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The gardening internship program runs in three parts
this year, during Spring:
April
13 through June 14; during Summer:
June
29 through August 30; and into Autumn:
August
31 through November 1 .
Gardening with Balanced Awareness
There are many good and wonderful places where one can learn the
various methods for organic gardening. The garden internship I offer at
Karmê Chöling focuses on the methods and techniques of organic
gardening, but also emphasizes strengthening our mind-body through
meditation, yoga, and an opportunity to study Shambhala-Buddhism.
With meditation and yoga we familiarize ourselves with our body and
mind on a much deeper level than we can ordinarily access. Through
meditation we can discover that the ideal “me” does not exist and will
never exist. We come to accept ourselves for who and what we are, which
is the starting ground for our inner journey.
As part of strengthening mind-body, I encourage interns to use the
opportunity to join the group meditation sessions at Karme Choling twice
a day. Each intern can also meet with a meditation instructor on a
regular basis to clarify questions about their meditation.
Interns have the opportunity to engage in two forms of yoga. The
first is Warrior Exercises or lujong. It follows a series of
fifteen movements drawn from Tibetan yogic practices. The second is
Shamatha Yoga, which uses a series of postures designed to develop
mindfulness and increase flexibility.
Similar to meditation and yoga, gardening success begins with fully
accepting our garden site and deepening our relationship with dralas,
or living patterns of energy, in our garden soil, the sun, rain, wind,
rocks, weeds and all animals.
In a world where we are moving and changing at an ever-faster pace,
where many people choose “sound bites” over depth of understanding, and
efficiency over quality of life, cultivating a small garden may form a
welcome refuge that allows us to become responsive to the rhythms of the
natural world and unveil a world of ordinary magic and penetrating
brilliance.
Soil Fertility
One of the most complex and fundamental areas of study in organic
gardening is soil. At least as far back as 200 A.D., the Romans
appreciated soil fertility well enough to recommend crop rotation,
liming acid soils, adding manure, and growing legumes, which fix
atmospheric nitrogen, converting it to useable nitrates. In the
late-19th century, chemical fertilizers were introduced, making farming
more efficient and productive, but also inviting a host of problems,
including humus depletion, soil erosion, water pollution, and a dramatic
increase of pest insects. After WWII, the introduction of herbicides,
fungicides, and pesticides brought another wave of increased production,
but caused further environmental damage and severely strained our
relationship with planet earth and its inhabitants.
Organic agricultural research and observation over the past half
century has steadily deepened our knowledge and understanding of the
exquisitely subtle processes that lie at the base of a healthy (i.e.,
biologically active) soil.
In the internship, I will present the view of garden topsoil as a
complex wilderness where an incredible diversity of organisms make up
the (so-called) “soil food web.” These range in size from one-celled
bacteria, algae, fungi, and protozoa to the more complex nematodes and
micro-arthropods to visible earthworms, insects, small vertebrates and
plants. All these organisms eat, grow, and move through the soil. They
make it possible to have clean water, clean air, healthy plants, and
moderated water flow.
Following that, we will look at the various ways to improve soil
fertility through the use of compost, mulch, cover crops, proper
irrigation, and other cultural methods.
Compost
If you want to get an idea of the natural fertility of the earth, go
for a walk in the woods and look at the giant trees that grow without
fertilizer, without cultivation. So why go through the trouble of making
compost?
- First of all, through harvesting vegetables, we take nutrients
from the soil that need to be replenished.
- Second, we already have vegetable scraps from our kitchen (which
when they end up in landfills cause air pollution) and weeds we
collected from the garden.
- Most important, the positive qualities of well-aged compost make
it the unequaled garden soil elixir: it improves soil structure and
moisture retention; it can build humus which increases microbial
activity that allows for the gradual return of nutrients to the
soil; and it can be helpful in the prevention of bacterial and
fungal diseases.
