. etc. If you cannot bring these, we will provide them. For more information about how to prepare for class, CLICK HERE.

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Please read our cancellation policy in case you are not able to attend your scheduled class.  

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive information about new classes, planting tips, free give-aways, and more exclusive content.  

If the workshop dates don’t work for you, if the class is full, or if you’d like to request that another class be added, please email us and we’ll do our best to accommodate you!

Love Apple Farms gift certificates can be used towards classes, seedlings, and merchandise.  They are available for purchase here.  

Check out other classes at Love Apple Farms by clicking here.  

Workshop: Backyard Bee-Keeping

Did you know that you can keep bees in your backyard?  Most normal-sized yards can play host to a hive of honey bees, and the folks who tend them enjoy honey, beeswax, royal jelly, and of course, the bees themselves.  In fact, a healthy hive can produce several gallons of lovely, local honey every year. 

These pollinators can be marvelously helpful by making fruits and vegetables more productive.  Here on the farm, we keep bees not just because they help produce richer crops, but also because they are tremendously beneficial insects that are good for our neighbors and surrounding environment. 

Come learn what it takes to keep a busy, productive hive of bees happy!  Learn where to get your bees, how to set up and maintain the hive, and how to protect it from pests and disease.  This is a beginner’s course, so you won’t need to bring any special equipment or supplies. THIS CLASS IS HELD AT LOVE APPLE FARMS, located at 2317 Vine Hill Road, Santa Cruz. The farm is only open for pre-registered students on the day of class.  

ALL CLASSES ARE HELD RAIN OR SHINE!
ALL CLASSES REQUIRE ADVANCE REGISTRATION, EVEN FOR GIFT CERTIFICATE HOLDERS 

April 14, 2019 (Sunday) 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. $99 << Click to register (gift certificate holders register by emailing loveapplefarm@gmail.com)

Materials to bring to class: wear white or light colored clothing, long sleeves and long pants. No open toed shoes or sandals (think covering as much skin as possible). Please do not wear cologne or perfume. For more information about how to prepare for class, CLICK HERE.

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Please read our cancellation policy in case you are not able to attend your scheduled class. 

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive information about new classes, planting tips, free give-aways, and more exclusive content. 

If the workshop dates don’t work for you, if the class is full, or if you’d like to request that another class be added, please email us and we’ll do our best to accommodate you!

Love Apple Farms gift certificates can be used towards classes, seedlings, and merchandise.  They are available for purchase here. 

Check out other classes at Love Apple Farms by clicking here.

Home Brewing On the Farm

At the beginning of this summer, the buzz among the Love Apple Farms staff and apprentices was that in July the farm would be hosting its first beer making class. Needless to say there was great anticipation leading up to this past Sunday, when most of us farmers assembled in the gardening classroom with 22 other students to learn how to brew at home.

We weren’t disappointed. Our teacher and expert home brewer Dave Bossie knew his beers inside and out, and his setup alone was impressive—a large keg he’d customized for brewing mounted on an enormous camping stove. He guided us through a brief history of beer making and microbrewing, then gave us a rundown of the basic equipment and ingredients (malted barley, hops, yeast, and water) needed to make our own ale and lager. Of course, we didn’t just learn the difference between these two primary beer styles—we tasted it as well.

While Dave set about brewing an ale in class—a demonstration that began with boiling six gallons of water in the converted keg—we sampled and discussed a variety of styles of beers. Dave and his wife both brew at their home in Ben Lomond, and the beers we tried included their delicious Smash IPA and smoked porter. As he boiled caramel malted barley and added three different types of hops, Dave told us about the many styles of beer he’s made over the years—and the close community of Santa Cruz home brewers who get together to share their latest creations. At the opening of class he’d warned us that beer making can easily turn into an all-consuming hobby, and by the end of the day, full of tasty homemade beer and breathing in the warm aroma of malted barley, we definitely believed him.

Thank you, Dave, for showing us how, and a big shout-out to Seven Bridges Cooperative.  This Santa Cruz home brewing store is a real treasure for us locals!

Workshop: Beginning Cheese-Making

Among all of the projects that brave home cooks take on in the privacy of their own kitchens, cheese-making seems to be one of the more intimidating and avoided.  There are cultures, temperatures and butterfat percentages to consider... right? Don't worry, if you've ever baked a cake, you can master cheese-making.  It's a great skill to add to your repertoire, and homemade cheeses are versatile and easily customized to your particular liking. Add lemon zest to goat cheese, or herbs to your hand-crafted mozzarella...it's all good!

