OPEN 10-4 Saturdays

Here you will find a different atmosphere than most nurseries.
Step into a more relaxed environment. Listen to the birds and take note of the diversity of important pollinator plants growing here. What you might think is a weed, is most likely an edible plant or serves some benefit here (though I do have some pesky plants that get ahead of me, FOR CERTAIN!)
We are trained to think things we don't "plant" are weeds. Wrong. Some of them are extremely important for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and more.
Ask me...I'll do my best to describe my years of observations.
Permaculture is a broad term. I've practiced it here in my own way for 14 years now and I am quite pleased with what has evolved here. I live here, so expect to see my projects and works in progress. Check calendar for hours.
I welcome volunteers. I can take volunteers on most Saturdays 10-4, (and Sunday's in April/May/June)  I'll do my best to share information with you in trade for help either cleaning up an area, harvesting a wild salad or potting up plants. I might even send you home with a plant or two.
I've used tons and tons woodchips to remediate the soils, because the woodchips sprout fungi and pull out the toxins, restoring the soil fertility and the underground food web network. I let plants decay on the ground as it enriches and benefits the soils mycology. No one cleans up the forests, and they are thriving when man is not harvesting aggressively.

I grow many plants here, from divisions or cuttings and I only buy from responsible conscious growers, locally.
I look forward to your visit.
Call ahead for EGGS, honey, Wild harvest salad mix or consulting.  Consulting with you about your gardens during my open business hours will have a $35 hr fee. Coming to your site will incur a different rate and I can give you that rate sheet via email.
Check calendar to be certain we are open or call/text 206-819-8544 to schedule a visit.

beekeeping 101

Beekeeping 101  Class dates and times: February 20, 2016   10am-1pm  Cost for each class is $45
Beginning Beekeeping classes at Village Green Nursery. 12 max, 5 min
A three hour class to get you ready for bees in your garden in 2016.
This class will introduce you to the life cycle of the honey bee and the basic tools and equipment needed to set up a hive or two in your yard.

The instructor, Christine Ranegger, has been a hobby beekeeper (managing about 25 hives) in Seattle for 8 years and is an Apprentice Level beekeeper as part of the Master Beekeeper Certification Program with the Washington State Beekeepers Association.

Some supplies to get you started will be available for purchase.

Blacksmith classes

Basic introduction to blacksmithing. 3 workshops to choose from. Skill level, beginner to intermediate. 
8 and up is best, adults are welcome to sign up with kids!

I can only take 2 people at a time in the shop.
Learn how to taper, draw out and scroll hot steel to form shapes for functional items, such as a fire poker, a towel rack or scrolled trivet.  A lesson in Physics!       I am not a knife maker. knives require special heat treating and annealing, however we can make the shapes if return student would like to try it.
S1,  11-1  Saturday's beginning October 18 (runs 4 weeks) $180 11-2pm
S2  6-9pm  begins  Wednesday October 22nd,  evening  6-9pm (special 2 night project/class) We will make  a camp cook set. A very useful camping tool! This class is $190 plus $25 materials fee.S3 6-9pm begins Wednesday November 5,  evening  6-9pm (special 2 night project/class) We will make  a camp cook set. A very useful camping tool! This class is $190 plus $25 materials fee.
S4 6-9pm begins Wednesday November 19,  evening  6-9pm (special 2 night project/class) a small trellis for your garden plants/vines.   This class is $190 plus $25 materials fee.
    
Must sing a waiver. Village Green/Vera Johnson is not responsible for any injuries
 
We'll hammer iron, learn proper posture and holding techniques, shop safety and more
I'll demo then you can try your 'arm and hammer'
Must wear canvas or denim pants, fitted cotton long sleeve shirt, wear layers. Flannel shirt, denim shirt, leather shoes. No synthetic materials. They can melt and burn skin.
Hair must be tied back. NO Fleece, no baggy clothes.
I would be willing to discuss the hourly rental of the studio with interested adults.
I have been a practicing blacksmith for over 15 years, taking classes from Scott Shattuck at the Duwamish trade center through SSCC, Continuing my education through weekend workshops with David Lisch, master damascus knife maker (I do not make knives,
we practiced other skills) and apprenticed for Shannon Buckner of 'Bent productions'

camp cook set

Vera 206-819-8544

10223 26th Ave SW Seattle Wa 98146 

Street parking. Shop is onsite at Village Green

pottery parent and child

Pottery classes-  parent and child

Ages 9 and up if drop off or 6 and up for parent/child

Choose from 2 sessions

S1  4/7/2014-4/28/2014    Mondays for 4 weeks  1 parent, 1 child   (4 groups  or 8 student total) 4:30-5:30

S2  5/5-5/26      Mondays for 4 weeks  1 parent, 1 child   (4 groups  or 8 student total) 4:30-5:30

Hand building. Learn the basics of hand building, score, slip, coils, pinch pots, beads or any sort of sculpture, garden monsters, fairy dishes, gargoyles... Let your imagination guide you.

