Build your own planter box and grow your own food

$165 person all materials included
April 12th or 26th      10am-4pm    6 hr class
(2 separate classes) 8 students total each class

In this class we will measure, cut and assemble our own wooden planter boxes that we will then fill with soil, fertilizers and vegetable starts and discuss the many varieties of green and vegetables we can grow in this box, over the different seasons.

Included in the class

    ⁃    wood and nails to build 1 box per student
    ⁃    access to tools
    ⁃    1 bag and 1/2 of soil
    ⁃    fertilizers and worm castings (approximately 1 cup each)
    ⁃    up to 8 plant starts (2 packs) ranging from lettuce, kale, peas and spinach (availability)
    ⁃    1 pack of seeds for next planting, peas, lettuce, kale or spinach
    ⁃    discuss succession planting and timing and organics


PLEASE Bring eye protection, ear plugs and gloves if you have any or all of these items, it helps!
I have some to loan you, but it never hurts to have your own!

We will go over basic power tool safety and demonstrations. We will build our boxes together, taking turns on the chop saw, using drills and tools, helping each other along the way.
You will leave this class with a new confidence in using power tools, instructions on how to build this beautiful rustic planter, as well as your own handmade, planted container filled with seasonal greens to take home, nurture and harvest from, as well as a new group of friends to call upon to discuss the progress and planting with.
Bring your own lunch and water bottle.

Community building, connection and creativity. What more can you ask for?

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.

Pottery/parent and child

Pottery classes-  parent and child   $165

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

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.

begins 2/10-3/3  4:30-5:30

Mondays for 4 weeks

1 parent, 1 child   (4 groups  or 8 student total)

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.

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

Wednesday Moms day camp

Moms craft up Wednesdays series with Vera and Jodi from
10am-12:00 pm. while the kids are at school.  Street parking.
 

***Week 1 October 30th    homemade mustards  with Jodi (from Coffee to a Tea)

***Week 2 November 6th  
 Holiday lights with Vera
 These festive lights make great holiday or party lights. Hang them for special occasions or leave them up. Beautiful piled in baskets, as a holiday gift or to light a table. The uses are endless, yet elegant. $45 plus $15 materials fee 2 hr class.  8 maximum in class, 6 min to make the class.


***Week 3 Flavored vinegars with Jodi (from Coffee to a Tea)

I'm an Ohio transplant

I'm an Ohio transplant. I moved to Seattle almost 25yrs ago after visiting here for 11 days, and have never turned back. That visit included a trip to Port Townsend and the Pikes Market...seems likely I'd fall in love with Seattle.
I've worn many hats here in Seattle over the years, doing restaurant work, funky barista, Aveda Esthetician, finally settling in on gardening, photography, 
  pottery and metal work.
 I own and operate an organic nursery/small urban farm and gardening business, teach pottery, blacksmithing and other classes and workshops here at my home where I've lived for 10yrs.
 The story is long, but I've fought the banks to save my home from foreclosure. Now I'm a very active participant in many National foreclosure awareness groups and have quite a story to tell, if you'd ever like to hear it.

  I went to jail in D.C. fighting for the rights of others, on May 20th, 2013 at the DOJ protests.

This house and property represent more than a home and a garden. To me, it represents self expression, love, peace and personal choice.
  I've homeshooled my 2 kids, now 11 and 16 for 10yrs. I have made choices beyond the status quo. We are all unique and individual. I believe very strongly in embracing our differences and creating a peaceful world that encourages diversity, acceptance, respect and stewardship.  

I make a choice to live a certain lifestyle, and I hope to inspire others to give that gift to themselves. 

Adult Pottery classes West Seattle

Pottery classes,   (beginner level)

Adults only  $100    (limit 6)

Vera will be teaching.  Call to register, come in or paypal for class.

Mondays in October 6:30-8:30, beginning October 7th
Hand building. Learn the basics of hand building, score, slip, coils, pinch pots, beads or any sort of sculpture. Let your imagination guide you.
Class includes: 
1 bag with class sign up  ($15 bag for sale here if you need more)
glazes
(Second time students can try the wheel)
We use only white clay at this studio.
3 week evening class, with 2 weekly open studio days available to you.
Saturdays/Sunday 11-4pm for 3 weeks of class.
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 206-767-7735
Village Green Perennial Nursery
10223 26th Ave Sw Seattle Wa. 98146