Lunch & Learn: Garden Philosophies

Our Farm Manager, AJ, will explore and compare various gardening philosophies in this free informative presentation. When it comes to gardening, do you follow a specific philosophy? Do you stick with conventional methods or dabble in a bit of French Biointensive? Do you sprinkle in some of Steiner’s Biodynamics, or are you a full-blooded Permaculturist? Join Convivium’s Farm Manager, AJ, as he explores and compares various gardening philosophies—including Permaculture, Biodynamics, Biointensive, Rodale’s Organic, No-Till, No-Dig, Regenerative, and more. For participants planning to order food to eat during the presentation, please plan to arrive 15-20 minutes ahead to place your order at the coffeeshop counter. Your lunch will then be brought to you in the Learning Center to enjoy while you learn! Registration is appreciated but not required for this free program. Instructor AJ Shultz, Convivium's Farm Manager, tends our 13,000 plus square feet of gardens. From building healthy soil through harvesting delicious produce, AJ keeps his hands dirty demonstrating the process of growing food to anyone willing to listen. When not in the field, AJ also teaches gardening and composting classes and serves as our garden tour guide. Trust us – you don’t want to miss an opportunity to experience our gardens with him. AJ has been involved in edible and sustainable landscaping and urban gardening most of his adult life. His training and professional background includes working with organic farms and edible landscape organizations in Santa Cruz, California; Huelo, Hawaii; and Margaret River, Australia. An Iowa native, AJ returned to the area in 2011 to raise a family with his wife Kerri, also an Iowa native. They now have two growing daughters, Josey and Marny.