Learn How to Have a Homegrown Lifestyle

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is offering a course for folks who want to reconnect with the land, grow food for their own use and create a sustainable landscape. Homegrown Lifestyle will be offered by ISU Extension – Story and Boone County on Thursday evenings from 6-9p.m. beginning March 14 and ending May 30.

Homegrown Lifestyle is a 12-week spring short course for people living on a large lot or small acreage who are interested in producing food for their own use in a way that sustains their natural environment. Each weekly session has a webinar, taught by extension educators with expertise in the topics, to bring the science of getting started to the class; plus, each class offers locally organized activities for a hands-on experience. In addition to weekly Thursday sessions, three half-day local tours or workshops give course participants the opportunity to experience small–scale food production and resource conservations practices first hand.

“Increasing interest in local foods has some folks wondering if they could grow their own food,” said Alison Boelman, coordinator for Homegrown Lifestyle in Story County. “The Homegrown Lifestyle course combines basic information on a wide range of topics with practical application, local tours and workshops for a complete educational experience.”

Weekly sessions are taught by extension educators, with activities led by local experts. The course will be held on the ISU Campus Agronomy Hall,room 3140.

Topics covered during the course include edible landscape design; soil and water conservation; growing and preserving vegetables, fruits and wild crops; backyard poultry; beekeeping; grazing and ruminants; and wildlife management. Homegrown Lifestyle focuses on fundamental, scale-appropriate food production techniques and conservation strategies that smallholders and modern homesteaders can quickly put to use. It is not a farm business planning class of commercial growers.

The course fee is $179. Online registration is available at www.homegrownlifestyle.org. Registrations must be completed by March 7. For more information about Homegrown Lifestyle, contact Alison Boelman at 515-382-6551 or by email at aboelman@iastate.edu or visit www.homegrownlifestyle.org