This workshop will focus on three basic soft cheeses which are easy to recreate at home - chévre, feta and mozzarella. It's hard to believe that such delicious cheeses can be made so simply, but after you taste your first batch of fresh cheese, you'll never feel the same way about the store-bought stuff.

Students will leave with basic cheese-making knowledge and skills as well as resources for finding fresh, local milk and cheese-making tools. This is a hands-on class! 

ALL CLASSES ARE HELD RAIN OR SHINE
AND REQUIRE ADVANCE REGISTRATION

SUITABLE ONLY FOR THOSE 12 YEARs OF AGE AND OLDER

THIS WORKSHOP IS HELD AT 1101 FAIR AVE., SANTA CRUZ, CA 

June 23, 2019 (Sunday) 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.  $99 << Click on date to register (gift certificate holders register by emailing us at loveapplefarm@gmail.com) TWO SEATS LEFT!

August 11, 2019 (Sunday) 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.  $99 << Click on date to register (gift certificate holders register by emailing us at loveapplefarm@gmail.com)

September 28, 2019 (Saturday) 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.  $99 << Click on date to register (gift certificate holders register by emailing us at loveapplefarm@gmail.com)

MORE CHEESE WORKSHOPS COMING SOON - EMAIL US AT LOVEAPPLEFARM@GMAIL.COM TO GET A NOTICE OF FUTURE CLASS DATES.

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Please read our cancellation policy in case you are not able to attend your scheduled class.  If the workshop dates don’t work for you, if the class is full, or if you’d like to request that another class be added, please email us at loveapplefarms@gmail.com and we’ll do our best to accommodate you! 

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive information about new classes, planting tips, free give-aways, and more exclusive content.  

Love Apple Farms gift certificates can be used towards classes, seedlings, and merchandise.  They are available for purchase here.  

Check out other classes hosted by Love Apple Farms by clicking here.  

 

Another Great Student Testimonial

Tamara O'Kelly attended a Love Apple Farm class last year, and I wanted to share her inspiring photos of how she was able to transform her back yard into a showpiece kitchen garden.  All of these photos are of Tamara's garden, located in Boulder Creek, CA.  I'm so proud of her! Hi Cynthia!

I took your "Grow Better Veggies" class and thought I'd send you some before and after shots of my garden so you could see how well I paid attention in class!  So, here is my story.

In the beginning...there was an asphalt driveway...and the hungry gardener said, "Let there be veggies!" and she and a friend separated the asphalt from the soil.  And it was so. 
The compost truck arrived, the raised beds were built and the deer fencing erected.  It took her MONTHS, not seven days. Even though the seedlings were planted late, the sun shone on them and they grew and were fruitful.  So fruitful, that now the hungry gardener is no longer hungry and neither is anybody else in the neighborhood, including the resident chickens and goats!  

Walking through my garden and "grazing" is no less than a biblical experience for me (pardon the pun)...I am in heaven eating all of the yummy, organic heirloom veggies that I started in your class.  I have devoted most of my spare time to learning about Biodynamic gardening and learn something new everyday and share as much of that with others as I can.  I'm now focusing on learning how to schedule my seed sowing and crop rotation so that I can be as productive as possible all year long.  The learning curve is always tougher in the beginning!

Thank you for such an inspiring class and for getting me off on the right foot!  I've never had such success before!

                                                Sincerely,

                                                Tamara O'Kelly
                                                The Historic Hartmann House Inn

Workshop: Early Spring Vegetable Gardening

Take advantage of our mild California Bay Area climate to get your vegetable garden up and productive for the season! Why wait for summer to start harvesting your own healthy, organic produce? 

This class will teach you what's possible to grow and pick in early spring. You will be able to plant and sow in February and March, then start to harvest your bounty in April. Learn sustainable organic techniques that will let you seamlessly integrate your early spring vegetable garden into your summer plantings of warm-weather lovers.

We will discuss lettuces, spinaches, chards, bok choy, tatsoi, snow and shelling peas, mustard, mizuna, cress, kale, arugula, chrysanthemum greens, broccoli raab, and other quick-growing veg that will tide you over til the warm weather hits. This class differs from our Winter Vegetable Gardening Class, as it only concentrates on quick, cool-weather plants that you will be able to put in now and harvest in the spring.

Every student gets to sow a flat of seeds to take home to tend along with instruction on how to grow them out.