In the internship we will look at compost ingredients and composting
methods, and you will have a chance to build and turn a compost pile or
two.
From Compost to Compost Tea
A recent development in organic gardening is the use of aerobic
compost tea. What has been discovered is that under aerobic
conditions only beneficial bacteria, fungi, nematodes and protozoa grow.
When this tea is sprayed over plants or trees, it prevents the onset of
certain bacterial and fungal diseases. When used as a soil drench, it
activates and rejuvenates a troubled soil.
Water and Irrigation
Too much or too little water has probably caused more failure in the
vegetable garden than any other growing condition. For the beginning
gardener, how to water properly is often one of the most challenging
things to learn, much less truly understand. When? How often? How much?
How? Rules and advice on watering techniques are often contradictory. In
the water and irrigation class of the internship, we will look at why
different soils and crops have different watering preferences and which
irrigation techniques work best.
Starting from Seed
Starting plants from seed is usually marked by an interesting mix of
great expectation and uncertainty about the outcome. This is especially
true when one’s livelihood or personal pride are involved. In many
traditional cultures, before any seeds are sown, fertility rituals are
performed to ask permission and blessings from gods or certain invisible
forces. In the internship, we will take a detailed look at all the
factors involved with successful germination.
Pest and Disease Management
Similar to the health and vitality of our human body, the organic
gardener’s approach towards pests (from insects to deer) and diseases
(fungal, viral and bacterial) is based on prevention and minimal impact
natural deterrents. In a healthy garden soil, beneficial organisms will
easily outnumber the pathogenic ones. Plants grown in soils with optimum
fertility have shown significant lower levels of pest damage. These
soils help to increase the natural resistance of plants and foster a
rapid increase in the number of natural predators (e.g., lady bugs,
lacewings, and toads). In the internship we will look at cultural
methods such as garden hygiene, crop rotation, floating row covers, and
the use of compost and compost tea as our main strategy for organic pest
management.
We will also discuss the use of organically permitted insecticides
against a background, on the one hand, of the Buddhist ethic of not
killing and, on the other hand, our obligation as gardeners and farmers
to feed the human community.
Garden Design and Planning
When you step into a diverse and well-designed garden, you might
first experience a moment of awe and relaxation. But if you start
thinking about the work and planning it took, you might risk becoming
intimidated or discouraged. To find simple enjoyment as well as
satisfying results, the apprentice gardener (all of us!) will benefit
from a good garden design and a clear sense of where to begin. In the
garden design class, each participant can create their own garden on
paper and learn about the many facets to consider.
In the garden planning class, we will also discuss crop rotation and
seed ordering.
The Karmê Chöling garden is about an acre in size. Along the grass
walkways and corners of the garden are large flowerbeds to provide
aesthetic beauty and for plant and insect diversity. We operate two
greenhouses to start all our seedlings and bedding plants and to grow
heat -loving plants. Vegetable beds are interspersed with kitchen and
medicinal herbs.
Produce from the garden supplies the Karme Choling kitchen for
approximately six months of the year and also serves our farm stand and
a local restaurant.
This year, 2008, we will start preparing for a children’s garden.
The program is especially designed for beginning and intermediate
gardeners who want to learn or expand their gardening skills at an
active Shambhala Buddhist community. You are also welcome to come simply
for an outdoor garden experience combined with yoga and meditation.
A full series of classes lasts nine weeks. This is repeated three
times from spring to autumn. Participants can join us for as short as
one week. A binder with articles for the class can be purchased for $25.
Participants who choose to repeat the nine-week course can request more
in-depth materials to study. The internship leaves ample time for walks
in the woods, writing, photography, artwork, or more intensive
meditation practice.
Please feel free to call or email me if you have any
questions.
Phone: (802) 633-2320
Email:
jenthoven@fcgnetworks.net
For registration, please contact Karmê Chöling:
Phone:(802) 633-2384
Email:
reception@karmecholing.org
For more information also read the
interview with me.
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