Vera will be teaching.  Call to register, come in or paypal for class. I have been working with clay for over 17yrs and been teaching it for 8 years to a small group of people, and now formally teaching. I studied under Dana Sanderson, (photographer, potter, archeologist) Dana taught at Southwest Community center and Alki bath house.

Class includes: 

1 bag with class sign up  ($15 bag for sale here if you need more)

glazes

firing

  

 We use only white clay at this studio.

4 classes per session.

We have clean up standards to keep in the studio, so please help to maintain cleanliness in the studio. We'll cover it in the first class.

Please park on Street

Questions, please call 206-819-8544

Village Green Perennial Nursery

10223 26th Ave Sw

Village summer camp

Session 1 Lost skills July  7-10,  ages 9-14, 10-4  Mon-Thurs   $645 15 kids max....tomahawk throwing, blacksmithing, bow and arrow, spoon making at the fire and so much more   . Each child will bring home a hand hammered project like a plant hanger or fire poker and have some clay pieces that will be fired in the kiln. Tomahawk throwing, shooting a bow and arrow, as well as hammering hot iron, changing it’s form and shape, help to develop concentration and focus, build self-confidence, respect of self and surroundings and a deeper awareness of themselves and their skills.       ***Most important skills above all else, Respect for self, others and how to be a steward of the land. How we can walk softly, be peaceful and bring honor to the woods, by our own gentle way of being and listening to her and being comfortable in the silence. We must learn to listen to fully hear

Session 2  Bee week July 14-17  ages 9-14,  10-4 Mon-Thurs.  $525  15 kids max
   Hang out with the bees, identify the guard,  patterns of flight, determine the drones, read, share and story tell about bees, discuss the importance of bees, make bees out of clay. Tend to the chickens, garden projects: including compost, planting and harvesting herbs for teas, make sun tea and more.  Hand crafts, needle felting soft sculpture and more. All about the best plants and flowers for the bees. Build honeybee boxes, inspect the hives, build mason bee boxes. Perhaps watching a swarm capture (happens frequently/unpredictable)    *** Most important skills above all else, Respect for self, others and how to be a steward of the land. How we can walk softly, be peaceful and bring honor to the woods, by our own gentle way of being and listening to her and being comfortable in the silence. We must learn to listen to fully hear

2 week Break in between

Session 3  Nature speaks Aug 4-7, ages 6-8 yrs. 10-3pm Mon-Thurs. $495  ..10 kids max...explore the web of life: the bugs, worms and soil, feed and keep the worm bin alive and happy, use the worm poop in the seed starts, conduct experiments with the worm compost, explore mushrooms and toadstools and take spore prints, climb trees, conduct experiments with seeds, soils, compost.    15 max  Each child will have  maintained the worm bin by feeding the worms, harvested red wigglers and vermicompost, gathered fresh eggs,  planted many seeds, harvested food, made several projects out of clay, and a whole lot more. Dirty, they will be dirty.  ***Most important skills above all else, Respect for self, others and how to be a steward of the land. How we can walk softly, be peaceful and bring honor to the woods, by our own gentle way of being and listening to her and being comfortable in the silence. We must learn to listen to fully hear
**50% down, balance due by May 30 to save spot, or lose deposit.

**Strict cancellation policy  25% of cost is non-refundable if cancellation is more than 45 days of start date, and 50% if  less than 45.

**Sign up and pay in full by Feb 15 to get $25 off. Call to register and pay by phone. (206) 819-8544
Registration form due by May 30

Please provide lunch and a water bottle. We will have fresh snacks from the gardens 
FOOD allergies, regretfully we cannot register children with life-threatening air borne food or bee allergies (fear of bees can be overcome, I’ve seen it many times here)

A few things to know about how the campers will spend their days:

We will eat fresh foods in the gardens, harvest wild greens, watch, listen and identify birds and bird calls, take spore prints from mushroom and funghi and identify them (no eating-though many here are edible) Build and tend a fire.  Lots of listening to nature, We will have spent time Identifying plants, both edible and poisonous, as well as read up on medicinals and native fruits and berries and more in most of these sessions.

Fun and adventure are only part of our camp day and our mission. We strive to assist in the development of valuable life skills like communication, teamwork, thankfulness, awareness, patience, common sense,  self confidence, problem-solving, respect for self, each other and nature.

****How many of us wonder if we could have been really great at some type of craft or skill, given an earlier start? Summer Camp attendees have the rare opportunity to try their hands at many crafts and skills that are no longer widely taught. Maybe your child is a natural with a bow? Or perhaps they are skilled in the blacksmith shop. It is amazing what new things a child can learn when you take away the distractions of modern technology and put them in an environment with a skilled teacher.    The ‘Lost skills’ camps are designed in such a way that the campers must demonstrate self control, respect and awareness of self, others and surroundings as well as deep listening (intuition) before they are given an opportunity to shoot the bow, throw the tomahawk or hammer hot iron.  All of our hands-on activities take place in our 2-acre village.

Camp counselors and camp help will be hired staff of Homeschool teens and students, as well as adults with camp staff skills
If you have a teen interested in a week or more of summer side work, who's interested, please send them my way.