In addition to the culture requirements of each of the vegetables, the topics covered in class will include: bed preparation, heat and light requirements, frost control, germination tricks, organic pest control, fertilizing, and harvesting techniques. This class is taught by farmer, Cynthia Sandberg and held on-site at Love Apple Farms, located at 2317 Vine Hill Road, Santa Cruz. Click here to read reviews of Cynthia's classes. 

ALL CLASSES ARE HELD RAIN OR SHINE
ALL CLASSES REQUIRE ADVANCE REGISTRATION

January 6, 2019 (Sunday) 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. $69 plus small materials fee of $10 SOLD OUT!

January 26, 2019 (Saturday) 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. $69 plus small materials fee of $10 << Click on the date to register (gift certificate holders register by emailing loveapplefarm@gmail.com)

If the class date doesn't work for you or if the class is full, email us at loveapplefarms@gmail.com to request another workshop date or to be added to the waitlist.

EXAMPLE TRAY OF SEEDLINGS SOWN DURING CLASS: 

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Please read our cancellation policy in case you are not able to attend your scheduled class. 

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive information about new classes, planting tips, free give-aways, and more exclusive content. 

Love Apple Farms gift certificates can be used towards classes, seedlings, and merchandise.  They are available for purchase here. 

Check out other classes at Love Apple Farms by clicking here.

Workshop: Backyard Chicken-Keeping

Even city dwellers can keep a few laying hens in their yards. Most city ordinances allow it. Students will take home three live chicks - after learning how to care for them. Class participants also receive a brooder starter kit containing heat lamp system, feeder, waterer, bedding, and chick feed.

You will receive plans on building a simple yet predator-proof coop. You need not build the coop prior to class; your chicks will be fine with your take-home brooder kit until a proper coop can be built. You will have about a month after you take home your chicks before you will need a coop.

You will receive female chicks (they do not crow) and each one will look different!. Hens do not require a rooster in order to lay eggs.

If you'd like more than three chicks, it may be possible to purchase more on the day of the class. Three laying hens make up a pretty good flock for a family of four, and should give about 18 eggs a week.  Space is limited.  There will only be 20 brooder kits/chick flocks available. 

To read a couple of testimonials from our past chicken keeping students, click here and here. This class is held at Love Apple Farms' spring plant sale, located at 5311 Scotts Valley Dr., Scotts Valley, CA. 

ALL CLASSES ARE HELD RAIN OR SHINE
AND REQUIRE ADVANCE REGISTRATION

June 1, 2019 (Saturday) 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. $89 plus materials fee of $30 << Click on date to register (gift certificate holders register by emailing loveapplefarm@gmail.com). The breeds that will be available for students in this class are: Ameraucana (lays green eggs), Speckled Sussex (gorgeous spotted hens that lay medium-toned brown eggs), Welsummers (lays dark brown eggs), and Buff Cochins (fluffy-footed golden girls that lay light-brown eggs).

Additional family members are welcome to accompany a full-tuition student at a cost of $20 each, payable after the first student signs up (we will send you a link when we confirm your primary registration).  We encourage family members to attend (even children), as then everyone will learn how to care for the chickens.  Of course, the full-tuition student is the only one taking home chicks, coop plans, waterer, feeder, chick starter feed, shavings, heat lamp and bulb. 

 

Materials to bring to class: a very small cardboard box to take chicks home in (about 6" square). If you cannot bring these, we will provide them. For more information about how to prepare for class, CLICK HERE.

 

   

Please read our cancellation/rescheduling policy in case you are not able to attend your scheduled class.  If the workshop dates don’t work for you, if the class is full, or if you’d like to request that another class be added, please email us at loveapplefarms@gmail.com and we’ll do our best to accommodate you! 

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive information about new classes, planting tips, free give-aways, and more exclusive content.  

Love Apple Farms gift certificates can be used towards classes, seedlings, and merchandise.  They are available for purchase here.  

Check out other classes at Love Apple Farms by clicking here.     

Workshop: Drip Irrigation Made Simple yet Amazingly Effective

As people come to the garden to look around, one of their most frequently asked questions is about the drip irrigation system we use.

When Love Apple first started out, there were many different configurations and types of equipment used to irrigate the beds. After installing and testing thousands of feet of line and hundreds of emitter heads, we found a system that works for any type of vegetable garden and for all seasons. Our system even works for raised beds and container gardens.

One of the great things about our irrigation method is that it's simple. Any one who has opposable thumbs and the ability to kneel can do it!

