Prescott Food Forest Keeps Growing

To help Quad Cities residents gain the insights and skills to not only grow a garden, but to become self-sufficient and sustainable, there are numerous programs and events available to master many aspects of gardening and homesteading.   

Spring and Summer Gardening Classes

Once again, The Prescott Food Forest @ B Organic Farm in Chino Valley is offering in-depth six-week gardening courses starting 10 a.m. to 12 noon, Saturday, March 29 and continuing every Saturday for the full six weeks. Spots are filling fast and there is limited availability, so visit www.prescottfoodforest.com to register. Thanks to our fundraising efforts and the generous support of our sponsors, you have an opportunity to receive a full six-week course scholarship, in return for 10 volunteer hours at B Organic Farm. The cost is $99 if volunteering is not something you want to do.

Also, at 12:30 p.m., Saturday, March 22, there will be a volunteer and former student kick-off celebration at B Organic Farm. All new and former students and volunteers are welcome! Fresh food and refreshments will be served.

Rock the Garden Open Charity Golf Tournament

Because of the success and positive response to last year’s sold-out golf event, The Make 100 Healthy Foundation is hosting the 2nd Annual Rock the Garden Open charity golf tournament on Tuesday April 29, with a 9 a.m. shotgun scramble format at the private and exclusive The Club at Prescott Lakes golf course. Last year, the event was sold out as players were treated to live music throughout the course and enjoyed golf games, including a hole-in-one chance to win a new car courtesy of Lamb Chevrolet, a Putting for Plants challenge courtesy of Watters Garden Center, and an Awards Luncheon after the event. To sign up, visit www.prescottfoodforest.com and find the event listed on our home page. All net proceeds go to support gardening education, scholarships for students and needed supplies to keep the gardens operational.

Northern Arizona Homesteading Conference

Another exciting new event is set for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday May 10, at the Prescott Valley Civic Center. Mark your calendar to attend the First Northern Arizona Homesteading Conference! Join us at the Conference to get inspired and learn or explore new self-reliance and homesteading skills.

The event will feature local farmers, homesteaders and makers who will demonstrate and teach their crafts and share their skills and methods. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from professionals, interact with local homesteaders and meet like-minded people in our community.

Admission is free but there is a VIP All Access Pass that allows entrance to seminars, special keynote speakers and VIP-only events for only $20.

Prescott Food Forest Director Stephane Leon is leading this event, and her vision is to bring together all those interested in self-sufficiency and sustainability, including raising chickens, growing and preserving food, creating an apiary, forging, animal health care, tree grafting, water harvesting, gardening, preserving and so much more.

“There are so many talented and wonderful people who want to share their amazing skills with our community,” said Leon. “The Northern Arizona Homesteading Conference is a platform we are creating meant to help amplify their messages and give them the opportunity to interact with the community.”

If you or anyone you know would like to be a sponsor, speaker or demonstrator or have a booth to share their wares, contact Stephane at prescottfoodforest@gmail.com or visit our website and click the logo for the event on the home page to be taken to more information and to sign up. QCBN

By John Murphy

John Murphy is the founder of the nonprofit Make 100 Healthy Foundation, which supports the Prescott Food Forest, was the chair for The Prescott Commission for Well Being and is a realtor in the Prescott area. To contact John directly, please email him at john.teammurphy@gmail.com or call 928-899-1341.