We show you how to install a system from the spigot out to the garden. You do not need special, dedicated water pipes for this.  Bit by bit, fitting by fitting, we install the system as you watch and learn. We even get you involved, hands on, to show that YOU CAN DO IT!

We reveal who our commercial-grade parts suppliers are and give you a detailed parts list.

This class is taught by farmer Cynthia Sandberg co-founder of the World Tomato Society, and is held at Love Apple Farms' spring plant sale, located at 5311 Scotts Valley Dr., Scotts Valley, CA. Read speaker and class reviews for Cynthia Sandberg, here. 

ALL CLASSES ARE HELD RAIN OR SHINE
AND REQUIRE ADVANCE REGISTRATION

April 27, 2019 (Saturday) 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.  $69 <<Click on date to register (gift certificate holders register by emailing loveapplefarms@gmail.com)

Please read our cancellation policy in case you are not able to attend your scheduled class.  

 

What class participants say:

"Thank you again, I enjoyed the class yesterday; it will support and refine my already irrigation process, and I plan to change the way I am now doing it, and the water times were educational. I enjoy visiting Love Apple Farm, you have a great place..." -- Rene D.

"I just want to tell you how much my husband and I enjoyed your class on drip irrigation today. I am already planning to add extra boxes for next spring and Dan is looking over the Dripworks catalog. I also want to let you know that our 3 chicks are doing well in the corner of our garden. Here is my new favorite thing to do: enjoy a gin and tonic every afternoon after work and watch the hens scratch away. You are a great teacher! (I am a first grade teacher and I really admire your no BS way of conducting your class!) Dan and I will return for more classes as soon as we've figured out the drip irrigation! Thank you again for an enjoyable day!" -- Jennifer D.

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive information about new classes, planting tips, free give-aways, and more exclusive content. 

If the workshop dates don’t work for you, if the class is full, or if you’d like to request that another class be added, please email us and we’ll do our best to accommodate you!

Love Apple Farms gift certificates can be used towards classes, seedlings, and merchandise.  They are available for purchase here. 

Check out other classes at Love Apple Farms by clicking here.

Workshop: Container Vegetable Gardening

Whether you want to grow tomatoes in hanging baskets, like I'm showing off above, or you want to utilize a small space, our Container Vegetable Gardening class is the workshop for you. Learn all about how to successfully grow vegetables in containers. It's harder than it looks! From the proper potting soil to use, to a plethora of available container options, we also investigate space requirements, sunlight needs, the all-important fertilizing, and companion planting for maximum yield and results. We will show you how to grow more vegetables in less space than you ever thought possible.

This workshop is ideal for:
 - Renters who need to take their gardens with them when they move.
 - Those who have gopher problems.
 - Plots with poor soil or other disease issues. 
 - Apartment dwellers who don't have any ground to grow in.
 - Folks with large decks who would like to grow vegetables in pots rather than the standard landscape container plants.

This class is taught by farmer Cynthia Sandberg co-founder of the World Tomato Society, and is held at Love Apple Farms' spring plant sale, located at 5311 Scotts Valley Dr., Scotts Valley, CA. Read speaker and class reviews for Cynthia Sandberg, here. 

ALL CLASSES ARE HELD RAIN OR SHINE
AND REQUIRE ADVANCE REGISTRATION

May 26, 2019 (Sunday) 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.  $69  << Click on date to register (gift certificate holders register by emailing loveapplefarm@gmail.com)

If the workshop dates don’t work for you, if the class is full, or if you’d like to request that another class be added, please email us at loveapplefarms@gmail.com and we’ll do our best to accommodate you.

Please read our cancellation policy in case you are not able to attend your scheduled class.

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What class participants say:

"I just wanted to thank you for the great container gardening class. I really learned a lot and feel like I could get started. I took a class at another location and yours really was so much more helpful and inspiring."  -- Shiela V.

 

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive information about new classes, planting tips, free give-aways, and more exclusive content.  

Love Apple Farms gift certificates can be used towards classes, seedlings, and merchandise.  They are available for purchase here.  

Check out other classes at Love Apple Farms by clicking here. 

Photo credits: First photo of Cynthia and the hanging basket taken by Jamie Cole and originally published in Progressive Farmer Magazine. Second photo of the tiered garden boxes from Fraserside Community Services in British Columbia.  Third photo courtesy Darlene Marie.  

Workshop: Designing the Perfect Vegetable Garden

This is a vegetable garden-landscape design-construction workshop. Learn how to site your vegetable beds for maximum efficacy by taking into consideration factors such as climate, season, and sun exposure. You will learn numerous approaches to bed design, including methods that use straw wattles, recycled concrete, lumber, and cinderblocks. 

You will also receive valuable information on what to fill your newly constructed beds with and how to do it properly. Not all soil is alike. We've got supplier recommendations for you that will save you money and give you maximum results due to superior soil fertility. 

Topics also covered in class:

Starting out:  Learn how to create a lovely vegetable garden on any surface, from an existing lawn to concrete.

Bed sizes:  Proper sizing is important, from their height to their width.  You want maximum workability and comfort to you, the gardener.

Paths:  Considerations of path materials, cost, and efficiency.

Holding in your soil:  From various types of lumber, to many other hardscape materials, learn what you can do and how to save money doing it. We will build a simple garden bed during class, showing you how to select lumber, cut the boards, and screw them together. We will also be installing the bed on a slight slope, showing you how this is done properly.

Filling your new beds:  Top soil varies in vitality and usability.  Learn how to get a deal from our most-preferred providers and the best start for your new plants.

Other important elements:  Where are you going to put your hobby greenhouse?  Compost pile?  Worm bin?  Do you have space for a small chicken coop or beehive?  Where is the best place to put these important structures?

All these questions and more are explored in detail at this exciting workshop.  Even if you've got an existing garden, it's not too late to tweak it into perfection!

This class is taught by farmer Cynthia Sandberg co-founder of the World Tomato Society, and is held on-site at Love Apple Farms, located at 2317 Vine Hill Road, Santa Cruz, CA. Read speaker and class reviews for Cynthia Sandberg, here. 

ALL CLASSES ARE HELD RAIN OR SHINE
AND REQUIRE ADVANCE REGISTRATION

February 9, 2019 (Saturday) 10:00 a.m - 2:00 p.m.  $69  << Click on date to register (gift certificate holders register by emailing loveapplefarms@gmail.com)

March 3, 2019 (Sunday) 10:00 a.m - 2:00 p.m.  $69  << Click on date to register (gift certificate holders register by emailing loveapplefarms@gmail.com)

If the class date doesn't work for you or if the class is full, email us at loveapplefarms@gmail.com to request another workshop date or to be added to a waitlist.

Please read our cancellation policy in case you are not able to attend your scheduled class.  

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive information about new classes, planting tips, free give-aways, and more exclusive content. 

Love Apple Farms gift certificates can be used towards classes, seedlings, and merchandise.  They are available for purchase here. 

Check out other classes at Love Apple Farms by clicking here.

Workshop: Growing Culinary Herbs

This class will teach you the basics of growing your own herb plants from seed. You take home a sown flat of your choice of herb seeds to tend. Learn the soil, light, warmth, fertilizing, and climate requirements for the basic culinary herbs: basil, chives, oregano, rosemary, marjoram, tarragon, thyme, parsley and cilantro. We will also discuss some of the more esoteric herbs such as dill, savory, salad burnet, shiso, stevia, lavender, sorrel, bronze fennel, anise hyssop, mints, chamomile, catnip, borage, lovage, lemon balm, and more.

We will sow a tray of herbs for you to take home and take cuttings for rooting of other perennial herbs. The value of the plants propagated in this class for you to take home is potentially $150.

This class is taught by farmer Cynthia Sandberg co-founder of the World Tomato Society, and is held at Love Apple Farms' spring plant sale, located at 5311 Scotts Valley Dr., Scotts Valley, CA. Read speaker and class reviews for Cynthia Sandberg, here. 

ALL CLASSES ARE HELD RAIN OR SHINE
AND REQUIRE ADVANCE REGISTRATION

April 13, 2019 (Saturday) 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.  $69 plus small materials fee of $20  << Click date to register (gift certificate holders register by emailing loveapplefarm@gmail.com)

If the class date doesn't work for you or if the class is full, email us at loveapplefarms@gmail.com to request another workshop date.

Please read our cancellation policy in case you are not able to attend your scheduled class. 

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive information about new classes, planting tips, free give-aways, and more exclusive content. 

If the workshop dates don’t work for you, if the class is full, or if you’d like to request that another class be added, please email us and we’ll do our best to accommodate you!

Love Apple Farms gift certificates can be used towards classes, seedlings, and merchandise.  They are available for purchase here. 

Check out other classes at Love Apple Farms by clicking here.

 

Workshop: Growing Tomatoes, Peppersand Eggplants from Seed

Learn how to grow your own tomato, pepper and eggplant seedlings. Sow and take home one flat of up to 48 different types of tomatoes, peppers and eggplants to nurture and plant in your garden and give to friends.

These nightshades can be difficult to start from seed, but this class teaches you everything you need to know. It is also scheduled in winter, as the peppers and eggplants can take quite a long time to get going before the weather is hospitable enough to plant them in your garden in April or May.

This class is taught by farmer Cynthia Sandberg co-founder of the World Tomato Society, and is held on-site at Love Apple Farms, located at 2317 Vine Hill Road, Santa Cruz, CA. Read speaker and class reviews for Cynthia Sandberg, here. 

CLASSES ARE HELD RAIN OR SHINE
ALL STUDENTS REQUIRE ADVANCE REGISTRATION

January 19, 2019 (Saturday) 10:00 a.m - 4:00 p.m.  $89 plus materials fee of $30 << Click on date to register (gift certificate holders register by emailing loveapplefarm@gmail.com)

This class is different than our very popular Tomato Seedling workshop, for the convenience of students who would like to sow all three of these nightshade family plants in one sitting. Tomatoes grown from this class will be ready to transplant in the garden in late March. Peppers and eggplants will be ready to plant in the garden in late April (they take longer to mature from seed than tomatoes do).

If the class date doesn't work for you or if the class is full, email us at loveapplefarms@gmail.com to request another workshop date or to be added to a wait list. 

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Please read our cancellation policy in case you are not able to attend your scheduled class. 

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive information about new classes, planting tips, free give-aways, and more exclusive content. 

If the workshop dates don’t work for you, if the class is full, or if you’d like to request that another class be added, please email us and we’ll do our best to accommodate you!

Love Apple Farms gift certificates can be used towards classes, seedlings, and merchandise.  They are available for purchase here. 

Check out other classes at Love Apple Farms by clicking here.

Workshop: Growing Tomato Transplants from Seed

Learn how to sow and care for young tomato seedlings! Participants choose from over 150 varieties of heirloom tomatoes from Love Apple Farm's specialty seed bank. We sow them in seed flats and soil (supplied), while receiving direction and instruction on proper soil to use, heirloom variety selection for your individual growing conditions, germination requirements, care after seedlings emerge, proper transplanting techniques, and more. Students take home a sown flat of up to 48 different varieties of tomatoes with the potential for a total of 150 live plants (that's a value of $600).  Plenty for your garden and as gifts for your friends, too! Tomato seeds sown in these classes will be ready for your spring planting.  Classes limited to those 12 years and older. 

This class is taught by farmer Cynthia Sandberg co-founder of the World Tomato Society, and is held on-site at Love Apple Farms, located at 2317 Vine Hill Road, Santa Cruz, CA. Read speaker and class reviews for Cynthia Sandberg, here. 

ALL CLASSES ARE HELD RAIN OR SHINE!
ALL CLASSES REQUIRE ADVANCE REGISTRATION

February 17, 2019 (Sunday) 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. $69 plus small materials fee of $10 << Click on date to register (gift certificate holders register by emailing loveapplefarm@gmail.com)

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Please read our cancellation policy in case you are not able to attend your scheduled class. 

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive information about new classes, planting tips, free give-aways, and more exclusive content. 

If the workshop dates don’t work for you, if the class is full, or if you’d like to request that another class be added, please email us and we’ll do our best to accommodate you!

Love Apple Farms gift certificates can be used towards classes, seedlings, and merchandise.  They are available for purchase here. 

Check out other classes at Love Apple Farms by clicking here.

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Class participants have said:

"Just wanted to tell you again how much I enjoyed your Tomato Seedling Class.  This was the first time I've had any success with seeds and, while raising those little guys was certainly time consuming, it was very rewarding.  I think I only ended up losing one seedling and that was because I accidentaly dropped a grow light on it …ooops.  Needless to say, I had a LOT of little plants at my house.  In fact, after setting aside about twenty plants for myself and giving away a bunch to friends and family, I still had over 100 plants.  So, I donated the excess plants to my grandson's pre-school for their fund-raiser."  -- Jan K.

"I took your seed class in February and have had great success with my seedlings.  I'm still farming them out to neighbors and family in Sonoma, Los Gatos, and Pleasanton -- always spreading your words and good advice for their success."  -- Judy D.

"I had fantastic luck with the seeds we started in your seminar -- practically every one came up and and I shared dozens of seedlings with my friends."  -- Teri M.